International Women’s Day: Celebrating womanhood in all its glory

WE ARE EITHER FETISHISED, QUESTIONED, OR DISMISSED: Saisha Shinde, Fashion designer

After starting her transition journey in 2021, Saisha Shinde, who previously went by the name of Swapnil Shinde, shares her “transition has been nothing short of a war”. She shares, “It wasn’t just about changing my body but reclaiming my truth that came with its own share of physical, emotional and societal battles. But today, I feel liberated and powerful.” Talking about how inclusive we are in regards to transitioned women, she shares, “We like to believe we’re inclusive, but there’s still a long way to go. While there are more conversations around trans identities, inclusivity isn’t just about using the right pronouns or giving us a seat at the table, it’s about truly seeing us, without questioning our womanhood. Society still puts an asterisk next to our womanhood. We are either fetishised, questioned, or dismissed. I don’t just walk into a room as a woman, I walk in with the weight of proving that I am one.” For Shinde, this Women’s Day is extra as it marks her first one post her sex reassignment surgery (SRS).

NOW, I FEEL MORE MYSELF: Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju, Actor-content creator

Looking back at her transition journey, Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju says, “The world often fixates on the external changes, but for me, transitioning is about aligning how I feel with how I exist in the world. Today, I feel more myself than I ever have.” Sharing more about the long way to go around inclusivity, she says, “We’ve made progress, but true inclusivity would mean that trans women don’t have to be exceptional to be accepted but that we are seen, supported, and valued in the same way as any other woman. One of the most frustrating stereotypes is the idea that trans women are performing femininity rather than simply being.”

I DON’T WANT SYMPATHY, I WANT WORK: Gauri Arora, Actor-model

Earlier known by Gaurav Arora, it was after her Splitsvilla stint, Gauri chose to embrace womanhood and began her transition in 2016. Slamming the victim mentality, the actor says, “I never categorise myself as a trans woman but rather as a woman. We are offered trans roles, as nobody is ready to see a transitioned woman as a woman on screen.” Talking about life on the other side, she reveals, “Every day is a women’s day as everyday there is a fight in the world, not only for trans women but for everyone else too, especially women.” She adds, “I never considered myself a victim ki main transitioned woman hoon toh bechari hoon aur mujhe apna right chahiye. I don’t want sympathy, I want work on the basis of my talent.”