The Touching Story of India’s First Trans Man Pilot

On the occasion of Transgender Day of Visibility yesterday, The Queer Muslim Project shared the story of Adam, a young trans man from Kochi, Kerala.

Adam tells that he was rejected by his family for his trans identity. He was studying to be a pilot in Johannesburg when his family found out about his gender identity, and upon his return to India, he was put under house arrest and had to face mental and physical abuse at the hands of his orthodox Muslim family. He finally ran away and found a job at an aviation academy.

The Queer Muslim Project is a digital advocacy platform focused on creating visibility and awareness of LGBTQ+ Muslim issues in India and South Asia. Read the story of Adam in his own words below:

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“I am India’s first trans man pilot. I am a person who was rejected by my family for my identity. I grew up as a trans man in an extremely difficult, transphobic family environment. I was in Johannesburg studying to be a pilot when my parents found out that I was trans. As I returned to India, my orthodox Muslim family put me under house arrest. At 19, I had to run away from my home to escape the frequent physical and mental abuse by my family. I was lucky I found myself a job at an aviation academy in Kochi. I still face many challenges at my work place. People in Kerala are largely ignorant of transgender issues even though the state is hailed as a trans-friendly state. I want to continue to work hard and create a peaceful tomorrow for all trans and queer persons from all over India. I don’t want them to struggle as I did. For me, transgender visibility is hugely important. I believe it is revolutionary to choose to be seen and be visible in a world that tells us we should not exist. Wishing you all a happy Transgender Day of Visibility!” (Adam, Kochi) . . . #tdov #tdov19 #transgenderdayofvisibility #india #transpilot #transinclusive #transmuslim #queermuslims #queermuslimsunplugged #kerala #transvisibility #transrepresentation #storiesofindia #courage #positivity #hope #instagrammers #sundaymotivation #transman #transmanofinstagram #transmanpride #nalsa #transgenderbill #southasia #lgbtrights #pride #transgender #transgenderpride

A post shared by The Queer Muslim Project (@thequeermuslimproject) on Mar 30, 2019 at 10:00pm PDT