Shillong’s Transwomen Need Support to Recover From COVID Impact

Kumam: What are the impacts of COVID 19 on LGBTQIA community of Meghalaya?

Mickey: The pandemic has left many LGBTQ youth confined to unsupportive, or even abusive, home environments due to physical distancing. This has resulted in increased anxiety, particularly among transgender and non-binary youth, as they are forced to hide their authentic selves to maintain safety. Working transgender persons have no earnings as most of them were working in tea stalls, beauty parlours, shops and daily wage earners. Many of the community people are suffering as they have not been able to pay rents and their landlords have given them ultimatum to vacate the house, this will make them homeless and more vulnerable during this pandemic. Community people who are PLHIV do not have accessibility for regular medications and checkups.

Kumam: What are the long term effects you think will stay?

Mickey: Some of the long term effects are worry and stress from the pandemic that has had a negative impact on mental health; it is more likely to that the negative impact will be one major issue which will unfortunately stay for long for the community. Another serious issue is vaccincation; most of the community people do not have proper documents including and particularly Adhaar and that is a problem.

Kumam: What are the ways in which the community is trying to solve the problems?

Mickey: We are trying our best to reach out and form support to each other, we have had supportive allies (women organisations, individuals, NGOs, stakeholders) to help the community for Ration, medicines, sanitary items. We even speak to them and try to connect thru video calls, WhatsApp chats or conference calls to ease out anxiety and mental stress. This is the first time we are doing a fundraiser as we need funds to help our community people.

Kumam: How is this fundraiser going to be utilised?

Mickey: The resource coming from this fundraiser will be utilised for payment of rents to save those community members from being homeless, buy dry rations, sanitary items, medicines, and any other needful items.

Mickey Rai shared the story via WhatsApp from Shillong.

The Pandemic Series: A Covid 19 Archive of Northeast India, curated by Kumam Davidson Singh is supported by Solidarity and Action Against The HIV Infection in India (SAATHII) Fellowship 2020-21 and Orfalea Centre for Global and International Studies, University of California, Santa Barbara research grant awarded to the curator.