CHENNAI: On a long drive along the city roads at night, you can’t miss spotting transgender streetwalkers in dazzling attire, waiting for customers at vantage points - from the CMDA truck terminal at Madhavaram to the gates of ritzy hotels in Nungambakkam to the deserted Mass Rapid Transit System (MRTS) stations on the Old Mahabalipuram Road. Not only have their numbers gone up, the ‘pick-up’ points too have increased, making commercial sex with transgenders accessible at almost every nook and cranny.
But why this spurt in transgender prostitution? Does the increase in pick-up points indicate a growing demand for the services of the third sex? Or, does it mirror the changing mode of the city’s collective sexuality? Transgenders involved in commercial sex attribute it to the changing attitude of the city’s men who they claim are coming out of the closet to explore and experiment, sexually.
According to Saroja, a transgender sex worker, men have always looked at transgenders as objects of lust. “But, not many had the courage to explore us. Now, because of their increased exposure to Internet porn, their curiosity has been heightened,” says Saroja, adding, “Other factors include stress at the workplace, boredom at home and girlfriends becoming unaffordable to maintain as they now come with strings attached.”
Indeed, transgenders are victims of circumstance as most of them were ostracised by their families. As a majority of them drop out of school very early in life, they have little education and find it difficult to land proper jobs. This forces them to opt for sex work for survival.
“We are often reviled by society, but people fail to realise that it is the men who come to us soliciting company. In any case, it is not easy to live in a city without a job and family support. For most of us, flesh trade is a matter of survival,” says Saroja.
Transgenders waiting at major pick-up points like Loyola College curve, near Ranjith Hotel on Nungambakkam High Road, Ashok Pillar and Benz Park in T-Nagar, charge around Rs 500 for a sexual encounter. Then, there are some who do business with select clients and charge an average of Rs 1,000. The upmarket ones crawl the city’s pubs and charge Rs 2,000 onwards. There are others who offer their services for just Rs 100 to the much lower class.
The job comes with several occupational hazards. Every encounter is fraught with danger as there are the chances of violent encounters too. “There are times when men who are totally drunk refuse to pay claiming that they had not derived satisfaction from our work,” cribs Kavitha, another transgender.
“Sometimes men take us to their places, where five or more men join in. While they assure us that they would pay more than the amount earlier agreed upon, they often go back on their word. When they threaten us, at times we decide not to argue and accept whatever payment they make. Some clients even rob us of our belongings and at times injure us,” claims Vasantha.
With a typical encounter lasting not more than 20 minutes, most of the transgenders say that they never see a client for a second time. “We completely understand that men like variety and once they start experimenting they like to explore more. We prefer not to have long-term associations,” she says.
On a single night, if a transgender is lucky, she can get three to four clients. “With galloping inflation, finding a decent place to live costs money, but for a transgenders it is more expensive, says Sharadha. “If a house is rented out for Rs 3,000 for others, a transgender would have to pay Rs 4,500. The reason owners give is that neighbours have to tolerate our presence. So, to lead a decent life in Chennai, one has to earn a minimum of Rs 15,000 per month,” adds Sharadha.
Since transgenders also have to invest in their appearance and clothes in order to stay on the top of the game, they need to earn a lot more. Says Vasantha, “To get clients, it is very important that we look good. At least twice a month we need to go to a beauty parlour. We do a facial, hair spa, pedicure, and manicure. It costs a minimum of Rs 3,000. A majority of transgenders in the city have straightened hair, which we do once in six months. A seating costs us a minimum of Rs 5,000. Once in three months we have to spend on makeup.”
These days, many are shifting from glittering sarees to western outfits, with tight jeans being the preferred option. But Vasantha claims that the saree is still the most favoured choice in Chennai. “Most of us feel that we look our sexy best in sarees. We go in for dresses or sarees with sequins to highlight our presence in the dark.”
Wearing jasmine is out if you are a hip transgender, informs Saroja. And spending on clothes is as an investment. For each saree or dress, they spend between Rs 1,000 and Rs 2,000. Kavitha says, “We don’t buy many clothes – perhaps one new dress per month – but we ensure that the quality is good and will help draw customers. The advantage of buying expensive clothes is that they last longer.”
Do they have people to pay touts? According to Saroja, “Unlike in other cities, transgenders in Chennai do not work for pimps. So, no commissions; earners keepers.”
So, how do they go about their trade? “Most of us meet our clients at pick-up points on the road. We also share our mobile numbers so that the next time they are interested they can call us. We communicate with clients and arrange our meetings. Sometimes, a client may refer us to other men.”
After settlling the rate, the next question is where. Usually it is at a lodge – a mid-segment lodge or even a three star hotel. “Sometimes, clients take us to the place where they live, when nobody is home. Then they drop us wherever we want to be dropped. Most often clients prefer not to stay in the hotel room the whole night. Only when we know the client very well do we stay the whole night,” shares Saroja.
(All names changed to protect privacy)
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