'Even man is not complete'

[Shana A]

 'Even man is not complete'

Celebrate transgender Laxmi Narayan Tripathi talks about breasts implants and suicide, quotes Krishna and busts myths about her community

By Suruchi Gupta
Posted On Wednesday, January 20, 2010 at 01:18:40 PM

http://www.kolkatamirror.com/index.aspx?page=article&sectid=9&contentid=20100120201001191318405317c6b518b&sectxslt=

Spearheading India's first national transgender beauty contest, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, better known as Laxmi, is making her presence felt in UN Assembly and Indian society at the same time. One of the most celebrated transgender in her own right, she encourages others of the hijra community claim their position in society. Here's a brief excerpt of a conversation:

What was the reason behind this pageant?
The reason for me to have this pageant was that when we spoke as social activists about serious issues like stigmatisation, discrimination and marginalisation of communities, the HIV/AIDS problems, particularly the high risk factor in them, it's not heard by the society. It's a game played outside it or at its fringes. But this programme, Indian Super Queen is mainstreamed. It is not just beauty, but beauty with a cause. I wanted these issues to be talked in a lighter way and at other platforms.