Overcoming gender issues, this transgender woman now struggles to keep her eatery running

Noida: A 27-year-old transgender woman, who opened an eatery in Sector 119 in November last year after overcoming gender identity issues, is now struggling to keep her restaurant open during the Covid-19 pandemic.

For Urooz Hussain, a native of Bihar, the idea of owning her own restaurant came from not being dependent on anyone either financially or professionally.

“I did my graduation in hotel management and came to Noida in 2013 for an internship. But I was constantly being judged. I started looking for jobs but couldn’t find anything in the hotel industry. My feminism was not acceptable to employers,” said Hussain.

She eventually started working at a BPO where she also faced discrimination from her peers. “My seniors and colleagues always felt like I didn’t fit in to their standards. So in 2014, I decided to undergo hormone replacements and surgical interventions. In 2018, my mother passed away due to a heart condition. I was in a bad place, but that is when I realised that I would have to take charge of my own life,” said Hussain.

She started Street Temptation, a restaurant serving Indian, Chinese and continental food, in Noida. The restaurant is open from 2pm to 4am and offers home delivery.

“Things were going quite well for a new business. We would have had our break even in February, but then the Covd-19 crisis started. We were closed till July, and staying afloat after paying staff salaries and other bills became a challenge. I had put up a deposit for a surgery which I withdrew to keep the restaurant running. In August, I eventually got into a partnership to keep things running, but we are still struggling. I don’t want to shut down at any cost,” she said.

Hussain now hopes that her business will pick up soon. “We offer good quality food and the ambience is adorable. Things will be much easier once business becomes stable. I want to expand and start franchising, specially with the transgender community. I want to start drag shows as well,” she said.

Hussain wants to help others struggling with the same identity issues. “I want to offer them jobs. Transgender people should start working mainstream jobs while believing in themselves,” she said.

Hussain knew from a young age that she didn’t conform to stereotypical gender norms. “My family soon realized that I wasn’t simply a boy. It took them a while but they accepted me. However, the society is still reluctant. I get absolutely no support from people and everyday is a struggle,” said Hussain.