Despite serious attempts, however, his dream to become a coach seemed distant. And that, Pun says, is not because he lacks in skills or ability but due to his different sexual orientation that society is yet to recognize and respect. [break]
“Senior officials at the sports council sidelined me in many ways. They never provided me correct and timely information about opportunities,” Pun said. “I later found out that they used to misinform the selection panel about me that would put me at disadvantage during the selection process,” he added. According to Pun, the officials found the very idea of a transgender becoming a women´s coach insulting.
Hurt and frustrated, Pun gave up. Then he began to teach primary level in a government school situated in Hakim VDC of Myadgi in 1997. But just after 3 weeks of her joining, the school enforced dress code for lady teachers. “The rule that female teachers must wear chaubandi cholo or sari was purely targeted at me,” he said. “They had serious problem with my get up.”
Unable to accept the condition, Pun resigned from the school as well. Pun´s is not a standalone case, comments Pinky Gurung, president of the Blue Diamond Society. “For a transgender, life is full of thorns. Many have resorted to sex work as they are least likely to find other jobs,” she adds.
Shruti Lama (name changed) is a case in point. A travel agency in Thamel had invited applications for the post of a receptionist. Lama, who had passed 10 + 2 from a good college in Dharan, was short listed and called for an interview. “I would have been selected had they not known that I was a transgender,” she said. “By my look or get up, they would hardly identify me, but they grew suspicious because of my voice.”
The agency told her that the job was not for a transgender. Determined to survive in the city, Lama sent one after another applications to several private companies. At many places, she was just mocked. “When I was not selected even as a waiter, finally, I decided to become a sex worker,” she admitted.
According to LGBTI (Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender and Intersex) activist Bhumika Shrestha, as the state has shown no interest in protecting the rights of the third gender, it is natural that they, specially the transgender, become the soft target of the society.
“They are made to feel uncomfortable at public places, they are denied jobs, and they are not provided even rented houses or rooms, among host of other problems,” she said.
According to her, while the transgender are least likely to get a job in the country, the situation was no different even for those who want to go abroad. For instance, transgender Sunil Thapa (name changed) was sent back to Nepal just in 14 days after his sexual orientation was disclosed. “After knowing that I was a transgender, the owner of the company told me that my visa was cancelled and I had to go back. I had spent Rs 75,000 to get the opportunity.”
As per the data with the Blue Diomond Society, there is an estimated number of 2,662,080 third gender in the country which is 10 percent of the total population. Of the number, 79,862 are said to be transgender.
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