Went to attend a session on "Sexuality and Sexual Abuse" that was being conducted by "Elaan". (Visit their blog here). Elaan is an NGO that works against CSA (Child Sexual Abuse)- but this session was conducted along with "Swikriti" which works with people of alternate sexual orientations. Got to interact with people of different sexual orientations- like homosexuals, trans-genders and effeminate men...
Even though I act modern and open-minded, I will admit that I caught myself staring at a particular guy at innumerable occasions. He was dressed in female clothes with make up & earings and nail-polish etc. His mannerisms were such that you would not find anything amiss. But when he started speaking, obviously his voice gave away everything.
They explained the difference between Sex and Gender- Sex is biological in nature- what you are born as... whereas Gender is what you perceive yourself as. Society has set these rules where sex and gender are considered same, but actually they are not! So what happened to this guy was that he was born as a man (no problem there) but he perceives himself as a woman (which means that his Gender is Female). He likes wearing dresses, putting nail polish, wearing make-up and is attracted to men...
Imagine his anguish, in his childhood/teenage days when he did not even understand why he was behaving differently. Imagine other kids teasing him for being a sissy. Imagine his trauma at not understanding his dad's anger towards him. My heart went out to him when he explained that in his innocence he thought that he could win his dad's love if he looked pretty like his sisters. So he got all dolled up to impress him and got a sound trashing for it.
It's ironical that we think we live in a civilized society, but are yet so backward. And I am a part of it. If this guy was sitting next to me in office- I don't know how I would react. Even today~ when I have understood something about his perspective, I know I wouldn't be normal...but that's the one thing they crave- being accepted as normal.
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