Nisha: I never consented for my portrait to be used

Transgender activist Nisha Ayub has revealed that she had never consented for her portrait to be used for an exhibition in Penang and will also not object to the government’s order to have it taken down.

Speaking after a meeting with Minister in the Prime Minister’s Department Mujahid Yusof Rawa and his deputy Fuziah Salleh tonight, Nisha said she was more concerned of the possible negative repercussions on the transgender community as a result of the public display of her portrait.

“I was not informed previously and I did not know about the exhibition until I was tagged on Facebook and it went viral (online).

“Its ok if my picture is taken down, it is not a big issue for me but I am just worried about the impact on the community.

“(What) I got from the whole scenario, was hatred. People send me hate messages, messages (that said they want) to kill me ... I even have pictures of me with a pig (superimposed) on my face,” she told a press conference at the Kompleks Islam in Putrajaya.

She later explained that her photograph had been taken as part of a separate exhibition last year but was then reused without her permission.

She also said she had not lodged any police reports about the threats because she could not identify many of her harassers.

Nevertheless, Nisha said she was “overwhelmed” by the outpouring of support she had received as a result of the incident.

“But if I keep on fighting for my photograph to be out there, what about my community? That is what I fear, the backlash from the people.

“I need to put my community first,” she explained.

In solidarity with the Nisha, activist Marina Mahathir, writer Bernice Chauly, musician Alena Murang and lawyers Siti Kasim and Ambiga Sreenevasan also requested for their portraits to be removed from the “Strokes and Stripes” exhibition, which is being held as part of the Georgetown Festival.

Portraits stay down

Besides Nisha, LGBT activist Pang Khee Teik’s portrait had also been ordered to be removed from the Merdeka-themed exhibition.

While his 40-minute meeting with Nisha had educated him on the discrimination faced by transgender community, Mujahid said it had not changed his mind about the portraits.

“I am taking that stance in order to protect the safety of these people who (have faced) backlash.

“She (Nisha) has faced death threats, imagine if (the portrait) were to be there for one month. Imagine what will happen” he contended today.

He also blamed the exhibition organisers for being irresponsible in using Nisha’s portrait without her permission.

“(Nisha) didn’t even know the picture was there. She did not even accept the fact that it was written that she is an LGBT activist because she is not (one).

“For me, it is the organiser who is to be blamed,” he added.

When asked why tonight’s meeting had not involved Pang, the Amanah politician said it was because only Nisha had reached out to him on Facebook requesting a meeting.

Mujahid maintained he was open to engaging with Pang. -Mkini