The Covid-19 pandemic and months of lockdown have snatched the livelihood of transgenders in Kashmir.
Mir Mushtaq
26 May 2021:
The already marginalised community used to earn their living by working as matchmakers and by performing at weddings. Now, the community has been left to fend for themselves in the pandemic.
transgender from Kashmir has been without a job for more than a year. due to lockdown, there are no weddings, and even if there are weddings they are very low-key affairs. “It is very difficult for their communities these days. Sources of income have dried up and many of transgender’s are left with nothing.
I along with my friends is now trying to help others. We are distributing food among the community so that the members receive temporary relief. they had no food. . I tried helping first on a personal level but later when I started getting more calls. I got in touch with Amir Rashid Wani .. We are a group of 30 members and we are trying our best to reach out to as many transgenders as possible in our valley .we are providing food n other essentials to all of them .
The group is trying to generate funds so that they can help more people in the community. These transgenders were make-up artists, singers and matchmakers. The lockdown has taken away their livelihoods.
The transgender community has also been left behind when it comes to health care. They allege harassment and humiliation every now and then at healthcare institutions.They want separate vaccination centres for their community. Some people make fun on them while they walk on the roads.The community claims that they have been ignored and hardly received any help from the government.
