01 April 2023, Mumbai: Celina Jaitly, an actress and LGBTQ+ activist, recently criticised a Twitter user who made a mocking remark about the transgender community by suggesting that they are only visible at traffic signals.
Celina Jaitly demonstrated her support for the transgender community on International Transgender Day of Visibility, by sharing a video on social media. In the video, Jaitly expressed her admiration for the bravery exhibited by transgender individuals, and pledged to oppose all forms of discrimination and violence faced by them. She also acknowledged the valuable contributions made by the transgender community to the world. Through her post, Jaitly aimed to raise awareness and advocate for inclusivity and acceptance towards transgender individuals, as part of her ongoing efforts to support LGBTQ+ rights.
In response to Jaitly’s tweet, a user made a derogatory comment stating, “The only time I remember seeing this gender is at traffic signals.”
Celina Jaitly did not choose to overlook the troll’s comment and instead responded fittingly. She asked the user, “What exactly is so funny about it sir?” and expressed how disheartening it is to witness transgender individuals being compelled to beg due to societal discrimination. Jaitly highlighted the importance of events like #TransVisibilityMatters and called out individuals who derive humour from the harsh reality faced by the transgender community. She conveyed her message through a tweet, using her platform to raise awareness and advocate for the rights of the transgender community.
The troll continued their derogatory comments in another tweet, stating, “Have you seen how they beg? They don’t just beg, they behave inappropriately in public. Would you be fine if a man behaved like these “special” gender people at traffic signals, pretending to beg? Maybe you would, given your poor upbringing.”
In response to the troll’s continued derogatory remarks, Celina Jaitly responded by stating that her upbringing, which was influenced by four generations of Indian armed forces, was not a matter of concern. She pointed out that the transgender community in India has been subjected to marginalisation and dehumanisation, and individuals like the troll make it harder to combat this discrimination, leading to the dire plight faced by the community. Through her response, Jaitly aimed to challenge the insensitive attitude of the troll towards the transgender community and advocate for their rights.
Celina Jaitly has been actively involved as an activist with the Trans and LGBTQIA+ community for the past two decades.