Transgender Noori is a ‘leading light’

By Gopal Ethiraj, Chennai

Chennai, 5 July (Asiantribune.com): Only a few days before Chennai had “pride march” conducted by the LGBT (lesbians, gays, bisexuals, transgenders) community (June 28). The march was held in other cities too. Since the Delhi High Court’s landmark judgment legalising on July 2 homosexuality among consenting adults, holding law making it criminal offence is violative of fundamental rights, gays in the country go with a feeling of ‘gay abandon’; also their ilks.

Although Naz Foundation fought the case in Delhi, our search went on for some leading personalities among the LGBTs in Chennai. Thirumangai (transgender) S. Noori settled for a chat with the Asian Tribune. Her social activism impressed us. All electronic media has had her programmes or interviews on sex awareness.

Noori is happy to be known as ‘aravani’ (eunuch in Tamil) in stead of ‘thirumangai’ picked from Bhagwat Geeta by Kanimozhi, Rajya Sabha MP, recently.

She is very happy the Delhi court discovered their rights, “but the central government should amend the 150 year old colonial era law—section 377 of the IPC. That will be biggest victory of the gay rights in India.”

Although Noori had education upto 3rd standard, the world ‘university’she was thrown into made her a multi-lingual. She is fluent in nearly half a dozen languages—Tamil, Telugu, Hindi, Marathi and English.

Noori has traveled 23 countries so far—South Africa, Australia, Indonesia, Italy, France, Germany, Uganda, Thailand, and many African and European countries, addressing the AIDS awareness campaign, and exchanging programmes with them.

Noori is probably one HIV positive person surviving for 22 years now. Still hale and hearty, at her age of 58. Her positive thinking, positive role in the society may be keeping the dreadful disease afar. She is definitely a ‘leading light’ to sagging HIV inflicted persons around her.

Running an NGO, “South India Positive Network,” Noori is mother to 35 abandoned HIV children from age 4 to 17. When asked why only up to 17, and where do they go afterwards, Noori says: “That’s all the ends comes within that period. The youngest I have is 4 year old and the oldest is 17. Probably I am only one person who outlive the destiny. Maybe God wants me to serve them long.”

Not only HIV inflicted, she is a transgender too. There is no secret about anything. She is open, calls a spade a spade. Noori pours out her life in a straight matter of fact. She is converted to Christianity recently.

Noori was a Muslim when he was born in Ramnad, lost his mother when he was 4. Father, an army man, married another woman, step motherly treatment followed. At school he was nagged by colleagues about his feminine gaits, he ran away from home to Chennai and was in the employ of a Chettiar family. At thirteen he discovers the girl in him. The gender change disturbing, he runs away to Mumbai (then Bombay).

Noori says discovering the ‘she’ in him, it was natural in the sprawling city to be pulled into sex working. There a soldier falls in love with her even after knowing she is transgendered. When he was transferred to Chennai, Noori settled here. Soon her husband went way on transfer to north, with paltry sum arriving, she goes a full-time sex-worker.

Noori tested positive in 1987. Although there was initial shock, she says, she recovered and started playing positive role of advising and counseling other sex workers as per government health programme, weaning them away from their profession or advising them to adopt safety measures. Seeing she could convince her peers, a thought came why not establish an NGO herself.

Noori established an NGO in October 2001, South India Positive Network (SIP+ ), a non-profit organization, aided by Tamil Nadu Aids Control Society, that offers support through numerous services for people living with HIV/AIDS in South India, assisting them in overcoming constraints and difficulties faced in their day-to-day lives. The society was founded in response to the alarming speed with which HIV was spreading, and the lack of medical/ psychosocial/ economic support available to its victims in South India, Noori says.

SIP’s objective included everyone, regardless of whether male, female, child, eunuch, CSW (commercial sex worker), or gay, and bring together communities of people living with HIV/AIDS forming a statewide network. Registered under the Societies Act, SIP+ had 26 members to start with, and is currently made up of 4000 positive members living all over the south India, Noori says.

SIP takes HIV positive transgenders under its wing — it counsels them against continuing commercial sex, takes them for blood tests and arranges for free antiretroviral therapy (ART). However, their most poignant moment comes when the transgenders succumb to their condition and need what SIP offers – a funeral.

HIV/AIDS is one of the most challenging public health problem faced in India. Though awareness can be created among the various groups of people yet it is difficult to explain the facts of the killer syndrome to the tender and vulnerable children who are the major victims of this infection. According to the recent statistics more than five thousand children are infected in Tamil Nadu alone, Noori says.

In response to the escalation of the high rate of infection and considering the plight of the children Noori started SIP Memorial Trust home for infected and affected children in the year 2005 in Chennai, to provide a supportive assistance to the orphan children who are excluded from the joy of a normal childhood. Now there are 35 children.

Noori took this writer to ‘home’ to show the children. They greet her as she enters the home and come and nestle in her lap to be fondled by her, especially the young ones.

Noori says: “We aim that no children have to endure the state of homelessness besides the plight of the children who are orphaned due to AIDS epidemic should gradually come down. Moreover we wish soon these kinds of support shelters exists in the form of records in the history and not as destitute homes. Our focus is home base care, educational support, medical support, skill development training and recreation.”

Her life story was so inspiring that it was published as a novel by none other than Su. Samudhram, former All India Radio News Editor, author of several books. Its translation in English also came out subsequently.
- Asian Tribune -