My childhood was a short recollection of everything entrapped. I would constantly battle with who I am and who I must appear to be as per society’s expectations. I loved experimenting with my mother’s clothes, jewellery and make up. Behind those closed doors, I lived my true self. 

Society saw me as a boy but I could never identify with being one. It was all a trance growing up. When I was 11 years old, I was molested and it led me to shut myself from the world. Through everything, my parents have been my strongest pillars of support. They never let my hand go as I braved the fog of finding my identity. My friends are still trying to get a grasp of the entire set of QUEER Terminology but despite everything they have always stood by me. And I consider myself really fortunate to have them in my life.

I had begun to find difficulty in using the male washrooms and almost stopped using them before I came out, but to my biggest win, my school opened a gender-neutral toilet. To look at age-old practices being molded towards creating a more open and gender sensitive environment, gives me the kind of joy and satisfaction that is unmatched. My school has been my safe haven for it as they have always been very welcoming of new ideas, without discrimination. It is always advised to start small and I guess I am almost on the winning edge with this practice. My only wish is to have a more welcoming and compassionate society, one devoid of bias and discrimination against trans-people. To look at people as being people, isn’t that hard. Perspectives don’t change in a day. Awareness about gender identities and sexual orientations should begin from a young age to ensure that the coming generation can build a better world.

To the ones reading this, I hope you always remain true to who you are, despite all the curveballs society throws at you.