The story of Zoya Thomas Lobo of Mumbai is heart touching. What he did in his career is surprising to everyone. In fact, he says, 'All the transgenders of 17-18 years of age understand that they will be sex workers. Once, assuming I was a sex worker, the policeman approached me. When I started arguing with him, he took me to the police post. Beaten up all night, sexually assaulted. I also had a boy with me. We were both naked and beaten up. I was moaning in pain. Somehow in the morning, she ran away from there.
Zoya's mother was afraid that if she reveals her identity, then society will consider it a sex worker. Not only this but like other trans women, they will also be tortured. Although Zoya was fond of capturing nature in the camera since childhood, so he chose his career in photography. Zoya bought cameras by begging and now he is India's first trans photojournalist. Today his story inspires thousands of people. Zoya says, "I hid the woman within me. Since childhood, I was fond of dressing up like a woman. My body language was also similar to that of women. It was nice to play with the girls. People wondered why I was talking like that. Why am I sitting among the girls?" Zoya further said, "Finally one day I told my mother about my mind and at the age of 18, I met a guru of the transgender community from where I came into my world. The trans community is not given any work in our society. So, I used to beg in Mumbai's local train, i still ask for it today, but the dream was to become a photographer.''
Telling the story behind buying a camera further, he said, "I bought an old camera from the little money that was left by asking for it on the train and earning in Diwali. I learned how to drive a camera by watching YouTube, but the work I still needed. I know how to speak all three languages Hindi, English and Marathi. My father was a watchman. He lived in the Mahin area of Mumbai. There was a roof, it also disappeared with his death. He slept under the flyover for months. He also did the work of cleaning the theatre for a few months. "Got a chance to work in a short film and it was a turning point for me. After that, Zoya started his career as a freelance journalist. Now in today's time, photo newspaper, digital... he has got the identity as a photojournalist on different platforms.
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