‘I DON’T WANT TO BE LIMITED TO BEING CHAMPION OF ONLY ONE COMMUNITY’

On January 8, the Indian National Congress appointed Apsara Reddy as the national general secretary of its women’s wing, the All India Mahila Congress, headed by Member of Parliament Sushmita Dev.

Since then, the 35-year-old has had little sleep. Wednesday, in particular, was a long day for Reddy – by the time the Hindustan Times met her, she had already given 26 interviews. Curling up on a sofa, and sipping a cup of black coffee “to stay alert”, Reddy spoke on a range of issues, from her personal journey to the Transgender Persons (Protection of Rights) bill, 2018, to the abuse and harassment faced by women and transgender persons, and women’s unemployment.

“I was born into a conservative South Indian family. Dad was an alcoholic, and there were many issues at home. My mother was my greatest hero, and best friend,” says Reddy. “But, every incident in my life, even the hardships, really motivated me,” she adds.

Even so, getting her mother to acknowledge her gender identity involved a series of “very difficult conversations”. “I never really identified as gay, and knew very early on that I am a woman. I was very determined to convince (my family), and not run away from home, or tell them that you know nothing about me,” she adds. Her mother, says Reddy, came on board, but her father and other relatives, didn’t. “My mother and I were not economically independent, and the larger family was very judgemental towards my mother’s support for me. I remember once my relatives invited us for a wedding, and said, ‘don’t bring him’. By this time, I had already transitioned.”

Does she feel the burden of having to speak on transgender issues in particular, given that she is the “first transgender national general secretary” of All India Mahila Congress.

“I am glad you asked. Just because I belong to a particular community, I don’t want to be limited to being a champion of only that community. As a citizen of this of all Lok Sabha (1952) members were women

AS A CITIZEN OF THIS COUNTRY, EVERY POLICY AFFECTS ME, WHETHER IT IS HEALTH OR TAXES 4.2% 11.2%

of all Lok Sabha (2014) members are women