"I feel like a mermaid. My body tells me I am a man and my soul tells me I am a woman”. —Heena (age 51) Hijras are people designated male or intersex at birth who adopt a feminine gender identity. Traditionally, Hijras held semi sacred status and were hired to sing, dance, and bless newly married couples or newborns at household parties. Earnings were pooled through the guru system, in which Hijras declare allegiance to a guru and submit to group rules, in exchange for financial and social security. The project features Hijras in Bangladesh, as well as a number of Hijras who migrated to India. While Hijras continue to face discrimination once in India, some have found greater social acceptance than in Bangladesh. Call Me Heena is my attempt to show the beauty in Hijra lives, despite the challenges and discrimination they face.
