They didn’t ask questions to put me in binaries; all they said was “doctor.”

Being a trans woman, starting my transition was just like turning the first page of a book. Little did I know about the cumbersome process of changing my name on my documents.

Approaching my college authorities made me realize how ignorant even the most educated people can be. Despite explaining my entire situation to every person sitting in that office multiple times, they kept asking silly questions to mock me and make it a spectacle.

Visiting countless government offices to get gazette notifications wasn’t a cakewalk either. Even though I had my gender dysphoria certificate with me, all they wanted was the certificate of my gender reassignment surgery. Arguing with them and even quoting the NALSA judgment didn’t help. One official said, "Aap log aise hi aa jaate ho kuch bhi change karane, Agar aap gender change kara rahe ho to uska proof kaha hai?"

I had to fight with the higher officials, asserting that I knew the laws and the NALSA judgment, and they couldn’t fool me with any nonsense. They finally agreed, and I successfully changed my name legally on my documents as well as in my college records. I still can’t imagine how I survived that phase.

It all started when I finally decided to come out to my father. My childhood was never normal; people around me made sure I felt different. My childhood holds no pleasant memories for me, whether it was teasing, mocking, being called names, or even being harassed by a distant cousin. Suppressing my feminine self was my only way to save myself. Dysphoria and depression took my peace, and pretending to be masculine in college wasn’t helping me.

I finally sat down with my father and explained to him what I was going through. To my surprise, even though I was his son, he asked me, "Do you have a boyfriend?" to which I replied, "What if I do?" My father responded, "I will always love and support you, no matter what!" We both had tears in our eyes. Those words lifted something so heavy off my heart that it felt like I could breathe after a long time.

People started acting differently when I changed the way I dressed. Starry eyes in the canteen from students, even some teachers, and gossip around the classroom never bothered me. I came out to my friends, and they supported me as I was, starting to use she/her pronouns instantly. Some of them even thought I was gay before I came out.

Having my family by my side is one of the things I am always grateful for. My father’s journey from being a transphobe to accepting, loving, and taking the utmost care of his trans daughter made me believe there’s hope.

He was by my side when I had my gender reassignment surgery last year in 2023, making sure I got the best of all facilities. It was one of the most painful yet blissful experiences of my life. And anyone who thinks I did it for the sake of marriage or a man should know that I did it only to be MYSELF.

Attending my first-ever queer event is still one of my fondest memories. Even though I was anxious at first, being there made me feel right at home. I realized, "LGBT+ community me bahut tarah ke log hai, par hamari kahaniyan aur shared experiences hi hame unite karte hai."

I mostly derive my strength from my family and friends. Dating has never been easy for me. Trans people are often deemed as sex objects. A guy broke up with me right after proposing to me when he found out about my identity. I feel people just expect me to carry a disclaimer about being trans, which is ridiculous.

People need to normalize the presence of trans people around them. Completing my degree and being posted in the physiotherapy department made me realize what I’ve achieved and how we can create a better world for future trans kids.

I treat several patients there, and none of them asked about my gender or cared which washroom I used. They didn’t ask questions to put me in binaries; all they said was “doctor.”

It is indeed a tight slap to all my bullies who called me countless names. I want to tell them, call me whatever you want, but from this day forward, "You will call me DOCTOR."