The transgender community has been exposed to years of systemic oppression owing to the heteronormative norm in society. Over the years, both the law and many civil society groups have worked significantly to provide trans-individuals with the opportunities they deserve.
However, primitive mindsets and lack of awareness about this diverse community continues to hinder the process of empowerment. In an attempt to create a space for the transgender community and provide them a platform to voice their thoughts, stories, and opinions, the PHD Chamber of Commerce and Industry organised a Transgender Leadership Conclave at PHD House, Hauz Khas, on Thursday.
The day-long event that coincided with International Transgender Day of Visibility, featured a series of sessions with members from the community who have excelled in various fields and are an inspiration to others. The event commenced with an inaugural address by Anuradha Goel, Chairperson, PHD Family Welfare Foundation, and the guest of honour Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, a Bharatanatyam dancer and Hijra activist who is also the Acharya Mahamandaleshwar of Kinnar Akhada.
Other dignitaries present here were Pradeep Multani, President, PHDCCI; Saurabh Sanyal, Secretary-General, PHDCCI; and Dr Chiranjeev Bhattacharjya, National Programme Manager at Health and Governance Unit, UNDP India.
A call for change
The conclave featured eight sessions on a number of themes. Each session featured the speaker’s coming-out journey as a transgender person, the impediments to their processes, and how they managed to transcend societal barriers to realise their dreams. Panellists also shed light on the issues faced by the community and the changes needed in mindsets to help create an inclusive nation.
In her session ‘New Identity’ Zainab Patel, Lead-Inclusion and Diversity at Pernod Ricard, talked about discrimination faced by transgenders and the importance of promoting stories from the community. “Trans-people, irrespective of where they come from, look for inspiration. Media can play an important role in popularising individual stories, of people who are changing things at the grassroot level… my message is to look at us as a community, as someone who plays a role in India’s growth story.”