New Delhi: I first spoke to Rose Venkatesan, India's first transgender television host and radio jockey, two years ago when she had just returned from Thailand after a sex change operation. On Tuesday, during a telephone call from Chennai, she said she was excited about the launch of her own political party with a dramatic agenda aimed at sensitizing people towards the plight of women and the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
Venkatesan said she had big plans for her Sexual Liberation Party of India which she hoped to launch in the next two months. It would be the first party led by a transgender. But the going has been far from smooth. Since 2010, she has been in and out of jobs, faced sexual discrimination at the radio stations she has worked at and her mother refuses to talk to her.
"Not a lot has changed. I look more feminine now, I am more beautiful and I attract a lot more proposals from men, but society is still the same," she said with a laugh. "Of course, none of the men who want to date me would do it in the open and no one ever proposes marriage," Venkatesan, who is biologically a woman after her sex change operation, said.
Venkatesan alleged that employers cashed her popularity for publicizing their shows. "Everyone wants to employ a transgender to host their show as media hype. But I have always faced bias while working. I have been in and out of jobs and the going has been really difficult."
"Even when I said I'd launch a political outfit for the sexual minority, people who showed interest initially either backed out at the last moment or were hesitant to support me openly," she said. But gradually the curiosity has led to tentative support on the social media sites. "Women are my biggest supporters on Facebook. She is planning a SlutWalk in Chennai on the lines of those organized in Delhi and Bhopal.
Rose made her debut as the host of the popular talk show Ippadikku Rose (Yours Truly, Rose) on Vijay TV and later also hosted the show Idhu Rose Neram (This is Rose Time) on Kalaignar TV. Her allegations are unsubstantiated.
First party led by a transgender
Sexual reforms are high on her agenda. "India is a sexually repressed country. Sexual freedom is necessary for everybody. There is a lot of hypocrisy. I want a sexual revolution to happen. There are many laws I want changed," said Rose whose political party has a vision for sexual liberation.
"Our party believes in reservation for women and sexual minorities. We will advocate 5 per cent reservation for sexual minorities and 40 per cent for women," she said.
Among other things on her agenda is a comprehensive review of the Indian Penal Code, legalization of prostitution and annulling laws restrictive to sexual freedom, including those dealing with adultery and homosexuality, which she feels helps abusers.
"The rate of trafficking and kidnapping would come down," she said. She said she wanted to discourage heterosexual marriages, and legalize sex in designated public areas. "I'm taking baby steps, the support is trickling in, and I have a lot of love from the LGBT community. I may not be taken seriously but I know I will be a few years from now."
Her personal life has not been easy. She was raised as a boy - Ramesh Venkatesan - but always had a penchant for feminine clothes and company. Her mother, who thought she had brought shame to the family, refused to speak to her. "I occasionally meet my siblings, yeah, life isn't easy." She has studied Mechanical Engineering and is articulate.
Here are some of the founding goals of her party on her party's webpage slpi.in:
Expression of your sexuality is your basic right,
40% for women, 5% for openly LGBT, rest open in areas of public and private employment to promote a sexually equal society, rest open.
Repealing all laws against sexual freedom of consenting individuals,
Sex work to be made industry with proper licenses to persons who are voluntarily involved,
Encouraging sex clubs and sex-based industry,
Comprehensive review of laws supporting and protecting marriage and amending or repealing those laws that are against individual rights,
Public and private sector offices should have a space for people to share sexual warmth and love,
Public spaces should have or create space for lovers, couples, groups that may want to have consensual sex,
Protecting the right to have sex in designated spaces within public areas against rowdies, police harassment,
Having sex in cars, four-sided closed vehicles to be made legal,
Encouraging women to come out and occupy employment, politics, industries at least to their reserved capacity,
Encouraging people to avoid marriage and procreation to bring the population of India down for the next fifty years to at least one half of the current number,
Legal age to be made 14
The feminist Venkatesan said "Women are taught from birth to not enjoy sex and see it as a means to procreate. I have a long way to go before I change those perceptions."
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