Mangaluru, Jul 14: A first of its kind website offering round the clock support to transgenders and providing a forum for them to share experiences was launched on Wednesday.

The website www.transgenderindia.com was launched by Neysara Rai, a 33-year-old transgender from the city, who runs a business here.

It provides a forum for transgenders all over the country and aims to become an important tool as the first line of action to fight discrimination and increase acceptance within families for the people, Rai said in a statement.

There are about 30 lakh transgenders in India, but as per the Union government’s figures, this population is only five lakh, she claimed.

Explaining about the need for the website in the city, Rai said that there are about 30 lac transgenders in India but as per the union government, this population is only five lac.

“We do not know where they are. They are living obscurely in their families trying to hide the transition they face. The only role model a young educated transperson sees in the community now is either a person begging on the streets or engaged as a sex worker.

It is highly important to change that demotivating perception and bring positive role models of the community to the limelight,” Rai said.

Speaking about the challenges that transgenders face, Rai said, “When a transperson comes out to someone, the immediate reaction they get is ‘So are you a Hijra (eunuch)?’.

For a trans woman, Hijra is a very derogatory term to be used, just like it is wrong to call a gay a Hijra, it is very offensive to call a transwoman Hijra.
Rai said the transgenders live an obscure life trying to hide the transition they faced. It is important to change the perception about them and bring positive role models of the community to the limelight, she said.

The website would also publish real-life experiences of other such persons and their families who had been through similar experiences.

It has a discussion forum, Transgender Talk, which has live discussions and online support.