In a world where acceptance often comes with conditions, one transgender man in Phuentshogling is redefining what it means to be dignified and strong. Once lost in rejection and addiction, he now stands tall, living with purpose and pride and the quiet power of resilience.
Every morning, 24-year-old Tandin prepares for another day. After years of drifting and losing what he once called home, he has finally built one. This time, not alone, but with a partner by his side.
He walks to his tailor shop where he has stitched together not just clothes, but his life, piece by piece.
Growing up, Tandin always knew he was different. Assigned female at birth, he identified as male from an early age, but the world wasn’t ready for his truth.
From losing his father in 2014 to facing isolation in school, Tandin’s journey has been anything but easy. After the loss, he moved to Phuentshogling to live with his sister, hoping for a fresh start, but life had other plans.
“My teachers made me wear a tag that read that I am not a boy but a girl. They then made me make rounds in the school. And once, I had forgotten to cut my nail, but my teacher cut my finger with a pair of scissors. I had no other option but to drop out of school. I started to live with friends and got into addiction.”
Now sober, Tandin leads a tailoring shop opened with three other women who have been through difficult circumstances. The shop was set up with RENEW’s support, and today, they live their lives with dignity and independence.
“I have three children and was fully dependent on my husband. But when we separated all of a sudden, I was lost and didn’t know what to do. RENEW helped me with a tailoring training and then with the work in this tailoring shop,” said Jigme Choden, a tailor at Trashi Pelbaar Tailoring Shop, Phuentshogling.
“I want to urge every parent and society to support people like us. When we are rejected by society and family, we fall into the trap of addiction. That’s how our life gets ruined,” added Tandin Sonam.
Today, Tandin also helps RENEW in providing tailoring trainings as a trainer. From discrimination to dignity, from addiction to self-empowerment, his story is a reminder that every person deserves to be seen, heard, and supported.
Kinley Dem, Phuentshogling
Edited by Sonam Pem
