Glass half overlooked
2. A letter
(June 2015)
Dear Charu,
It feels strange to write 'dear' before
your name since we hardly know each other. And I have deliberately kept it that
way. Because somehow, I feel like it doesn't matter how much we bond. I know
that I can never be truly honest with you about how I feel and what I want. Not
just about us but about everything. I can't be honest to anyone for that
matter. Please don't take it personally. Please don't take any of this
personally. And this marriage...
Huh... I can't even say don't take this
marriage personally.
I wish I was brave enough. Brave enough to accept myself. Brave
enough to say yes to myself. Brave enough to say no to this marriage.
Brave enough to give this letter to you. Brave enough to
save you from this quicksand. But how can I? I couldn’t even save myself.
I am not even brave enough to ask for your forgiveness. Don’t
worry though. Even if one day, I am brave enough to apologize and you are kind
enough to forgive me, I will never forgive myself.
With all of my aching heart,
-×-
3. Blank
(January 2016)
Charu
just stood there. Idle and blank. She was neither devastated nor relieved. The
only feeling was...exploited. By her own people. Six months ago, her parents
pushed her into this marriage. No, she was not forced. She always wondered, had
she said no to their repeated insistence, would they have forced her into the
marriage? She didn't want to go in that direction. She never could.
She
was born with this curse. Well, it had turned out to be a curse over time. She
could easily put herself in others' shoes. She could understand why they did
what they did. Once one knows that, there is absolutely no scope for
misunderstanding. For a blame-game. She
could comprehend why her parents insisted her. That's how they were raised. Her
striving to be free-spirited and independent was more than they could take in.
She had not only accepted the marriage proposal but decided to give it a fair
chance and accept her partner with all her heart.
But here she was, pranked by her own fate.
There was never a fair shot at this. Her in-laws begged her not to disclose the
reason behind the separation. There was no remorse in their request. For the first
time, while she couldn’t help but victimize herself, she almost pitied her
husband. That was a fallen, disregarded leaf that she will pick up some other
day. But for now…
For now, she stepped out of that house and left all these thoughts behind.
-×-
Note -
If you want to know more about the struggles of trans persons amidst the dominantly binary gendered outlook of our society, a few links are added below. Those resources will help you to gain more understanding and sensitivity towards someone who is subjected to these hardships on a regular basis.
Resources
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VRKiCpcJ-ag
https://www.shethepeople.tv/home-top-video/10-transgender-people-breaking-barriers/
https://view.publitas.com/none-122/the-gay-bcs-of-lgbt/
https://transequality.org/issues
https://www.pbs.org/independentlens/content/two-spirits_map-html/
https://www.bitchmedia.org/post/41-transgender-friendly-books-for-young-kids
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