Last week, during an LGBTQIA+ event in Kolkata, 41-year-old Suchetan Bhattacharya – whose father is former West Bengal Chief Minister Buddhadeb Bhattacharya – came out as a trans man and said he was in the process of undergoing gender affirmation surgery.
Suchetan, a freelancer who works in the audio-visual field, said he has been conscious of his gender identity since childhood. He told India Today:
"I am an adult. I am now 41. As a result, I can make all decisions related to my life by myself. I am taking this decision the same way… Whoever considers himself a man mentally, is also a man, just as I consider myself male mentally. I want it to be physical now."
However, Suchetan's personal update ruffled one too many feathers on social media – both politically and 'morally'.
After a barrage of posts linking his decision to transition with his family and political ideology, Suchetan, while speaking to the media, asked people not to "drag my parents into this." On top of that, he was relentlessly misgendered online, with many posts using his 'deadname'.
'I Want To Stop the Social Harassment'
Speaking to India Today, Suchetan said that his parental identity or family identity "is not a big deal" when it comes to his gender identity.
"I want to stop the social harassment I face every day as a trans man."
He, however, added that his father has always known of his identity, though his mother is still in a "subtle sense of denial," as per TOI.
His father Buddhadeb Bhattacharya is a Communist Party of India (Marxist) leader who served as the seventh Chief Minister of West Bengal – from 2000 to 2011. According to reports, he has been ailing for a while.
Meanwhile, Suchetan's announcement invited several transphobic comments on social media – with many attributing his decision to his family's political ideology.
Suchetan, however, told the media, "This is my decision – and mine alone. I appeal to everyone not to distort this news. This is my own struggle. I want to fight this alone. It is better late than never… Many people supported this, and many heckled me. I don't care who says what. I am ready to answer everyone's questions."
'Don't Want To Make It a Political Issue'
Srijan Bhattacharya, the secretary of the West Bengal State Committee of the Students' Federation of India (SFI), told local news channels:
"Demanding equal rights for fellow citizens of marginalised genders is part of the struggle of the leftists. He [Suchetan] has shown his wisdom and skill in various fields as an intelligent citizen. Let him live in the identity in which he wants to see himself."
Stating that Suchetan's decision is related to his "personal preference," Trinamool Congress (TMC) leader Debanghsu Bhattacharya said, "Choice of sex, diet, clothing, and partners are democratic rights of every human being... Let him live the way he wants to live the rest of his life."
TMC leader Madan Mitra, too, said he didn't want to "add any political colour to this."
"It is his personal decision. I don't want to add political color to it. I pray that he stays healthy. My only concern is that he should do the medical check-ups properly."
However, Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) leader Sankudeb Panda told local news outlets that while "it is not appropriate to talk about this, we have to remember that we are social beings. So, public figures have to take their personal lives seriously."
"If their personal matter creates a positive reaction in society, it is to be welcomed. Again, if their actions in life create a negative reaction among the people, then it becomes a subject of criticism. Therefore, public figures should take steps in their own lives to ensure social positions that have a positive impact on public opinion."
What's Wrong With Misgendering?
Meanwhile, several posts online resorted to using Suchetan's deadname and misgendering him.
'Former West Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharjee's daughter comes out as trans man, undergoing sex operation'; 'Buddhadeb Bhattacharya's daughter Suchetana may undergo sex-change operation: …as a man'; 'Suchetana, Daughter Of Ex-Bengal CM Buddhadeb Bhattacharya, Opts For Sex Change Surgery 'To Be A Man' – these are just a few examples of how the media reported his transition.
But why is misgendering or using one's deadname a problem?
In 2021, The Quint, in an article on media sensitivity, had written:
Misgendering is the act of not using the proper pronouns for someone and being dismissive of their gender identity. While it might seem inconsequential to a cisgender heterosexual person, misgendering a trans or non-binary person can be ignorant at best and dehumanising at worst.
Coming to terms with your gender identity while grappling with societal expectations and conditioning, combined with the fear of prejudice is a mammoth task. The least they can expect is for allies to be respectful of that identity.
Even using phrases like "earlier a woman" or "is now a man" – though seemingly normal – is transphobic. They portray gender identity as a choice, or as a shift that a person makes. A trans woman is not a 'man that becomes a woman' or vice versa.
Referring to a trans person by the name assigned to them at birth despite their chosen name being clarified is 'deadnaming'. The name assigned at birth is referred to as their 'deadname'. The practice is considered to be harmful to trans identities, the article further noted.
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