The reportedly first transgender lawyer in the Nilgiris, Sowmya Sasu, said that she was extremely happy that she will get to practice law in the district where she has felt “safest” and most at home.
Ms. Sasu, who met District Collector J. Innocent Divya recently, said that she aspired to become a judge in the future.
Residing at Khandal in Udhagamandalam, Ms. Sasu was born in, and grew up in Thanjavur before moving to Udhagamandalam. “It was during my visit as a tourist to the Nilgiris that I decided to move here as I felt very safe and comfortable as people were extremely friendly and welcoming,” said Ms. Sasu.
It was in 2016 that Ms. Sasu decided to pursue a career in law at the Trichy Government Law College. Though unsure of whether she would fit in at first, Ms. Sasu said that her peers in college made her feel welcome almost immediately. She credits her success to the support she received from her friends.
“I remember sitting beside a girl during the first day of class and revealing to her that I was a trans-woman only during the second day. During the second year, I stayed in the women’s hostel, where I was treated by the other residents there as one of them, and was never made to feel out of place,” she said.
Ms. Sasu said that she was interested in criminal law, and hoped to become a judge one day. “Everyone at the Ooty court, too, has been extremely friendly and welcoming. I was so honoured that I was able to answer questions posed to me by the district judge in Ooty,” she said.
Ms. Sasu said that she was writing a book on her experiences as a trans-woman and how the community can move forward in ensuring that trans-women can live a life of dignity.
