Tell your story of becoming Meera Parida… 

The Mayadhar Parida in me has already been dead for decades. I have undergone a sex change. I am now Meera Parida and staying with my husband. God has given birth to men and women. Besides, he has also given birth to another human being known as “transgender”whom the society is not ready to accept.  The society as well as the parents should give due recognition and respect to people of the third gender.

A lot of social stigmas are attached to transgender. How did you fight your way up?

I was the eldest son of Artabandhu Parida. My grandmother lovingly named me Mayadhara (one of the names of the Lord Vishnu). I was a good student. When I became conscious of my body, I tried to analyse why I was different from others. Why my gait was different and why people passed lewd remarks at me. These thoughts haunted me and I often cried for hours. I was not prepared to accept that I am a “maichhia” (eunuch), and that no one would marry me. Later, I moved to Bhubaneswar and worked as a labourer. There I was subjected to sexual torture. Then, I moved to Mumbai and even took to begging.

But you did marry, and then what went wrong? 

I had come under family pressure. But within six days of my marriage, I left my house. Police case was lodged and divorce took place. Later I had come in contact with Laxmi Narayan Tripathy, a respected transgender activist, who changed my life in many ways. We decided to fight back. Now, I am good friends with the person whom I was forced to marry.  She has realised that I am different from others. Today, I have my own identity. If God asks me what I would like to would be in my next birth, I would ask him to make me a transgender. 

What is your view on marriage between transgender? 

Thanks to the Supreme Court for accepting us as third gender. In the National Legal Services Authority vs Union of India judgment, the court has paved the way for us to lead a normal life. I want to say if any transgender wants to marry, no one should obstruct him or her.

What are the issues that confront the community at this moment? 

Odisha government has done a lot of things, including automatic inclusion of 14,000 transgender in the below-poverty-line (BPL) category and covering them under the Food Security Act. Other issues, such as pension and houses for transgender should be taken up expeditiously. But the major issue is how to remove social taboos.

There are complaints of members of your community harassing people and going scot-free...

The society is not ready to accept us. We are not even given work to earn two square meals a day. Only one option is left for transgender — to beg. But, they are not involved in crime. 

There are also allegations of transgender indulging in unsafe sex and contracting diseases. Have any such incident come to notice?

This might be largely due to lack of education and health awareness. There are allegations of some members of the community practising unsafe sex and contracting HIV. But you should not blame the community as a whole. An intervention programme is on to save our community members from such dangers. They are being taught the use of condoms and other safe sex practices. 

You have proved yourself as a leader in your field. Talks are on that you will join active politics… 

Earlier I had thought of not joining politics. Over the years, my thoughts have changed. I need to enter the Assembly or Parliament to present our point of view. It's good to see several political parties thinking of giving tickets to third sex candidates.

If all the three major political parties - BJD, Congress and BJP- offer you ticket, which party will you join?

I have already learnt the basics of politics. Why should I open my cards at this point? But, I am in touch with everyone.

You own lot of gold ornaments and also own a two-storey building. From where do you get the money? 

I want to present myself before the society in a different style. I have a travel agency. I also run a dry food factory. I am a UNDP-recognised master trainer on HIV. Whenever I go to deliver speeches, I get paid. I also enjoy the status of the Kinnar Pitheswara (head of the family of transgender). People come to seek my blessings in the belief than I can change their lives. They offer me a lot of gifts, including saris. My husband also works with a real estate group. Whatever money I get, I use it to maintain a good lifestyle. It's not money but attitude that shapes your style and makes you different from others.

What would you have been had you not been a transgender activist? 

Like most other people I would have opted for a government job. But god had other plans for me.