I Was 10 When My Teacher Called Me 'Hijra'

“I was 10 years old when my teacher called me Hijra for my hand gestures", says Ansh Mishra as he recalls his emotionally draining school life. How did he gain the confidence to move ahead in life? Here's his story.

"In 6th grade, another teacher pointed out & said, ‘Huh! Look at him laughing like a girl’. I was embarrassed. School wasn’t easy & things only went south with every year. Boys at school would call me Sweetie, the English version of Meetha. In 11th grade, I heard my classmates say 'let's pull Ansh’s pants down to check if he is a boy or not’. I was traumatised & had a fever for 1 week. But the torture didn’t stop there. Once a guy who used to sit behind me and touch me inappropriately from the back with his shoes & my teacher did nothing.

I couldn’t take it and was hospitalised as well because I was so emotionally drained and was unable to eat anything. I was diagnosed with typhoid and hepatitis C. I had sudden weight loss from 70 kgs to 34. My entire school life was emotionally & mentally exhausting, but it also gave me the courage to open up to my parents about my sexuality. I came out to them last year in the month June. While they are still adjusting to the thought of me being gay, they have been firm about the fact that I am their son. They always say ‘tu jaisa bhi hai, hamara bacha hai.’ and it has given me an immense amount of confidence.

My message to everyone is that we are all humans. Judging us only on the basis of our gender and the clothes we wear is not right - Ansh Mishra

From that point onwards things started changing for the better. I joined college & I can say I am living the life I could never live back in school. Every single friend of mine showers me with compliments. I remember being hesitant to wear a crop top to college the first time, but they hyped me so much that I was gushing with confidence. Even the professors have been so supportive. College has truly been a blessing for me.

Growing up I always knew I had a feminine side, which at first everyone adored but as I grew up, with time it became hell. My message to everyone is that we are all humans. Judging us only on the basis of our gender and the clothes we wear is not right. As a child, people think feminine activities by a kid are cute but if they do the same even growing up ‘IT'S A PROBLEM’. Why does everyone want to change others to fit the conventional norms? Why can’t people love me for being me?”

Read the full story here.

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