Inclusiv'e Voices with Dr. Anita Prasad

Meet Dr. Anita Prasad, a 50-year-old transgender woman hailing from Bangalore, Karnataka. Born and brought up in Bangalore, she completed her graduation and MBA from Bangalore University, as well as holding a diploma in computer applications. She further pursued her Ph.D. in the topic of Aspect Ratio from California University. She is actively involved in various initiatives working towards diversity and inclusion.

Anita has garnered numerous accolades and achievements, including holding the Mysuru Chair for G100 Millions-Leading Diversity and Inclusivity. Additionally, she is an honorable member at Rotary, Nagarabhavi, Bangalore. With a commendable track record, she has championed Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion initiatives for over four years. Anita is also the visionary Founder behind "WANITA" and "Rainbow Angels," and has also authored of six captivating books.

Addressing the gender crisis in her life, she recounts the challenges she faced due to the marginalization of her identity from an early age. Growing up, she dealt with the impact of gender dysphoria, which affected her health as she navigated through life. Despite societal stigma, she completed her graduation and worked in India for several years. Later, she relocated to Germany, pursuing academic goals and obtaining her Ph.D.

In Germany, Anita went through a complex process to start hormone replacement therapy, involving many tests and consultations with a psychiatrist, followed by visits to an endocrinologist, MRI scans, and DNA analysis. Only after completing these assessments was she able to begin hormone replacement therapy.

Despite the lengthy and challenging process, Anita appreciates the widespread acceptance in Germany. The supportive community and increased awareness make it easier for individuals facing gender identity challenges.

Compared to India, where there is more discrimination, Anita finds Germany more mature and accommodating. There, the focus is on a person's productivity and contributions to society, without excessive concern for personal struggles. The transgender community in Germany reflects a higher level of understanding and acceptance among the general public.

Anita’s Understanding of Accessibility and Reasonable Accommodations:

Anita emphasizes a comprehensive approach to reasonable accommodation, prioritizing individual needs through open communication and collaboration with stakeholders. She believes in addressing accessibility challenges by acknowledging diverse needs, including disabilities and cultural differences. Fostering accessibility, according to Anita, requires understanding and advocating for inclusive practices. She underscores the importance of collaborating with diverse perspectives to create effective solutions, tailored to individual needs. Anita highlights empathy, active listening, and decisive action as crucial for guaranteeing equal opportunities and cultivating a sense of belonging. Ultimately, she sees reasonable accommodation as a commitment to actively address diverse needs to promote inclusivity in all environments.

In recounting her journey of transitioning, Anita expresses a profound sense of isolation and lack of support. She faced a lack of understanding and solidarity from those around her, including family and friends. She underscores the equal need for caregiving and peer support for the transgender community during their crisis. “Learning and navigating the complexities of my transition independently took a toll on my physical, emotional, and psychological health. Gender dysphoria also affected my health, especially my liver and intestine, which took time to improve. While I'm not fully recovered, I now feel healthier than before. This journey was at the peak of the COVID-19 pandemic, making it even tougher as I couldn't seek anyone’s help, sympathy, or connect with others,” she adds.

Discussing her friends, she revealed that despite meeting them a few times, they only offered lip sympathy. While they showed curiosity about her transition at the age of 50, nobody stepped forward to provide real support. Although people were interested in hearing her story, everyone seemed preoccupied with their own problems, leaving her without the understanding, motivation, or assistance she needed during such a crucial phase of transitioning.

Discussing the current status of the LGBTQA+ community in India, she describes this situation as a ‘disaster.’ She explains, “As a member of the LGBTQ+ community, I can say that they are constantly striving for equal opportunities. It's disheartening to see many individuals within our community being underemployed and holding positions in various companies that do not fully utilize their skills and potential. This underemployed status, combined with the phenomenon of corporate rainbow washing, where companies engage in superficial displays of support for LGBTQ+ rights without meaningful action, has greatly affected our community's economic and social well-being. It's truly a dire situation that requires urgent attention and meaningful change.”

While highlighting the significant gap in acceptance within society, Anita explains, "I personally observe that many individuals within our community are not financially well-off and lack education. This poses a substantial challenge as we find it difficult to integrate into society. Personally, I feel a disconnect from the mainstream, as understanding and acceptance for our experiences are lacking, limiting possibilities beyond fulfilling basic needs according to Maslow's hierarchy. I firmly believe that this situation requires a revolution and a comprehensive education initiative in India to bring people like us into the mainstream. Diversity and inclusion need to be overhauled for progress to be made in this sphere.”

Dr. Anita advocates for a transformative shift, emphasizing the necessity of educational reforms in India to tackle the challenges faced by the LGBTQ+ community and integrate them into mainstream society. She believes that a comprehensive overhaul of diversity and inclusion practices is essential to realize this vision of progress and foster a society that is more inclusive and understanding of diverse identities and experiences. She also emphasizes the importance of systemic changes that promote equal opportunities and dismantle discriminatory barriers, paving the way for a more equitable and accepting environment for all individuals, regardless of their sexual orientation or gender identity.

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