Edited and translated extracts of an interview with folk artiste Manjamma Jogathi:
You’ve earned so many laurels over the last few decades. What does this mean to the larger community you belong to?
Till I was made the president of the folk academy (in 2019), only a few people knew about me. After the Padma Shri (in 2021), the entire country came to know about the work I was doing. When people saw that a transgender person has achieved this, it brought respect and recognition to my whole community.
Even now, people tell me that earlier, they would look at transgender people at signals and the like with a lot of disgust. Today, they often roll down the window pane and give them money, looking at them with a lot of sympathy and understanding.
Our community people also tell me that people come and ask them if they know Manjamma Jogathi, and if they nod, people tell them to give up seeking alms and other unwanted activities and instead think of achieving something.
What more change can I ask for?
You were the head of the Karnataka Folklore Academy during COVID-19. How did you manage and navigate the role under those challenging circumstances?
During the lockdown, I couldn’t do much from the academy. After the lockdown, once social distancing measures were in place, we were able to go around performing in villages. The government gave us some funding, and using that, I tried my best to do what was possible. If they had given more funds, we could have done more.
How does it feel to know that your life is now part of a college syllabus?
The present generation doesn’t read newspapers or watch television. At least now, while studying, they have to read textbooks about third-gender folk artists and their lifestyles.
Taken from that context, the inclusion of my story will help them know about the life of a transgender person and folk artistes. Instead of seeing us as only those who seek alms, this will enable a change in perspective among young minds.
From beggars to artistes; a paradigm shift in perception will be initiated.
What more do you think will help change the narrative of the trans experience?
There are people who feel pity and compassion for us, but we don’t need that. We just need people to look at us as human beings.
Small things, for instance, gender-neutral toilets in all public spaces, taking us into account, will give a message loud and clear to society. It would also be good if we were offered jobs in public spaces like parks, railways, buses, and government offices. Sure, some trans people beg, but there are many of us willing to work.
By employing trans people in public spaces, you will make them less prone to harassment and set a precedent for the people who turn to begging. If they see one of their kind being gainfully employed, they will feel that they can work, live this way and be respected.
And it is important to bring information and awareness at the school and college level. If we catch them young, change is more likely to happen and people will start thinking about us in a better way.
