Do transgenders make a natural fashion fit?

Every time androgynous model Andrej Pejic walks the ramp and wows the audience, he becomes the pin-up androgyne for those whose sexuality straddles both genders.

But Andrej is not the only transgender making waves in the world of fashion. In fact, the fashion industry has been known to mine the talent of the transgender community both internationally and even in our country.

However, with transgenders confining themselves primarily to the fashion and glamour world, which includes hair-styling and makeup, the larger concern is whether they're being pigeon-holed into professions, or if we are only optimizing their inherent talents?

Makeup doesn't need education
Makeup artist Robert Naorem, who has a team of transgenders working for him, says, "Most of them have no education. Dressing up like the opposite gender works against them, and most educational institutions are not comfortable with them, because of which they cannot study further. They have no option other than to pick up practical skills in an industry like ours, where qualifications are not required. Most often, I find that that they are naturally inclined to this industry. They also do not feel threatened and are given equal rights and respect." He adds, "I have a team working for me and most of them are creative and hardworking. Initially, some clients had their misgivings about them, but now my team has gained both acceptance and appreciation, and my customers feel incredibly safe working with them. Even my models bond exceptionally well with my makeup artists."

Easier to come out of the closet
"The fashion industry makes it easier for them to come out of the closet, and acceptance is very important for them," feels hair designer Sangita Raj.

Society is restricted
Stylist and makeup expert, Siddharth Hiremath, who has been in the fashion circuit for a long time now, and who's also worked in the corporate sector earlier, says, "I tried working in a corporate and figured out that its not going to work for me. The society we live in is so restricted that men holding hands is also a problem. There's is no democracy, really. The corporates are a snobbish lot."

Talking of the fashion industry, he says, "It is much more accepting, and also open. Here no one cares about your sexual preference as long as you are good in your work.

Transgenders, more often than not, tend to like girlie things like makeup, where one needs to be more creative than anything else."

Debanuj DasGupta, doctoral student/researcher in women's, gender and sexuality studies at The Ohio State University, says, "A lot of overlap happens between eunuchs and transgender — the eunuchs are born as one, while transgenders might perform sex surgeries to become one. The concept of transgenders emerged post World War 2, which is a biomedical concept and has now become a lifestyle statement. People who have access to hormones and surgeries transform themselves completely and it happens mostly in cities which are cosmopolitan and where consumer culture exists." He further explains, "One finds a job, then passes on the info to his friends and tells them that, 'if you dress up and behave in this way, you'll find a job'. Traditionally, they are entertainers. Transsexuals sell catchy and flashy concepts that are eye-catching; hence, they are able to navigate successfully through the fashion industry."