Shabnam Mausi
Shabnam Mausi ("Mausi" noun. Hindi - "Aunty") is the first Indian Transgendered or Hijra (South Asia) to be elected to the Lok Sabha - India's Legislative Assembly. Hijras (Eunuchs) were granted voting rights in 1994 in India. Shabnam represents Madhya Pradesh state's Shahdol district, located in central India. Shabnam attended two years of primary schooling, but speaks 12 languages that she has learnt during her travels. As a member of the Legislative Assembly her agenda includes fighting corruption, unemployment, poverty and hunger in her constituency. Shabnam Mausi also intends to use her position in the Legislative Assembly to speak out against discrimination of eunuchs as well as to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS.
Shabnam Mausi inspired a lot of Hijras in India to take up politics and participate in 'mainstream activities' in India, giving up their traditionaly roles as dancers, prostitutes and beggars, living on the fringes of Indian society. They often show up at weddings or the house of a newborn child demanding money in exchange for warding off bad luck.
In 2005, a fiction feature film titled 'Shabnam Mausi' was made on her life, it was directed by Yogesh Bharadwaj, the role of Shabnam Mausi was played by Ashutosh Rana.
"We brothers and sisters often face stigma and discrimination because of our sexual orientation. Talking openly about AIDS helps us understand each other."
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Shabnam Mausi
External Links
Eunuch MP takes Seat - BBC news