India to get its first modelling agency for transgenders

An effort by the transgender community to improve their social and personal image

As India's LGBT community fights a legal battle to revoke Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code -- which criminalises sexual activities "against the order of nature" -- on grounds that it violates human rights, it also welcomes comes a first-of-its-kind modelling agency for transgenders.

The idea, according to Delhi-based transgender activist Rudrani Chettri, who is setting up the agency, evolved out of a "feeling of frustration, seeing many young beautiful transgenders who are made to feel ugly" from a young age.

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"I was one of them and there was no such option open to me when I was young. It's also a desperate desire among us to be seen and to be accepted into the mainstream society and to get jobs like everyone else," shared Chettri.

"I hope this creates a spark in young transgenders to follow their dreams," she added. She is also the founder of Mitr Trust, a city-based lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) charity.

PHOTO: FACEBOOK/RUDRANI CHAUHAN



Chettri feels that time and again, their community has been a victim of prejudice in society, in the workplace and among their families and local communities, which ultimately leads them to begging or sex work to make a living. She hopes the platform helps in an image overhaul.

"This is an effort by the transgender community to improve our social and personal image, and to raise awareness about the serious funding crisis affecting us. We are not men, we are not women. We are transgenders and are proud of it," she said.

As part of its activities, the agency aims to identify five top models and help them launch into mainstream fashion media. They have also kept a pan-India audition and teamed up with fashion stylist and photographer Rishi Raj, who will work towards getting them a spread in a leading fashion magazine.

A walk-in model audition is scheduled for Sunday and the chosen models will go through a photo shoot.

"I want this photo shoot to enhance and highlight the natural androgynous beauty of the transgender community," Rishi told IANS.



He felt the concept of a modelling agency for transgenders may do well given how the "world is opening up" to them.

"The greatest example in the recent past is Caitlyn Jenner. Fashion takes great pride in breaking boundaries and creating new trends; so in a Utopian scenario, the modelling agency should do well. This activity will create awareness about the Indian transgender community," she added.

PHOTO: GOFUNDME

In addition, the Mitr Trust has been working with an Indian-British team of filmmakers for the last one year to closely document the lives and struggles of transgenders. The organisation however currently lacks money to support the dream.

A crowdfunding campaign has been started on the BitGiving online platform to finance the endeavour.



"We want to raise awareness for the funding. This will allow us to carry on working with the community as we have not been able to pay our workers for eight months now," said Rudrani.

On Tuesday, the LGBT community rejoiced at the Supreme Court's decision to refer to a constitution bench a batch of curative petitions seeking a relook at its earlier verdict upholding the validity of Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code that criminalises homosexuality.