The lockdown has created a livelihood crisis for the transgender community who are already neglected by their families and society. Most of them do not even have their own homes. Living in rented homes is equally taxing. They are not getting the benefit of the government schemes because they do not have the necessary papers.

Reshma Prasad from Bihar, who fights for the rights of the transgender community, said: “Transgender used to earn daily by singing and dancing. Now, they are not able to step out because of the lockdown. It has become difficult for them to even feed themselves. They are unable to get the help of Bihar government because most of them have don’t have ration cards, Aadhaar or bank accounts.

She added: “We have conveyed this to the government, but they don’t respond. The bigger problem for the authorities at the moment is corona and not starvation.

“Some voluntary institutions are helping us, but that is not enough. The government says that Rs 100 crore have been commissioned for those who are homeless, but we are not getting any benefits. I have approached 13 district magistrates of Bihar for help but there was no cooperation from anyone,” said Reshma.

Reshma is the secretary of the institution named ‘Dostanasafar’ that works for the transgenders in Bihar. Out of the 40,000 transgenders in Bihar, 1,500 are associated with this institution

The countrywide lockdown to curb the spread of coronavirus has had an adverse impact on the daily wage earners. Transgenders too sustain on daily wages. These communities, which are marginalized from the society, will not even be seen queuing up to eat anywhere because people keep staring at them.

“All our companions are imprisoned in their houses. Those who had a little bit of money have been helping each other so far, but now even they have emptied their pockets. We did not get government ration because we do not have ration cards,” said Frances Chundi, a transgender from the Western Singhbhoom district in Jharkhand.

When asked why don’t they eat at the community kitchens that are running on behalf of the government, Chundi said: “We can’t leave our homes just like that. If we stand in a queue, people stare at us, which makes us uncomfortable. We can starve but not tolerate such humiliation.”

These transgenders also face difficulties in finding rented houses. Many of these people are HIV infected, which adds to their woes. The community alleges that the government has completely sidelined it, no steps were taken towards addressing their problems.

“I shared the problems of my community in a video posted on March 26, after which the government, on March 27, announced it would be depositing Rs 1,500 in accounts of transgenders. So far, only 4,000 people in the entire country have had this money in their account, which is negligible,” Reshma said, adding: “The benefit of this scheme will not be available to most people because they not have bank accounts or Aadhaar cards.”

Transgenders are often neglected by their families and the society so they either beg perform during celebrations.

Bebo Kinnar, who lives in Jamshedpur, Jharkhand, said: “The coronavirus relief package included all, but us. Unless we get an equal status in the society, our problems will not end. Why are we not even considered by the government while forming policies?”

Amarjit Singh, secretary of Utthan, an institution working for transgender in Jharkhand, informed: “Transgender people living in rented accommodation have to shell out doubled rents because people are very reluctant to give them any accommodation. These people who have been expelled from their homes do not have any identity papers.”

He added: “When the government talks about giving us help, why does it not make any plan keeping our problems in mind? Now, Rs 1,500 would be given to only those who have Aadhar card and bank account while there is a huge population not having any of these documents, how would then it be helped?”.