THE AMAZING INDIA

this will probably one of the last times i get internet before i leave. there's so many things to talk about and not enough time/rupees to do it in!

the last couple of days have been both tiring and fantastic. we've been working with a feminist woman's rights group called HHS. friday we had the chance to visit a support group for the lgbtq community called sangama. that has been one of the most rare and incredible experiences thus far. those people are amazing. in a country where IPC Section 377, a law condemning anyone who goes against "nature" by participating in carnal intercourse that is not man-woman, was repealed only recently it is an amazing feat to be able to create and maintain a support group like this. the people were AMAZING. amazing. amazing. amazing.

one transgender started out as a radio jockey and now is an actress and working on a book. one hijra, a transgender male to females who are revered in some cultural practices like blessing children or weddings, wrote a book called the truth about me and another recently ran for political office as both a transgender and a dalit. these people face huge discrimination not only in a land that treats them as unnatural and even tries to beat the "demon" out of them, but also in a land where communication to the outside is sooooo minimal-- thus making their location in the world extremely lonely.

things i found interesting:
even though they didn't understand us, they smiled and nodded at everything we said
i felt both extreme pride and humility
they asked "simple" questions like: are there transgenders in the us? do they have places where the queer can hang out? these questions, we believe, were a way of placing themselves in the world community
they have categories of gay males, an effeminate gay male is kothi, the masculine gay male is panthi and the in between is called a double decker. we find this controversial. it seems to categorize and divide, but at the same time, here is the answer to those confused about what/who they are!

i felt that this is one of the times i finally found my voice to speak. i finally realized the immediacy and how unique this moment was in my life. i had my chance to tell them that it's one thing to fight for water and food and education like we've been learning, but to fight for an identity-- that is an incredibly brave thing to do. and again, i could only sum this up by saying they were an AMAZING group.

i know i should be writing about what i've done today and yesterday and blah blah, but i feel like those are things i might be able to do in the future. i might be able to go see the lalbagh flower show or shop in big bazaar and central bangalore mall again. but i may never meet the absolutely inspiring individuals i've met on this trip.

-- something that also pertains to this. there's violence and corruption and just bad and ugly stuff everywhere in this city and nation, and that is what the news fixates on. if you read this and believe that the type of change i mentioned above is just sooo unlike india, i ask that you go to thebetterindia.com and change your mind. we met with the founders (two engineers!) and learnt that it's only them and 10 journalists doing this part time-- amazing! honestly, take some time &change your perception of india.