Trinetra Haldar Discusses: Gender Transition, Non-Consensual Violent Events, LGBTQIA+ Community Representation on Screen, And More

People had little knowledge of Dr. Trinetra Haldar Gummaraju prior to “Made In Heaven.” However, she is now a well-known face. In addition to becoming the first transgender doctor in Karnataka to come out, Trinetra is an artist and an activist for the LGBTQIA+ community. The 26-year-old was fearless in sharing her feelings in Jaydeep Sarkar’s documentary series “Rainbow Rishta.” On the program, Trinetra was unashamedly herself.

Following the premiere of “Rainbow Rishta,” Garima Das of Outlook India chatted with Trinetra via Zoom, during which she discussed a wide range of topics, including her experience transitioning and gender-affirming, the portrayal of the LGBTQIA+ community in media and on OTTs, and much more.

The following are some quotes from the interview:

Recall your transitional experience, your coming-out, and your parents’ response to it.

It’s never simple to shift, regardless of one’s background. It’s never simple. Relationships with families may be difficult for Indian women in general and transgender women in particular. Coming back home is quite comforting and there are things about your family that you adore, but it’s also difficult. Your family may never comprehend certain aspects of you and your life. The problem is that, when we are young, we have a tendency to idolize our parents and to see them as our heroes. But as we get older, we realize that our family is not perfect and that, at the end of the day, they are all just people. Additionally, they had done all they could at the moment. They’re not flawless either.

They weren’t very happy when I confessed that I liked guys. It took many years for people to cease pointing fingers at one another when cruel things were uttered. For example, my father used to tell my mother that I am this way because she created me soft. My father would be called “overbearing” by my mother. I don’t believe parents have been taught that, in the end, allowing their kid to be themselves in any manner they can is more important than attempting to alter them for the worst. It’s not your fault if your child is gay. Any Indian parent who is raising a child knows how long that process takes.

Luckily for me, they brought me to the doctor. When I was ten or eleven years old, my mother informed my parents that I liked to dress like females, and they decided to get me a psychiatrist. Indian parents always feel compelled to see the doctor. Many believe it to be an illness, and the medical establishment shared this belief for a very long period. Homosexuality was formerly included as a mental disease in the diagnostic handbook. Transgender identity was listed as a mental illness in the international classification of illnesses until 2018–19. Over time, doctors have also gained knowledge and evolved since, in the end, discrimination in any community will always be evident. Being a doctor is not an honorable career where there are no flaws. That isn’t feasible. because people, not gods, are in charge of it.

My parents realized they would need to learn after meeting more competent specialists, but the psychiatrist advised them to spend more time with me. They also realized that I could do whatever I wanted if they helped me. Naturally, however, my love life will always cause me some pain since they didn’t understand me and I will always feel a little upset by it. They won’t agree with you in every way on anything you do.

Do your parents worry about what lies ahead for you? Do they suggest you settle down or find a partner? What is the current state of your relationship?

Each person has their own connections. They arrive and go. I’m young—26 years old. Finding the proper person takes time, and I’m content to take my time in doing so. My family doesn’t put any pressure on me to settle down or do anything.

I believe my parents’ friends realized I’m doing something right when they came to congratulate them on my work in Made In Heaven. What did those who used to make fun of me accomplish? My parents are also reassured that I am doing what I am passionate about when they witness that.

To what extent is the industry embracing the community? Have you seen any changes?

Acceptance, in my opinion, is beginning to show itself in isolated bubbles and limited areas. It’s not fully altering the industry’s landscape, in my opinion. Influencer marketing and social media, in my opinion, are both growing in popularity. A few years ago, it would have been hard for many of the talented members in the community to come forward. Due to the fact that possibilities and celebrity were limited to a small group of Bollywood-centric groups. People from different cultures have, in my opinion, begun to speak out over time, particularly because to platforms like OTT. At least not yet, Bollywood is unable to produce tales for the big screen that are told on OTT. Queer and transgender persons now have a lot more room to express themselves and their talents because to OTT. Once again, however, it’s limited to certain production companies. Excel Entertainment and Tiger Baby, for instance, are both very advanced.

We have ‘Rainbow Rishta’ now because of OTT platforms. It was quite hard to conceive five or ten years ago that Amazon Prime Video would showcase six distinct tales of gay love. That was just unthinkable. Seeing a poster with all of our faces on it is lovely. Though it is happening very slowly, change is undoubtedly occurring.

There was a moment in “Made in Heaven” when a man threw your character Meher out of the automobile. She had severe trauma from it. You spoke candidly about some unpleasant dating experiences in “Rainbow Rishta.” Does it negatively impact mental health?

Of course. There have been significantly worse encounters as well as ones that are comparable to Meher. Naturally, it’s challenging to handle. I made an effort to avoid giving away further information about the show, and I won’t do so now. We have to cope with a great number of non-consensual violent events. When I was in college, I spent two years living in a males’ dorm. I experienced constant harassment and sexual assault at the guys’ hostel. After I finally had to submit a complaint, that individual was suspended. After the event, I moved out and into an apartment.

To a certain degree, I am glad that I have a support system, and I can now easily access services like counseling and other things. Regretfully, not everyone in the community has access to these resources. I am well conscious of my relative advantages in that regard. However, I don’t want to think about the bad things that happened. I’d want to learn from them. Being successful and letting them know where you are is the finest response to anything and anybody who has made you feel inadequate and violated.