My story is not just my story and this story should reach all the parents of the LGBT community so that before they throw their kids out because of society, they can also feel that their kids can make them proud too.
1. Tell us about your background and journey.
I was born to a middle-class family on December 31st 1984. My dad was a Punjabi, born in Punjab. He loved me a lot, but society doesn't let a person live, people kept on taunting my family, and because of societal pressure I was sent away at 7 to Mumbai, I was made to work at a Dhaba and dance bar. I started studying fashion at pearl academy of fashion at a very young age and later I did post-graduation in fashion from NIFT. I am also a postgraduate in Marketing from IMT Ghaziabad. I was always good in studies, but when I joined jobs, I had to listen to many people foul language, I was mentally depressed and I met a trans friend named Deepika Sharma, who told me about surgeries. I underwent surgery in 2013. And I got my first major break on the cover of Tehelka magazine in 2015, the rest is history.
2. What inspired you to participate in a beauty contest?
Sushmita Sen, Zeenat Amman, Lara Dutta were my favourites, but pageantry happened to me by chance. I organize a pageant for cis women called MRS INDIA HOMEMAKERS, we used to send girls on an international platform, my pictures were sent by mistake to a pageant, all the international pageants I have fought with cis women. I qualified because I had a female passport. I went on to the pageants and I was being me. I never pretended to be someone else. So when I won my first pageant media didn't pay me attention. I m the only woman in India with 7 international crowns and yet the media didn't give me my dues. My story is not just my story and this story should reach all the parents of the LGBT community so that before they throw their kids out because of society, they can also feel that their kids can make them proud too.
3. When and why did your interest divert towards activism?
I am a very sensitive person from childhood, it's often said creative people are sensitive, I cry when I see an emotional scene in a movie. My heart cries when I see dogs don't have food, I have three dogs at home, my heart cries to see orphan kids, I have adopted a daughter when she was just 15 days old, today she is 2 and half years of age, I feel for the community when they are mistreated or are discriminated. I have always raised my voice when I was mistreated and today I am the voice of many who doesn't keep her mouth shut when I see injustice being done on anyone.
4.You have built an empire of skills and talent, how do you manage to do multitasking?
I don't know the answer, but I guess my mind keeps working 24 by 7, this is the reason I dream, I dream and make every effort to make it come true. I have never said to myself. Quit. Because I am not a quitter.
5. How do you keep yourself inspired and motivated?
I am into meditation, yoga and spirituality. I have full faith in external energy that makes my dreams into reality. If we can name that as God. I am a firm believer in him. I believe that karma is a bitch and all the good and bad karmas results come in this life. Most of the time I just work hard, rest leave up to Him, with every success my confidence reaches higher in life. People motivate me. I want to do things for them. I have always dedicated my win to society as a whole but not just community. Why do we fall into communities? It's 2021, let's all be one world.
6. What message would you give to our readers?
Live and let live, and be masked not just for covid 19 but also don't speak nonsense for anyone. You don't know that your stupid comments can take someone's life.
7. What is your idea of happiness and success?
Happiness is a state of mind so is a success. I try to keep myself happy in pity things, if I am playing an online game and I win, I feel happy, I feel happy when I am with my daughter and my canine children, good music makes me happy, success to me is when I spread happiness around, I see many people are happy on my win of empress Earth 2021, and that's success to me. I feel successful when I speak and my speech can change someone's life.
8. Has the beauty pageant platform truly helped give power to your voice?
Yes absolutely, I am not a queen who sits with her crown, crown gives me a responsibility to work hard for society. Crown tells me every day that I am not a showpiece, I am made to bring change in society. I am India's first trans model and feel proud when I see others following in my footsteps. Many other trans women in Delhi are elder than me and been to reality shows, they feel so jealous of me and I don't know why? There is space for everyone in society. And we are not in a rat race so why this catfight and cold war?
9. What more can be and should be done so that the world takes the LGBTQ community seriously?
I believe media should write about our achievements, I believe that media has a very important role to play in our upliftment. Films should not misrepresent our community. Gone are the days of Bobby darling, today so many movies are being made keeping trans characters in mind, sadly they are given to cis men and cis women but I am happy that finally, at least Bollywood is taking us seriously. Changes shall come but every change takes time to implement. Happy pride month to all your readers.
Naaz Joshi is India's first transgender international beauty queen, a trans rights activist and a motivational speaker.
Joshi won the miss world diversity beauty pageant three times in a row. She is India's first transgender cover model. She is the world's first trans woman to win an international beauty pageant with cisgender women. he has recently won empress earth 2021 and has a total of 7 international crowns to her credit.
- Interviewed By Pratibha Sahani
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