Krishna to Naina: A Teenager’s Transition Into a Transgender Woman

“I’ve come out twice, once as gay and once as a transgender.” says the 16-year-old.

Naina uses her YouTube channel to spread awareness, one video at a time.

Adolescence is hard enough on its own. Add to that publicly transitioning from a boy to a girl in front of your entire school, and you’re faced with a mammoth task.

It takes courage to grow up and become your true self and Delhi’s Naina Singh is publicly living out her private transition. “Actually my real name is Krishna. I was born a man, but I’m transitioning” she introduces herself confidently.

Before her transition from male to female, she, as Krishna, came out to “the world” as gay. She even remembers the exact time – 10:48 PM on August 20th, 2013.

When she was in class 6th she first heard of sex change surgery. “My friend Serena told me that Lady Gaga had a sex change operation. I was like wow!” Naina recounts in her YouTube video. She went back home and googled ‘sex change’ but didn’t understand anything.

It’s when she (at that time still identifying as a male ) was in class 10th that the gender identity confusion kicked in.

“I started wearing heels and girl’s clothes before I came out as transgender. People were really confused, but I ignored the topic.” – Naina

“I’ve come out twice, once as gay and once as a transgender. And every time I do it, it’s like ripping a band-aid off.”

That’s why Naina chose to come out in front of her entire school.

“I spoke about all the gruesome details…and how I had tried to kill myself”.

After the speech got over, there was pin drop silence in the room. Moments later, the entire auditorium erupted in an applause. “It was such a happy moment in my life. (It feels overwhelming) To share something with the world and have their utmost support on such a topic.”

She was apprehensive that she would be bullied a lot more after her confession. She had been hit before and she thought maybe the physical assault would increase, but she was pleasantly proved wrong.

Naina is now using YouTube to spread awareness about transitioning. “Transgenders and transexuals are not freaks...they are like anyone else”, says Naina in her introductory video.

She plans to start an NGO one day to help transgender children receive the “care and resources” they need. Till then, she chirpily answers curious Georges and tackles unawareness one question at a time.

Which genitalia do you have?

“Sex refers to genitalia of an individual, and gender is a social construct. I want to be female so my gender is female. I’m transgender. After sex re-assignment, I’ll be transsexual”

Are you gay?

Naina on her confusing sexuality.

Are you growing breasts?

“I have a lot female hormones in my body that’s why I think like a woman, and have breasts...but I’ll have to have a transplant to get women-like breasts”, says Naina.

Do teachers in Vasant Valley (her school) know that you’re gay?

“When I came out as gay, my teacher’s were like ‘Ha! Knew it!’. But when I came out as a transgender, everyone was so supportive”, says Naina.

Which loo do you use?

“Ew. I don’t want to see your daughters pee”, Naina cattily counters parents who do not want transgender women to use the girl’s loo.

Her advice to other teenagers planning to come out:

“Just do it...you’ll feel much better”, Naina adds.

If you want to see Naina go through her transition, watch her sassy and bold telling of her very public private journey on her YouTube Channel.