Unmasking identity: The obstacles tied to coming out among trans persons

Dear Sir, Taali is a six-episode Hindi biographical drama portraying the life and struggles of Shree Gauri Sawant, a trans person and activist, directed by Ravi Jadhav. The biographical drama, released in Jio cinema in August 2023, tells the story of the legacy of Shree Gauri Sawant's struggle to acquire respect and dignity for the trans community in the Indian society. With Susmita Sen starring as Shree Gauri Sawant, the series portrays the fights of the protagonist to gain equality and acceptance of the trans community. The drama picturizes the transformation of young Ganesh to the intrepid trans woman Shree Gauri, who played a crucial role in the historic verdict of the Supreme Court of India in 2014 on recognition of trans persons being a petitioner. The series opens with the identity crisis of young Ganesh, which vicissitudes his life absolutely. The gender incongruence experiences of non-binary individuals arise in their early life.[1] The series tells the story in flashback throughout the episodes, which portrays how the "coming out" experiences lead to exclusion of the protagonist from the family, the deteriorating relationships with dear and near ones due to his identity, turndown from the trans community, acceptance from the same after sex reaffirmation surgery, involvement with social issues, and fight for recognition. In the Indian scenario, coming out among adolescents depends on various factors like parental/family support, societal support, and cultural/traditional values that are accommodative to prevent disclosure stress.[2] TAALI – THE NARRATION The story revolves around the 2014 Supreme Court verdict on the recognition of the legal rights of the trans community in the case National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India.[3] The SC verdict and the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) bill, 2019 ensures equal opportunities for this population and their non-discrimination from all strata of the society. The storytelling is conventional and compelling, but it sheds light on the hurdles faced by the trans community and the need for legal recognition. The narrative of the nonavailability of the "death certificate" of trans persons is frequently narrated in the series. Media has been instrumental in raising awareness about various social issues, wherein Taali played a pivotal role in championing the legal rights of trans persons. The societal discrimination and stigma toward the trans community is also focused in the series, along with legal rights. THE PICTURIZATION OF RELATIONSHIPS The series explains complex intersection of gender identity and mental health problems among trans persons. The series shows that young Ganesh loses his mother at the age of 7, which drives him into insecurity. Moreover, the father, who is pretentious about the social status of the family, takes him to a sex therapist and ensures the intake of medications to modify his gender incongruence. Subsequently, the father discovers that the son is neglecting his prescribed medications and engaging in verbal altercations with him, which consequently leads to Ganesh departing from their home, like majority of his counterparts in the country.[4] Following his family's rejection, Ganesh attempts to make a living along with working for the trans community's empowerment, but he encounters mistrust from the community. After undergoing the sex reaffirmation surgery, the protagonist wins the trust of the trans community and acquires the name Shree Gauri. The drama illustrates that there are struggles and triumphs that a trans person faces to get acceptance from the trans community itself. MENTAL HEALTH ASPECTS OF TRANS PERSONS FRAMED IN THE SERIES The series is presented as an exchange between Shree Gauri and a Western journalist, showcasing Shree Gauri's range of emotions. When the journalist explores her relationship with the father, Shree Gauri explains the disconnection with him and the emotional burden due to that. The process of coming out can lead to mental health issues such as substance abuse, isolation, anxiety, and depression.[5] Though coming out is a deeply personal aspect, Shree Gauri expresses her uncertainty and fear over the same. WAY FORWARD Trans persons in India marked notable achievements including bringing societal change to emancipation of trans persons. Manjamma Jogathi who won Padma award for her contributions to folk art, Joyita Mondal who became the first judge from the trans community, Pritika Yashini who became the first police officer, and Shabnam Mausi who became the first MLA are few examples of successful trans persons in India who brought change. Mental health professionals who work with the trans community need to focus on identifying stressors and mental health problems, along with adapting strategies to reduce stigma. Mental health professionals need to be empathetic toward trans persons and should be able to establish a trusting relationship with them. CONCLUSION The Taali series not only entertains audience, but also evokes thoughts on legal reforms in favor of trans persons. Furthermore, it delves into the mental health issues of trans persons and emphasizes the need for developing supportive mental health systems and destigmatizing them. Financial support and sponsorship Nil. Conflicts of interest There are no conflicts of interest.