--- title: "Meaning & Key Takeaway of: When we, hijras, started our activism, we…" description: "\"When we, hijras, started our activism, we had to tell people, \"We exist, we are humans. Please give us nothing but our basic dignity.\" The biggest mise..." image: "https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/laxmi-narayan-tripathi-28324_activism_when-we-hijras-started-our-activism-we-h_2019055.jpg" --- # When we, hijras, started our activism, we had to tell… ![“When we, hijras, started our activism, we had to tell people, "We exist, we are humans. Please give us nothing but our basic dignity." The biggest misery in the world, I believe, is the feeling of being unloved, and that this community faces a lot. You're not even considered to be human. You're…” quote by Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/laxmi-narayan-tripathi-28324_activism_when-we-hijras-started-our-activism-we-h_2019055.jpg) [Download](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/laxmi-narayan-tripathi-28324_activism_when-we-hijras-started-our-activism-we-h_2019055.jpg) [Open image](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/i/e32/laxmi-narayan-tripathi-28324_activism_when-we-hijras-started-our-activism-we-h_2019055.jpg) > “When we, hijras, started our activism, we had to tell people, "We exist, we are humans. Please give us nothing but our basic dignity." The biggest misery in the world, I believe, is the feeling of being unloved, and that this community faces a lot. You're not even considered to be human. You're considered transparent. We were ignored until we started organizing, when HIV first became a factor. Even in the HIV world, people could not believe that hijras have sex. And then also we were put in the category of men having sex with men, the gay community.” [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) ## About This Quote This interpretation was drafted with AI assistance. It is one reading of the quote, not the author's own explanation. Advocating for basic human dignity highlights the deep pain of societal invisibility and dehumanization. **In simple terms:** Demanding dignity reveals the hurt of being unseen. Key Takeaway Speak up for human rights. Themes human rights visibility dignity Mood determined empathetic Type political personalational When to use this quote - policy advocacy - community organizing - public awareness campaigns - healthcare access - education programs Key Concepts dehumanization social exclusion activism Questions to Reflect On - How can societies move from awareness to concrete inclusion? - What policies best protect marginalized groups? A Different Perspective Changing attitudes requires systemic change, not just awareness. ★ ★ ★ ★ ★ No ratings yet [Activism](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/activism/) [Community](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/community/) [Dignity](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/dignity/) [Feelings](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/feelings/) [Gay](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/gay/) [Giving](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/giving/) [Men](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/men/) [Misery](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/misery/) [Nature of man](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/nature-of-man/) [People](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/people/) [Respect](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/respect/) [World](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/about/world/) ## Related quotes > [“It is hard to provide proof of love. And yet love undeniably does exist. 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It’s never in the main things…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/elelwani-anita-ravhuhali/it-s-the-little-hints-that-they-opt-to-disregard-the-small-decisions/) [Elelwani Anita Ravhuhali](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/elelwani-anita-ravhuhali/) > [I dont see myself as unloved because I was given up; I see it as an ultimate act of sacrifice and love on my…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/stacee-ballback/i-dont-see-myself-as-unloved-because-i-was-given-up-i-see-it-as-an/) Stacee Ballback > [My childhood was rough, we were poor and my parents were alcoholics, but nobody was mean. I knew I was loved. We were on…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/carol-burnett/my-childhood-was-rough-we-were-poor-and-my-parents-were-alcoholics/) [Carol Burnett](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/carol-burnett/) > [If you would be unloved and forgotten, be reasonable.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/kurt-vonnegut/if-you-would-be-unloved-and-forgotten-be-reasonable/) [Kurt Vonnegut](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/kurt-vonnegut/) > [We can't have children growing up feeling unloved - the price is too high for that.](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/angela-rayner/we-can-t-have-children-growing-up-feeling-unloved-the-price-is-too/) [Angela Rayner](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/angela-rayner/) > [But miserable most, to love unloved? This you should pity rather than despise](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/william-shakespeare/but-miserable-most-to-love-unloved-this-you-should-pity-rather-than/) [William Shakespeare](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/william-shakespeare/) > [My songs have a lot going on in them -they're packed with sounds. When I have only three or four minutes to capture something,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/imogen-heap/my-songs-have-a-lot-going-on-in-them-they-re-packed-with-sounds-when/) [Imogen Heap](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/imogen-heap/) ## More by Laxmi Narayan Tripathi > [People believe that if a hijra curses you, bad things will happen. That God Ram blessed hijras with this power, that our blessings and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/people-believe-that-if-a-hijra-curses-you-bad-things-will-happen-that/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [The people who want to be segregated are part of a different generation, and they have lived their lives. They are the stakeholders and…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/the-people-who-want-to-be-segregated-are-part-of-a-different/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [When somebody asks me, "Who are you?" I tell them, "I am the oldest ethnic transgender community in the world, which has its own…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/when-somebody-asks-me-who-are-you-i-tell-them-i-am-the-oldest-ethnic/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [We, hijras, are not hypocrites. 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I thought,…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/hijras-are-a-sexual-minority-that-is-visible-and-yet-we-are-treated/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [Hijras earn a living by egging, sex work, badhai or blessing. There are now transgenders in social work, the fashion industry, who have PhDs.…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/hijras-earn-a-living-by-egging-sex-work-badhai-or-blessing-there-are/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [Being called gay is worse than transgender. I remember when I started fighting way back in 1999 for hijas' rights, and I said the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/being-called-gay-is-worse-than-transgender-i-remember-when-i-started/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/a-hijra-is-someone-who-has-transitioned-from-male-to-female-but-we/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/i-try-to-educate-people-i-ve-told-the-hijra-community-that-it-s-not/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [I always say, "First complete your education, be what you want to be in life, get a position, start earning. Then, when you are…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/i-always-say-first-complete-your-education-be-what-you-want-to-be-in/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [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…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/i-was-a-sick-child-i-was-scared-and-honestly-speaking-i-never-thought/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [I learned dancing because I loved dancing. It took away the pain, it took away everything, I was happy when I was dancing. I…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/i-learned-dancing-because-i-loved-dancing-it-took-away-the-pain-it/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [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?…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/at-times-my-parents-said-let-s-get-the-child-married-and-i-said-a-big/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) > [I was recently chief guest at a function, and one of the boys who had exploited me in the childhood was there. He could…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/i-was-recently-chief-guest-at-a-function-and-one-of-the-boys-who-had/) [Laxmi Narayan Tripathi](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) [Explore all 19 Laxmi Narayan Tripathi quotes ](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/author/laxmi-narayan-tripathi/) ## More Activism quotes > [“God has a way of picking a “nobody” and turning their world upside down, in order to create a “somebody” that will remove the…](https://sms4smile.com/quotes/shannon-l-alder/god-has-a-way-of-picking-a-nobody-and-turning-their-world-upside-down/) [Shannon L. 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You're not even considered to be human. You're considered transparent. We were ignored until we started organizing, when HIV first became a factor. Even in the HIV world, people could not believe that hijras have sex. 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