This transwoman in Pune is working towards empowering women

Even in the 21st century, life is filled with obstacles for a transgender in our society. Not just to establish their identity but also to earn a decent livelihood for them. But a Pune based, transwoman, master in social work, 33-year-old Chandani Gore, is working on rehabilitation of the transwomen. 

She is working on empowering women from the slum areas as well as creating awareness in children about good and bad touch in slum areas.
Chaitraly Deshmukh speaks to Nilesh alias Chandani Gore from Pune about her journey.  

A graduate from Pune based reputed college in Arts, Chandani has keen interest in social work, she picked up a degree in master in social work (MSW). Chandani is a professional dancer as well as runs a charitable trust under name Nirbhaya Anandi.

Gore takes tuition as it is difficult to get a job in a conservative society and also helps children in understanding good and bad touch in slum areas. She is also working closely with Maharashtra Police Friend Co-ordination Committee of Maharashtra state. 

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Chandani being a eunuch was disowned by her family. It was a tough time for her to get a job, sponsor her education and earn to survive. Having no option in life, she was dragged into flesh trade. Later with help from the eunuch community she danced in some function so that she could sponsor the children in slum areas to gain education and take their studies too.

Chandani says, “We are still stuck in a society where we differentiate over genders. Our community still longs for justice. I had desired to join a course for competitive examination but was denied training. When I wanted to pursue my further studies and opt for a job because we are different and the old thoughts lead to a corrupt mentality. We are disheartened already when our family disowned us and many like the third gender undergo the same sob stories. Many a times we are being trolled in public for our appearance and people treat us as a public property and manhandle or molest us. But we do not have a law for us to protect.”

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She further says, “I wanted to raise a voice for injustice. In Upper Indiranagar and Shivajinagar slum areas, I have started my five Small Help Groups where we part training to such needy and illiterate women so that they can be financially independent and don’t take up other bad means of earning money. Now it’s more than ten years I am working on women empowerment and raising and addressing the issues of women. I am in my own way educating children to stay away from drug addiction.”

She went on, “In order to stop such practice on every Saturday we organised a meet up program for children, on every year on Dr Ambedkar Jayanti and other national leaders’ days, I organise awareness program cum talent event so that children get platform to showcase their talent.” 
She adds, “I being a eunuch, do not want my communities’ members to undertake any illegal means to earn easy money, so we have tied up with NGOs and industries for professional courses so that one can take up such academic training and livelihood. We have also started event management company in which women and transgenders work together during wedding and other occasion. Like cooking, mehndi artists, singers, musicians and others décor during wedding and festive occasions can be managed by us at affordable prices.”