"I think I've been a woman since birth," Rochelle says, describing the deep-seated sense of identity that she’s carried with her for as long as she can remember. It’s especially poignant knowing that she came out just a month before we talked. "Growing up in a family of four boys, I faced immense pressure to conform to masculine norms,” she recalls. “I played basketball, though I was never particularly good at it, because that was what was expected." 

There’s a moment from her childhood she will always remember. "In a very religious family setting, nuns came to our house, and my parents were aware of my interest in dressing up in my mother’s clothes. They thought it was just a phase. But when one of the nuns asked me if I wanted to be a girl, it was the first time I felt that there was a possibility for me to transition."

She said yes to the nun, she says. "Everyone laughed," she remembers. "Back then, wanting to be a woman was seen as a bizarre or trivial desire. There was a prevailing notion that being a woman was something to be mocked, not taken seriously." 

Even as she participated indifferently in those basketball games, her true passions lay in dance, the arts, and singing. Rochelle explains that these interests helped her connect with the part of herself that resonated more with femininity. "The lockdown was a significant time for me to reflect and understand who I am," she adds. "I've realised that I don’t have to adhere to societal norms; I just need to be true to myself." 

At work, Rochelle faced her own set of challenges and triumphs. After coming out to her colleagues, she shared, "I sent a text message to all my stakeholders, informing them that for now, you can address me as Rochelle and this would be my name as I'm transitioning into a trans woman." The response was overwhelmingly positive, which eased some of her initial fears. "Godrej has provided me with the space to be myself,” she says. "Everyone is so sensitised about what gender identity is." 

Rochelle reflects on how femininity is constructed socially. "If you consider a man in a skirt versus a woman in a blazer, society still views the skirt as less powerful. We need to change this perspective," she argues. "Why can’t femininity be seen as equally strong and influential? Assigning certain values to objects based on gender is problematic. A skirt is as powerful as a blazer. We need to change how we perceive and value different expressions of gender." 

"I feel complete when someone addresses me as Miss Rochelle or Ma'am," she concludes. "It’s a validation of my true self and a reflection of the journey I've been on to embrace who I am."