The transgender community in the union territory of Jammu and Kashmir has often complained of facing discrimination and rejection by society.
Because of this jaundiced societal approach, most of its members remain side-lined and live a hand-to-mouth existence in terrible conditions.
As per the 2011 Census, an estimated 4.8 million Indians have been identified as transgender.
The lack of acceptance has meant that they have limited options on the work front, and are restricted to performing at wedding ceremonies, work as matchmakers and make-up artists.
Brighter Kashmir met Manu Bebo, downtown Srinagar’s first transgender make-up artist to exactly find out how transgenders ekk out a living in spite of being denied access to government-linked benefits.
BK: What is your name and can you tell us something about yourself?
Manu Bebo: My name is Manu Bebo and I am Kashmir’s first transgender artist. From my childhood till the seventh standard I was not aware that there is something called a make-up artist. From the seventh standard, I got interested in it. I wanted to do make-up for my friends, etc. & I did. Step-by step, I became a successful make-up artist.
BK: What does society have to say about people like you, or the work that you are doing?
Manu Bebo: What can I say about them; people will talk if they have to and even if they don’t need to. I can’t do anything about that, and why should I? I just believe that I like what I am doing, and therefore, doing it with passion and interest.
BK: What is the situation like now? Is there a different reaction from family, friends, etc.?
Manu Bebo: Yes, it’s certainly improved, and has become better since I became successful. The family is now giving support. They don’t mind now and now don’t make me feel awkward about the kind of clothes I am wearing, etc. Now they are not concerned about what people are saying, or will say. They simply say, “Let them talk, you are our own child, if you like what you are doing, just go ahead and do it.”
BK: How did you come with the name of Manu Bebo?
Manu Bebo: From childhood, I have been called Manu. I was a fan of Kareena Kapoor (aka Bebo), and decided to join my name with Bebo to become Manu Bebo because a lot of people said that look like Kareena.
BK: What finally prompted you to come out and project yourself as a make-up artist?
Manu Bebo: The credit for this must go to my family and friends. They said ‘you have this unique talent; come out in the open and show and share your skills with a much wider audience/clientele. You can now do a job, you can now seek employment, but you have to register your Aadhaar Card, and use it to get the required opportunities.
Manu spends a lot of time doing herself up and believes in the mantra practice makes perfect. Today, she has nearly 21, 000 followers on Instagram and follows 573 others, which is a testament to her talent. She conducts online tutorials, and according to one report, these tutorials have garnered good views, especially her “Smoky Eyes” look which attracted 25,137 views.
Official data suggests that there is still a long way to go before India accepts transgenders as an independent community. Most data collection is still taken in the binary format, i.e. boy or girl, excluding transgenders and inter-sex persons. There is both stigma and ostracisation to deal with constantly.
In May 2020, a Jammu and Kashmir Administrative Council meeting, chaired by then Lt. Governor Girish Chandra Murmu, granted the transgender community a monthly pension under an integrated social security scheme.
The scheme would have enabled trans people to receive a monthly financial assistance of Rs.1,000, the same amount provided to the homeless, elderly, widows, divorcees, orphans and disabled individuals who have minimal to no income.
But according to the LGBTQIA community, most are not even aware of this scheme, and those who are, are not able to avail the scheme.
A transgender is someone who does not identify with the sex they were assigned at birth. The term 'inter-sex' is used when a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn't fit the typical definition of female or male. Indian law clubs transwomen, transmen, inter-sex people, genderqueer people and persons ascribing to socio-cultural identities such as Kinner, Hijra, Aravani and Jogta as transgenders.