Welcome to another episode of Interview, presented by MedBound Times, a platform for health journalism by MedBound. In this episode, we'll look at the life and career of Mr. Abeer Parashar, Territory Manager in Dr. Reddy's Laboratories (Pursuing an MBA, MPT Neurology). Ms. Gunjan Sooden, from MedBound Times, had the good fortune to speak openly with Mr. Abeer Parashar.

We've discussed how it feels to accept who you are in this interview. With this, we have also discussed several myths about gender dysphoria and the necessity of promoting greater acceptance among the younger generation.

I welcome you to this interview session, Mr. Abeer Parashar Thank you so much for joining in and giving us your valuable time. Could you please give a brief introduction of yourself to our readers?

Ms. Gunjan Sooden: What are you currently doing?

Mr. Abeer Parashar: I am currently working as a Territory Manager for Dr. Reddy's company.

Ms. Gunjan Sooden: What is Gender Dysphoria? According to you?

Mr. Abeer Parashar: Gender dysphoria is a term used to describe a person's mismatch between his inner and outer personalities. Basically, someone who claims to have been born of a different gender than their own. 

Ms. Gunjan Sooden: Could you share how you realized and acknowledged your gender dysphoria?

Mr. Abeer Parashar: When I was maybe around nine or 10 years old, and I always had an idea about this, when my brother used to dress up like a boy, I used to like his haircut, and I used to like his clothes, trousers, and T-shirts. I also love to dress up like him, and I used to do it as well. So, at that time, I realized from inside that I might be a boy only, and as I grew up slowly, I started realizing that yes, I have a different kind of personality than girls. I used to think that maybe we all had something like this in us. If a person has feminine characteristics, they don't have to force themselves or push themselves to show that yes, I'm a girl. So, the same is true for boys as well. Since the beginning, I have had the personality and intrinsic qualities of a boy. The behavior, the subtle things like a boy that the majority of boys have. So, like that, I understood that something was not appropriate for me and I should seek help from someone, maybe any medical professional or my friends or family like that.

However, that inner force made me do this, and I took this step. For a very long time, I already knew that I was a male, but I had to live like this. It was an inner force that made me do this, and I took this step, actually, long before I knew I was a male. I had to live like a woman for some time because of the circumstances and everything. I will not say circumstances, but something that was not in your hands.

Life is really challenging for everyone, not just me or anyone else, but we all face challenges at different rates. Your decisions are influenced by your lack of inner strength, your inability to make decisions, as well as other variables like your level of maturity and financial support. So, after a lot of long battles and hurdles, I finally said to myself, "No, no, please, I can't live like this. If I stop myself today and imagine only seeing myself as a girl for more than two months or one year, I don't know what my mental state will be.

So I finally decided for myself, "Oh no, no, I cannot live like this," not just one day but gradually. I must move forward as a result. I must complete this, and I will monitor the results and see what happens, but I should start somewhere at least.

After scheduling a counseling session with the psychiatrist I got my clearance first then I approached An Endocrinologist, who started my Hormone Replacement therapy.

At first, I didn't tell my family, but I did so gradually, and now everything is proceeding as planned.

To that end, I made the decision to begin more counseling in the future.

Ms. Gunjan Sooden: How did you decide to undergo Hormone Replacement Therapy?

Mr. Abeer Parashar: I'll admit that prior to beginning my hormone replacement medication, I knew a few people who shared this activist's views on the LGBTQ community. I, therefore, mentioned that I was a therapist and that I also held a master's degree at the time. Therefore, I am a male who would like to begin hormone replacement therapy. My first thought was, What employment opportunities are there for physiotherapists who are transitioning?

As a result, I was very clear. Suppose a patient comes to you, And according to men or women, you treat them, right? So in that transition period, this can be a little bit challenging, Which I understand somewhere: "Okay, maybe he's right, but I had this feeling my career as a physiotherapist won't be that fruitful in the near future."

Additionally, the hospitals and clinics are not at all inclusive of us and may have their own limitations; I won't get into that, but it is the reason I changed my job to a corporate company and am now a territory manager instead of a therapist. I have changed my working profile temporarily or permanently, and I am also not sure about that.

Because we should enjoy the work we perform, I was not at all enjoying it at the moment, and nothing was really satisfying. So that's why I changed jobs. I know that you are not very well appreciated as a therapist with this history, which is understandable given that you have experienced numerous setbacks. Example: Your doctor was once a man, but she is now a woman. They must also be aware of the great struggle. Despite this, people continue to make comments such as, "Your voice is like that." Like most transwomen, they face challenges and absurd comments on their voice quality and pitch. Therefore, all these incidents might affect one's self-confidence. The medical field is confined to a client-centered approach, and people do not welcome us as such.

Ms. Gunjan Sooden: How has therapy changed the way you feel about yourself and your general mental health?

Mr. Abeer Parashar: My mental state has absolutely, positively, greatly improved. I dress like a man now, but in the past, I exclusively dressed that way. At the time, I was very judgmental of myself because I knew that if I continued to dress that way, someone would ask me why I always wore this kind of clothing.

Now that I'm on HRT, my employer is aware of my personality and appreciates that they know me.

Ms. Gunjan Sooden: Could you mention any challenges you faced during your transition while working as a physiotherapist and how you managed them?

Mr. Abeer Parashar: As I mentioned, it is very difficult to work as a physiotherapist because everyone—including managers and your seniors—will be judgmental of you, and patients won't hesitate to say anything. For this reason, I am currently in a completely different position and do not work as a physiotherapist. This is the reason I joined a corporation. It is quite difficult for a physiotherapist or other medical practitioner to be in transition because the transition is a phase in which you are already fighting with yourself about your emotions and mental state. And since the transition is already a difficult situation, this kind of stress can be detrimental to the individual going through it. This is the reason I chose Dr. Reddy's Laboratories.

Ms. Gunjan Sooden: Were there any support or accommodations you received from your professional network during the therapy? How have these resources helped you with your work life?

Mr. Abeer Parashar: They are incredibly encouraging. While I am currently living alone and distant from my family, I am still in contact with them. Everything is well when I go home, which I do every 15 days or so. They don't precisely provide accommodations, but they do give me all the benefits, insurance, and other things that the business offers to its employees. They are, therefore, very encouraging.

Ms. Gunjan Sooden: What advice do you have for other healthcare professionals who might be going through a similar experience?

Mr. Abeer Parashar: For medical professionals, I will say that I also changed my profile as a result of all these factors, such as the feedback I received from a person who mentioned that he was working with five to six transgender physiotherapists who were struggling to find work so they could support themselves and live peacefully. That is why I chose a pharmaceutical company because it is related to my medical background. However, it is challenging for physiotherapists to operate in the field since we have to understand the patients' circumstances because everything depends on them. If patients are unhappy, they will not be motivated to pursue therapy, even if the doctor says everything is fine. Doctors are professionals who may be MBBSs or just have to write prescriptions, but as physiotherapists, we need one-on-one interactions with patients. Consequently, it is extremely challenging.

Ms. Gunjan Sooden: Thank you so much for such an insightful interview session, Mr. Abeer Parasher. We look forward to connecting with you again soon. We learned a lot from you today, and we hope you will continue to inspire all of us to embrace who we really are.

Best wishes for your future endeavors.

Mr. Abeer Parashar: Thank you so much for having me as well:) I wish you a great day ahead too!

(GS)