A STUDY OF TRANSGENDER COMMUNITY IN INDIA

The term "transgender" refers to a variety of gender expression that differs from what an individual
was assigned at birth. The presence of individuals who do not conform to their assigned gender
has been acknowledged throughout the history of India, from the existence of hijras in the
scriptures to their recognition in the courts of the Mughal emperors. However, colonization and
the influence of post-colonial social norms have forced transgendered people to the margins of
society. Today in India, there is a paradox: there is constitutional recognition of the rights of
transgender people, but there is also a high rate of social exclusion. This paper will examine how
transgendered individuals in contemporary India form their identity, participate in the community,
experience discrimination and demonstrate resilience. The transgender community in India has
been historically present and yet is currently subject to systemic discrimination in the modern
world. Through this examination, the multifaceted experiences of transgender people will be
reviewed, including how they experience legal reform, health services and societal attitudes that
impact their identity and overall health and well-being. Although there are both historical records
from ancient texts and modern scholarship that recognize the existence of diverse ways of
expressing gender through the Hijra, Jogappa and Aravani communities, the existence of
transgender individuals in contemporary India is marked by the fact that they exist in between two
worlds–two worlds that are both visible and marginalized.