Shabnam Mausi

Who is Shabnam Mausi?

Shabnam "Mausi" Bano is the first transgender Indian or hijra to be elected to public office. She was an elected member of the Madhya Pradesh State Legislative Assembly from 1998 to 2003. Shabnam Mausi is born in a Brahmin family. Her father was a superintendent of Police.

Shabnam Mausi was elected from the Sohagpur constituency in Madhya Pradesh state's Shahdol-Anuppur district. Shabnam attended two years of primary schooling, but speaks 12 languages that she has learnt during her travels. As a member of the Legislative Assembly, her agenda includes fighting corruption, unemployment, poverty, and hunger in her constituency. Shabnam Mausi also intends to use her position in the Legislative Assembly to speak out against discrimination of hijras as well as to raise awareness on HIV/AIDS.

Shabnam Mausi inspired a lot of Hijras in India to take up politics and participate in 'mainstream activities' in India, giving up their traditional roles as dancers, prostitutes, and beggars, living on the fringes of Indian society; for example they sometimes attend weddings or the house of a newborn child offering services to ward off bad luck.