Modern world plays havoc with age-old livelihood.

Members of India's transgender community are turning to sex work to survive as their traditional way of life is eroded, writes Matt Wade in Delhi.

Suman is proud of her boob job. It cost about 113,000 rupees ($2500) - a small fortune for most Indians - but comes with a ''lifetime guarantee'' and the promise of higher earnings.

Like many Indian transgenders - known locally as hijras - Suman boosts her income with sex work. Breast-enhancement operations, now easily available in big city hospitals, are increasingly popular among the naturally flat-chested hijras. Suman's investment is paying handsome dividends. ''I'm getting more clients now and I can charge more than before,'' she says.

For thousands of years, hijras such as Suman have been part of the subcontinent's complex civilisation. But her implants and her sex work are indicators of how this unique community is under pressure amid rapid social and economic change in India.

The blessing, or curse, of a hijra is considered unusually potent because of their transgender nature. Hijras have traditionally survived by demanding money from families in return for blessing a newborn child or newly married couple. They also dance and sing and tell bawdy jokes at weddings and festivals. They are known for their aggressive collection tactics, which can include threats to strip unless they are paid to leave. Many families give them money because they fear being cursed.

Full Story at source: http://www.smh.com.au