The Yellow Sparrow Memoir of a Transgender

Santa Khurai was seventeen when she decided to start dressing like a woman.Born male, she had always believed herself to be female, and she claimed herfeminine identity fiercely and openly. Her bold act of wearing dresses and makeupin public brought down upon her the wrath of her father, insults and ridiculewherever she went, and, frequently, beatings at the hands of the armed forceswho are a constant presence in her native Manipur. The humiliation and physicalattacks did not deter her. In her words, 'My desire to be a woman, a beautiful, fashionable woman, was so strong that I was not afraid of challenging anythingthat came in the way... I felt that I could bear anything but I could not live like aman.'The price she has had to pay is high. Knocking on doors for a job, she found thatmost times, no one would employ her because of the way she looked. When sheeventually found success as a make-up artist, with her own beauty parlour, thestress of her struggles sent her spiralling into drug abuse and penury.Fighting her way through these troubles, she became involved with thetransgender movement, and in 2010, she was appointed Secretary of the AllManipur Nupi Maanbi Association (AMaNA). Since then, she has worked closelywith AMaNA and its sister organization, Solidarity and Action Against TheHIV Infection in India (SAATHII). Today, she is at the forefront of the LGBTQmovement in Manipur, travelling the world to speak for her community.Santa Khurai has known the heartbreak of an abusive marriage with aheterosexual man, and the joy of adopting a son; the highs and lows ofinternational recognition and disownment by her own family. Through it all, she has remained true to herself, and refused to be broken. Her story is aninspiration for all humanity.