Volume 8 Issue 4 April, 2018
“VOICE”
I was sitting in my bed room watching the the tree outside in the early hours of the morning. I heard the sound of the cookoo, coo, coo, and was lost in the voice. Suddenly my niece “said aunty see the bird it is black and can’t believe its voice is so melodies”!
My thought stuck back where in I was in Psychiatry OPD when I was startled by the voice and its owner.
I was in my psychiatric OPD seeing patients, taking history. Usually commercial sex workers with drug abuse, transgenders who were opting for re constructive surgeries were referred to me for evaluation.
There were three of them, two were for the surgeries. They were accompanied by another lady; this lady was very sophisticated with tight jean and top. Hair was with a modern pixel cut and light make up with dark lipstick. She was dusky and with sharp features. She was very attractive.
The two patients were transgender. I took the history. When questioning them they told that in school they were noticed by their school boys. They were taunted for their looks and behaviour which was like females.
They also said they felt they were females in male physic. They wanted to be females. They were attracted to males. They had sexual contact with Boys in school. After their 10thstd left their homes and started living with the transgender community. Their livelihood is working in a massage parlour and commercial sex work. They had come for reconstructive surgeries.
I asked them is it so necessary to undergo the surgery, Immediately the lady accompanied them said” yes madam” to function completely and satisfy our partner; My god I was shocked to hear her voice, felt a negative feeling. She immediately noticed and said “madam see how your face changed after I spoke, I am also a transgender .I have undergone all surgeries except my vocal cord. I have a partner and living with him from 10 yrs and want to be a perfect wife to him. Only my voice is to be changed and for that I need 3 lakhs. I will undergo! “.
She also said “madam, I am educating my sister who is doing her IAS preparation. My brother is doing BE”. I know the pain of being a transgender and I would like to be a voice to fight for them and I help them. I felt small in front of her and became speechless.
Dr. Kasthuri, Associate Professor, Dept. Of Psychiatry, MVJMC&RH, Bengaluru
