Abhina Aher
BornAbhijeet
(1977-09-19) 19 September 1977
Mumbai, Maharashtra, India
OccupationTrans activist
NationalityIndian

Abhina Aher is an Indian transgender activist who has worked for transgender empowerment. She has worked with organizations such as The Humsafar Trust (Mumbai), Family Health International (FHI), Johns Hopkins University Centre for Communication Programme (CCP) and India HIV/AIDS Alliance.[1] She is also an artist and the founder of Dancing Queens - a dancing group of transgender people.[2][3][4][5][6] Abhina is also a TedX Speaker and has delivered talks in Delhi and Varanasi.[7] She is currently associated with I-TECH India as Technical Expert, Key Populations. She has more than two decades of experience in the HIV/AIDs sector.[8] She has worked with various communities including men who have sex with men, transgender people, women engaged in sex work, intravenous drug users, and people living with HIV. She was also the programme manager of the Global Fund-supported programme 'Pehchan'.[8]

Personal life

Abhina was born as Abhijeet Aher in a middle class maharashtrian family in Mumbai.[9] Her mother was a trained Kathak dancer and worked for a government organization. She often performed at official functions. Abhina used to observe her keenly and tried to imitate her in private.[10] Her father passed away when she was three-year old. She was raised by her mother singlehandedly and remarried later on.[9]

Biography

Aher participates in pride parades and works with national and international organisations to bring change for the trans community of India. She has been or is involved in different capacity with various organisations. She is a HIV consultant on trans issues for Global Action for Trans Equality[11] She is a steering committee member at the International Trans Fund United States.[12] She is a consultant of sexuality and gender projects and a national programme manager of the Pehchan programme at the India HIV/AIDS Alliance.[13] She is involved in Programme in Charge Communication on MARPs, USAID grant at Johns Hopkins University Centre for Communication. She is chair at Asia Pacific Transgender Network Bangkok, Thailand.[6]

Aher is the founder of a transgender dancing group called Dancing Queens. The group aims to use dance and expressions as a medium to break barriers and works on trans advocacy. The group was founded in 2009 and has performed in different cities.[14][15][16] In the year 2016, she also founded Tweet Foundation for empowering transgender individuals.[10]

Abhina experiences trouble during travelling when the officials for security at airports are curious about her transgender status. There has been several incidents at international airports where security officials (Both male and female) have refused to check her. She stands firm and explains them and try to sensitise them which is part of advocacy work that she does for the trans community.[17][18]

Awards and accolades

  • 2014: REX awardee fellowship for her work towards trans empowerment in India.
  • 2017: Global Innovator from Human Rights Campaign[19]

References

  1. ↑ "Discrimination no longer my favourite word… finally, we have a foot in the door". The Indian Express. 16 April 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  2. ↑ "Transgender activist, Abhina Aher speaks out : MagnaMags". magnamags.com. Archived from the original on 11 January 2014. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  3. ↑ "Being Accepted by my Mum, Being Transgender: Isis King and Abhina Aher, The Conversation - BBC World Service". BBC. 17 September 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  4. ↑ "Abhina Aher". CENTRE FOR HEALTH LAW ETHICS AND TECHNOLOGY. Archived from the original on 2 April 2018. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  5. ↑ "A Journey of Pain And Beauty: On Becoming Transgender in India". NPR.org. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  6. 1 2 "Regional Steering Committee". APTN. Archived from the original on 12 November 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  7. ↑ "TEDxUSICT | TED.com". www.ted.com. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  8. 1 2 "Abhina Aher - India HIV/AIDS Alliance". www.allianceindia.org. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  9. 1 2 Society, Team (16 September 2013). "Transgender activist, Abhina Aher speaks out". Stardust. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  10. 1 2 "Proud Hijra - Abhina Aher". Queer Voices of India. 30 March 2018. Retrieved 15 June 2019.
  11. ↑ "Welcome Abhina!". GATE. 6 October 2016. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  12. ↑ "Show Me the Money! New Funding and Leadership Opportunities for Trans Activists Worldwide". GATE. 1 November 2016. Archived from the original on 14 March 2017. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  13. ↑ "Incredible India, Invest in Communities!". HuffPost UK. 31 March 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  14. ↑ "This Dance Troupe Highlights the Problems Faced By Transgenders in India Everyday". Cosmopolitan. 18 November 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  15. ↑ "This Transgender Troupe Uses Dance As A Way To Highlight The Problems They Face". Huffington Post India. 17 November 2015. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  16. ↑ VagaBomb (15 November 2015). "Meet India's First Transgender Dance Group That Deserves All Your Respect". VagaBomb. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  17. ↑ Kumar, Ashwani. "Transgender's 'uncomfortable' transit at Abu Dhabi airport". www.khaleejtimes.com. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  18. ↑ "'Are you a man or woman': Transgender humiliated at Abu Dhabi airport". deccanchronicle.com/. 4 October 2016. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
  19. ↑ Campaign, Human Rights (5 April 2017). "Four Highlights from Day One of HRC's Global Summit | Human Rights Campaign". Human Rights Campaign. Retrieved 19 May 2017.
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