Media Portrayals - The shame of Tamil Cinema

Can the film media be one of the reasons for the oppression of a minority community? Yes, obviously. Film media has been clearly one of the reasons why the Transgendered community in India, especially in Tamilnadu has been suffering extremely and is being discriminated from people from all walks of life.

Thirunangaikal (the transgendered Tamil Women) are humans too. We are gifted people. We have better understanding of both the sexes and can deal with human problems and relationships elequently. We are very affectionate and lovable people once you come to know us deeply. Some of us are exceptionlly talented.

In our country, films make a huge impact on people's minds. They influence people in both in a positive and in a negative way. Particularly, our youth generation is influenced greatly by films. Our films portray Gender variant people as sex maniacs,as crazy beings with no morals. This is devastating, dangerous and harming to us. This is a huge attack and triggers violence and discrimination against us. In our epics like Mahabharata, the Transgendered people have been portrayed in a much dignified way (dance teacher in the Palace, the great Shikandi in Mahabharata and people with extreme devotion for Rama in Ramayana). In ancient times, the transgendered people must have had a special place in the society.

It had all changed now. What we see in films now is a comical and shocking portrayal about a minority community that is suffering in so many ways in society. Right from the Tamil classics to the recently released Vettaiyaadu Vilaiyaadu and Sillunu Oru Kadhal, the Transgendered women (Aravaani or Thrirunangai) have been portrayed in Tamil movies as clowns, psychos and misfits in the society.

These film makers use the poverty and ignorance of the in their films to show them as clowns and psychos. Our transwomen were absolutely shocked to see Vettaiyaadu... We all had high regards for Kamal Haasan. And he proved to be a major disappointment and sadly a pseudo-intellect. How can he allow such nonsense in his film? He proves to be another one in the list of moneymakers at the cost of discriminating the oppressed people.

Probably the only film that portrayed a transgendered person with some dignity was 'Bombay' by Maniratnam.

There is a huge list of films that used the Aravaanis as comical characters including the hits like Tirupaachi, Thiruda Thirudi, Jayam. The film makers either dress up Junior artists like Aravaanis or use real ignorant Aravaani people for these comical charecterizaton. They use real desperate transwomen to show them in disgrace!! What a horror! How exploitative!

I wish all these film makers knew how to respect every individual inspite of their gender and sexuality. It is a pity that films like these are made by talented men with high IQ. They should understand that the Transgendered people too need to live dignified lives in our society. We deserve respect. And a dignified life.

The change is coming

I also see that due to severe protects from the community for the past 7 years and due to the awareness created by NGOs, the film media begins to drop the insulting portrayals. There is also hope that there will be many movies in the future in which transgender people are shown as they are. Normal people with love for the world.

 

Stop Discriminating Transgenders in Films