All history is the history of conflict and conflict is the
driving force of social change, Karl Marx opines. If we happen to glance at the
cumulative history of trans politics and movements over the hiatus of years,
alongside the tumultuous pressure of transphobia working as a parallel antagonistic
force, it will be no surprise to us that such movements have gained
considerable momentum as of late. For conflict only adds fuel to the rising
flames of a non-conforming mind to engender expressions powerful enough to lead
the society to new dimensions. With regards to our transgender persons, their
conflicts know no end-theirs is a conflict of identity, of gender expressions,
a conflict against social acceptance, isolation, discrimination, oppression, prejudice
and what not. And when a community oozes conflict from every pore, it also
attains the Marxian motor force to bring about a change, and becomes a strength
to reckon with, relentlessly pushing aside the very barriers which impeded its
progress.
Things are no different in the trans scenario of India with
trans people showing tremendous mettle in pushing aside gender binaries in
various spheres of life and making inroads into the so-called mainstream of society.
One such glaring example is Prithika Yashini, a 25-year old trans-persona who
is all set to become the first transgender Sub-Inspector of Indian Police to
take charge in Tamil Nadu. It was not a cakewalk for Yashini who had to be victimized
to a prolonged legal tussle over her eligibility to the SI post. Happy with the
final outcome, the Deccan Chronicle dated 6th of November, 2015 chronicles her saying,
“I am very happy. Now, they cannot reject me. But I don't know yet if the judge
has set any preconditions to my appointment."She added, "This verdict
is not just my victory, but rather it is a win for the entire transgender
community."
Yashini's life reeks of conflict and is a daunting tale of
battling the odds of existence. Born and brought up as Pradeep Kumar, she
completed her schooling in Salem district. Coming to terms with the biological
changes that her body was undergoing, she underwent a sex reassignment surgery
in 2011 after moving to Chennai. To add to her miseries, her family had
disowned her, forcing her to move in with her transgender peers in the city. Undeterred
by the sway of circumstances, the quirk of fate, whatever you call it, Yashini
survived. Not only did she survive, she came out as bold and ambitious enough
to file an application for recruitment to the post of SI with the Tamil
Nadu Uniformed Services Recruitment Board. Her application
was rejected on grounds of absence of a third-gender column of applicants. A
heartbroken Yashini sought legal recourse at Madras High Court and the rest is
history.
The High Court of Madras accordingly allowed Yashini to give
the written test by virtue of an interim order. The written test is the first
stage of the three stages of recruitment- written, physical endurance test and
viva-voce. Yashini also filed a series of writ petitions and succeeded in
lowering the cut-off bar for the written examination from 28.5 to 25, reports
NDTV. She qualified all physical tests with flying colours, but missed the 100
meters dash by one second. The designs of destiny were benevolent this time and
in a landmark judgment on 6th November, 2015, the Madras High Court directed
the TNUSRB to appoint her as Sub-Inspector of Police, declaring her
"entitled to get the job”. The judgment further directed the board to
enlist the third gender as a separate category, apart from the rigid gender
binaries of "Male" and "Female".
A brave heart and a true achiever, Yashini refuses to draw
the line here. She has her eyes trained on the coveted IPS post and aspires to
crack the UPSC.
The court while declaring Yashini's appointment said that it
was an event of great social impact and that it hoped she would discharge her
duties with dedication and commitment to advance the cause of other transgender.
Yashini embodies the spirit of the trans community in India
- a community that dares to dream in the face of adversities and endeavours to
frutify them into reality. We wonder if it's adversity that inflames their
ambition to soar above the sordid backstreets of life and claim public
recognition and fundamental rights for themselves. And as we keep wondering, Shakespeare
reminds us-
"Sweet are the uses of adversity.
Which like the toad, ugly and venomous,
Wears yet a precious jewel in his head."
By Aritra Chatterjee. Asutosh College, Kolkata.
