"So I didn't want to give up honestly. I had to chop off my hair, which was waist-length. I had to once again present as male just to survive, unwilling to surrender or seek an easier path. I didn't want to compromise, but for a couple of years, I lived as a man solely to secure employment and sustenance."
"From presenting as male to earn money, to being openly out and queer, Christina has come a long way."
Googling the keywords "First transgender person to work in India" yields reports spanning from 2012 to 2023. Each profession has had its first, yet we're still far from achieving full inclusion. It is 2024, and we're witnessing hundreds of trans individuals in the workforce, particularly in corporate settings. One among them is Christina Evers.
Christina wasn't always open with her family about her identity. "When I opened up to my family, they urged me to adopt masculine traits, to be strong," she recalls. "I struggled to conform to their expectations, as I never desired to be a man." Her experience in an all-boys' school left a lasting impact on her psyche and the way she navigates the world.
When Christina first entered the workforce, she encountered numerous discouraging comments such as, "Hum hijro ko kaam pe nahi rakhenge" (We won’t hire hijras), "Hum third gender ko kaam nahi de sakte hai" (We cannot give a job to the third gender), and "Arey aap to na hi yahan ke ho, na hi wahan ke ho" (Neither do you fit in here nor do you fit in there).
She faced this discrimination right after her surgery in 2010, when she returned to Kolkata, her birthplace, in search of corporate employment. Her response was firm: "I can speak English. I am educated. I can work. I know my work." These credentials would typically suffice for a cisgender (non-transgender) person to thrive in their workplace.
Superficially, one might view transness as a before-and-after transition. However, the journey of being transgender begins at birth and extends throughout life. Recognising this reality in the workplace is integral to ensuring that equity for transgender individuals differs significantly from that for cisgender people. Evers reflects, "So I didn't want to give up honestly. I had to chop off my hair, which was waist-length. I had to once again present as male just to survive, unwilling to surrender or seek an easier path. I didn't want to compromise, but for a couple of years, I lived as a man solely to secure employment and sustenance."
One's physical presentation does influence their earning potential. Some companies are working to dismantle this fragile, discriminatory system that bars trans individuals from employment opportunities.
In recent years, she has felt increasingly welcomed in the workforce. Currently serving as an assistant manager in Human Resources at Godrej Capital, she stands as a testament to the success of Indian trans individuals. Her story is just one among many at the Godrej Industries Group.
Image and text by Rolie Breja
"So I didn't want to give up honestly. I had to chop off my hair, which was waist-length. I had to once again present as male just to survive, unwilling to surrender or seek an easier path. I didn't want to compromise, but for a couple of years, I lived as a man solely to secure employment and sustenance."