Navi Mumbai eatery's transgender staff finds a life with new opportunities

Mahi Malini Pujari says initially she would avoid interacting with guests but has now grown more confidentLast year restaurant manager Josein Fernanda found herself in a tough spot when a colleague spotted a bodice and a bunch of padded bras in her bag while they were working on a cruise liner in Goa where she was working as a manager The 44yearold born a boy in Mumbais Lamington Road area says she has always felt like a girl and would clandestinely crossdress But it was a secret that Fernanda had zealously guarded until then My boss called me and said I dont want this news to leak So stop indulging in this Well into my 40s I had reached a point where I couldnt conform to society anymore There was an overwhelming sense to come out of the closet she says Fernanda resigned from the job and returned to Mumbai liberated but uncertain about what the future heldShonali Mude a former runnerup at Miss Trans Queen 2017 joined in January this year Mude who might have in another gender made it as a model or an actor says jobs for transgender are limited Having gone to auditions at fashion weeks Mude says she had no luck She now works as a floor attendantBeing in the public eyeWhen we meet Fernanda on a weekday afternoon at Third eye Cafe located on the ground floor of Palm Galleria Mall Navi Mumbai she is sitting near the bar with her laptop The wall facing her reads Be the Change You Want to See Wearing a black blazer with slim fit pants and glinting earrings Fernanda formerly known as Innocento has finally embraced change She chanced upon the cafe while browsing through YouTube and got in touch with the owners She now proudly identifies herself as a woman Along with her five other transwomen found their lives transformed when were hired as staffers at the restaurant The cafe currently has six transgender employees five of whom work as table attendants while one works as the manager The restaurant employs around 20 personsJosein Fernanda formerly known as Innocento finally came out of the closet on learning of this job in JanuaryAs the name suggests the restaurant was launched with the intention of providing the third gender an opportunity to lead a more respectable life says coowner and architect Nimesh Shetty who started the venture with his partners Prasad Shetty and Nitesh Kandarkar Nimesh 27 conceptualised the cafe almost six years ago while working on an architectural thesis around building a community centre for the transgenders As envisioned the cafe would be part of the centre He even conducted a survey to understand whether people would visit a place like this during the thesis A lot of people said yes we accept the third gender But are you willing to accept your sister or closest friend as a transgender Thats when people fumbled This is something we want to work on says Shetty who hails from a family of hoteliersA typical dayAt the restaurant we see Mahi Malini Pujari 24 on her feet taking orders and interacting with guests Shes aware of the reaction her presence normally invites raised eyebrows unflinching stare giggles and sometimes nonchalance but she has learnt to take it all in her stride In fact when a bunch of guests arrive shes the first to guide them to the table and make them comfortable by offering water and exchanging pleasantries Initially I wouldnt utter a word to the guests Id take orders and do clearances I didnt have the confidence to initiate or a hold conversation says Pujari The makeup is minimal just enough to make her look freshfaced The 24yearold worked at Arzoo Foundation a deaddiction and rehabilitation centre situated at Palghar Before that she would beg on the streets and in trains I joined the hijra community in Bandra after I left home I didnt even complete my Std X because my parents gave me an ultimatum either I behave like a boy or leave she says Pujari chose the latter She now lives in an apartment provided by the owners in Vashi along with the other staff While the response from the hijra community to her choice of a new career has been fairly encouraging her family has still not accepted her Ive let it go she saysKnow your foodIn almost two months time Pujari has upped her social skills and also memorised the menu A part of the credit goes to Fernanda who the staff treats as didi Of course they need to know how conduct themselves in public Along with that she must know the food that we serve here and what goes into its making like the back of their hand The guests always check with the server first says FernandaSpread over eleven pages the menu is extensive with sections separating Italian Oriental and Indian cuisine Currently the restaurant doesnt serve alcohol but its in the pipeline We order the beetroot falafel made with parsley pesto tahini yoghurt and pomegranate for R199 The portion is impressive and scores well on the taste front Many come here for the novelty value But theyll return only if the food and service is good says senior staffer Shonali Venkatesh Mude a former runnerup at Miss Trans Queen 2017 who joined in January this year Mude who might have in another gender made it as a model or an actor says careers as a transgender are limited Having gone to auditions at fashion weeks or even advertisements where shed have to portray a woman Mude says she had no luck I wanted a job where Id get a steady incomeA group of women sitting next to our table have dropped by from Nerul during lunch hour to celebrate a colleagues birthday Thats the overt reason The real one is to experience whats it like to be served by transgender staff I dont mean to treat them as specimens but we wanted to experience this Im happy that were finally getting to see them in mainstream jobs Till now you would see them begging inside trains says Divyani Fulzele who works at an IT firm When theyre about to leave they compliment Mude and promise to return This time for the peppy vibe and the food Compliments work as a confidencebooster While Im more educated and experienced than the rest there was a trepidation about how itd pan out But I like coming to work smiles Mude who lives with her partner in KhargarSetting an exampleIn 12 months owner Nimesh Shetty has interviewed over 600 transgenders for the job by seeking help from NGOs and transgender activist Gouri Sawant Actually its they who interviewed me because they had more questions than I did Its natural because they are leaving their comfort zone and for an allnew territory he adds He admits some quit the job within weeks because of adjustment issues Its a highpressure job where sometimes you clock in 1012 hours Some couldnt deal with that he saysShetty feels the challenges of being transgender are different from what gay men or women face Here we are talking about survival Many get thrown out of the house when they come out For now Shetty is hopeful that the restaurant will inspire others to follow suit We dont want to capitalise on this as a gimmick The goal is to inspireCatch up on all 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