According to the norms of the hijras community, it's not necessary that one be castrated. Castration is your choice. If you do it, testosterone doesn't build up, femininity comes, but I have always said that castration is not the right… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share Image
People believe that if a hijra curses you, bad things will happen. That God Ram blessed hijras with this power, that our blessings and… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
The people who want to be segregated are part of a different generation, and they have lived their lives. They are the stakeholders and… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
When somebody asks me, "Who are you?" I tell them, "I am the oldest ethnic transgender community in the world, which has its own… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
We, hijras, are not hypocrites. We live our sexuality openly, being truthful to our souls and our bodies. Science and doctors assigned something else… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
I advocate for people who believe sex work is work. But women have so many avenues open. In the same way, a trans woman… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
Hijras are a sexual minority that is visible, and yet we are treated as the invisibles. I believe I was never invisible. I thought,… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
Hijras earn a living by egging, sex work, badhai or blessing. There are now transgenders in social work, the fashion industry, who have PhDs.… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
Being called gay is worse than transgender. I remember when I started fighting way back in 1999 for hijas' rights, and I said the… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
A hijra is someone who has transitioned from male to female, but we don't consider ourselves female because culturally we belong to a completely… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
I try to educate people. I've told the hijra community that it's not about getting breasts or having sexual reassignment surgery. First we need… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
I always say, "First complete your education, be what you want to be in life, get a position, start earning. Then, when you are… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
I was a sick child, I was scared, and honestly speaking, I never thought about why I didn't tell anyone about my abuse. Abuse… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
I learned dancing because I loved dancing. It took away the pain, it took away everything, I was happy when I was dancing. I… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
When we, hijras, started our activism, we had to tell people, "We exist, we are humans. Please give us nothing but our basic dignity."… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
At times, my parents said, "Let's get the child married," and I said a big no. Impossible. How could I be with a woman?… — Laxmi Narayan Tripathi Copy Share
