Fashion designer Swapnil Shinde comes out as a transwoman
Fashion designer Swapnil Shinde has come out as a transwoman, and said that she may be addressed as Saisha. "I am not a gay man. I am a transwoman," she wrote on Instagram. Talking about the transition, she stated that she always wanted to be a woman, but it was more about accepting that fact. Here are more details on this.
'I felt suffocated living in a reality that wasn't mine'
Shinde shared a heartfelt post about her transition that underlined the pain she suffered as a child. "All through school and college, while the boys outside tormented me because I was different, the internal pain was far worse. I felt suffocated living in a reality that I knew wasn't mine (sic)," she wrote. However, during college, she "found the courage to accept my truth."
Shinde on realizing that she is a transwoman
Shinde further wrote, "I spent the next few years believing that I was attracted to men because I was gay, but it was only 6 years ago that I finally accepted to myself, and today that I accept to you (sic)." In another message, Shinde shared her excitement on being addressed as "Ma'am" by her team at work.
Here is the post by Shinde
'I was a woman inside all my life'
In a recent interview with Hindustan Times, the designer revealed she always knew she wanted to be a woman. "It was not a decision as per se as much as it was something that I needed to accept. I was clearly born with it. I wanted to be a woman. I was a woman inside all my life (sic)," she said.
How lockdown helped her accept the transition
"When I decided that I am going ahead with it and I stopped...And it is during the lockdown that I eventually end up deciding positively that this is who I am and I need to start this process right away (sic)," she told the publication.
Shinde also opened up about transitioning
Shinde revealed, "The process for transitioning is important and crucial. It's divided into two parts - one is, of course, your therapy sessions with a psychiatrist and other is with your endocrinologist and MD where they check your blood, your health history (sic)." "I got my letters from my psychiatrist long ago, but it's just that my personal decision was taking a long time."
I wanted to be a role model for others: Shinde
She stated, "The reason why I went public with my transition as I wanted to be a role model to so many boys and girls out there. There are hardly any role models who are openly transgender (sic)." For the unversed, Shinde has designed clothing for top film actors such as Katrina Kaif, Kareena Kapoor Khan, Deepika Padukone, Kiara Advani, Shraddha Kapoor, among others.
