The Impeccable Scar | COMPLETED ✓

F O U R T Y - N I N E

VANYA

I stared at the students in the classroom. As I entered into the classroom, children stared at me. Eh?

"Ma'am, you're so pretty." One of the boys from the backbench shouted.

Well, I heard that students of English medium were supposed to be decent. I guess I was wrong.

Who'll say that these are students of class twelfth?

I exhaled and asked them to open their textbook. They all did and I started teaching them.

"Class, have you ever heard of androgen insensitivity syndrome?"

Whole class replied in no.

I was expecting the same answer from them.

"First of all, let me introduce myself. My name is Vanya and I am here as a temporary teacher for the same topic that I mentioned earlier. And no, it is not a part of your curriculum but I am going to take few extra classes and make you all learn something complicated yet human at the same time." I said.

"Then what's the point of learning that?" A girl with short hair asked.

"Because you're students and one day you all are going to be the important part of this society. So you've to learn. I took special request from your principle for these classes." I answered.

"ANDROGEN INSENSTIVITY SYNDROME"

"AIS is an intersex condition that results in the partial or complete inability of the cell to respond to androgens.

It is divided into three categories that are differentiated by the degree of genital masculinization –

1. Complete androgen insensitivity syndrome (CAIS) is indicated when the external genitalia are those of a typical female.

2. Mild androgen insensitivity syndrome (MAIS) is indicated when the external genitalia are those of a typical male.

3. Partial androgen insensitivity syndrome (PAIS) is indicated when the external genitalia are partially, but not fully, masculainized.

I wrote it down on the blackboard and asked a first bencher to read it aloud to the class. As he did, whole class started whispering and one of them said something which literally hurt me.

"Ma'am, say to the point that you're talking about Chakka."

And with that whole class erupted in to fits of laughter. It raised my temper and I decided to give him a lesson.

"You, stand up." I said.

"What's your name?" I added.

"Ma'am, Tanmay."

"Okay, so Tanmay, do tell me the English word for that particular thing you said."

Just like I thought, he didn't know.

"Now shall I laugh at you for not knowing simple English terms?"

"I am sorry, Ma'am."

"Sit down."

"Yes, Ma'am."

"Its transgender and there was nothing to laugh about. They are also human just like you all. You are educated so please act like it. Don't waste your hard work that you did to pass all the classes." I smiled to lighten their mood.

"And Tanmay, next time whenever you hear that word, please say that transgenders are also like us, they are also the important part of our society, okay?"

"Yes, Ma'am."