ThoughtWorks
  • Contact
  • Español
  • Português
  • Deutsch
  • 中文
Go to overview
  • Engineering Culture, Delivery Mindset

    Embrace a modern approach to software development and deliver value faster

    Intelligence-Driven Decision Making

    Leverage your data assets to unlock new sources of value

  • Frictionless Operating Model

    Improve your organization's ability to respond to change

    Platform Strategy

    Create adaptable technology platforms that move with your business strategy

  • Experience Design and Product Capability

    Rapidly design, deliver and evolve exceptional products and experiences

    Partnerships

    Leveraging our network of trusted partners to amplify the outcomes we deliver for our clients

Go to overview
  • Automotive
  • Cleantech, Energy and Utilities
  • Financial Services and Insurance
  • Healthcare
  • Media and Publishing
  • Not-for-profit
  • Public Sector
  • Retail and E-commerce
  • Travel and Transport
Go to overview

Featured

  • Technology

    An in-depth exploration of enterprise technology and engineering excellence

  • Business

    Keep up to date with the latest business and industry insights for digital leaders

  • Culture

    The place for career-building content and tips, and our view on social justice and inclusivity

Digital Publications and Tools

  • Technology Radar

    An opinionated guide to technology frontiers

  • Perspectives

    A publication for digital leaders

  • Digital Fluency Model

    A model for prioritizing the digital capabilities needed to navigate uncertainty

  • Decoder

    The business execs' A-Z guide to technology

All Insights

  • Articles

    Expert insights to help your business grow

  • Blogs

    Personal perspectives from ThoughtWorkers around the globe

  • Books

    Explore our extensive library

  • Podcasts

    Captivating conversations on the latest in business and tech

Go to overview
  • Application process

    What to expect as you interview with us

  • Grads and career changers

    Start your tech career on the right foot

  • Search jobs

    Find open positions in your region

  • Stay connected

    Sign up for our monthly newsletter

Go to overview
  • Conferences and Events
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • News
  • Open Source
  • Our Leaders
  • Social Change
  • Español
  • Português
  • Deutsch
  • 中文
ThoughtWorksMenu
  • Close   ✕
  • What we do
  • Who we work with
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • About
  • Contact
  • Back
  • Close   ✕
  • Go to overview
  • Engineering Culture, Delivery Mindset

    Embrace a modern approach to software development and deliver value faster

  • Experience Design and Product Capability

    Rapidly design, deliver and evolve exceptional products and experiences

  • Frictionless Operating Model

    Improve your organization's ability to respond to change

  • Intelligence-Driven Decision Making

    Leverage your data assets to unlock new sources of value

  • Partnerships

    Leveraging our network of trusted partners to amplify the outcomes we deliver for our clients

  • Platform Strategy

    Create adaptable technology platforms that move with your business strategy

  • Back
  • Close   ✕
  • Go to overview
  • Automotive
  • Cleantech, Energy and Utilities
  • Financial Services and Insurance
  • Healthcare
  • Media and Publishing
  • Not-for-profit
  • Public Sector
  • Retail and E-commerce
  • Travel and Transport
  • Back
  • Close   ✕
  • Go to overview
  • Featured

  • Technology

    An in-depth exploration of enterprise technology and engineering excellence

  • Business

    Keep up to date with the latest business and industry insights for digital leaders

  • Culture

    The place for career-building content and tips, and our view on social justice and inclusivity

  • Digital Publications and Tools

  • Technology Radar

    An opinionated guide to technology frontiers

  • Perspectives

    A publication for digital leaders

  • Digital Fluency Model

    A model for prioritizing the digital capabilities needed to navigate uncertainty

  • Decoder

    The business execs' A-Z guide to technology

  • All Insights

  • Articles

    Expert insights to help your business grow

  • Blogs

    Personal perspectives from ThoughtWorkers around the globe

  • Books

    Explore our extensive library

  • Podcasts

    Captivating conversations on the latest in business and tech

  • Back
  • Close   ✕
  • Go to overview
  • Application process

    What to expect as you interview with us

  • Grads and career changers

    Start your tech career on the right foot

  • Search jobs

    Find open positions in your region

  • Stay connected

    Sign up for our monthly newsletter

  • Back
  • Close   ✕
  • Go to overview
  • Conferences and Events
  • Diversity and Inclusion
  • News
  • Open Source
  • Our Leaders
  • Social Change
Blogs
Select a topic
View all topicsClose
Technology 
Agile Project Management Cloud Continuous Delivery  Data Science & Engineering Defending the Free Internet Evolutionary Architecture Experience Design IoT Languages, Tools & Frameworks Legacy Modernization Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence Microservices Platforms Security Software Testing Technology Strategy 
Business 
Financial Services Global Health Innovation Retail  Transformation 
Careers 
Career Hacks Diversity & Inclusion Social Change 
Blogs

Topics

Choose a topic
  • Technology
    Technology
  • Technology Overview
  • Agile Project Management
  • Cloud
  • Continuous Delivery
  • Data Science & Engineering
  • Defending the Free Internet
  • Evolutionary Architecture
  • Experience Design
  • IoT
  • Languages, Tools & Frameworks
  • Legacy Modernization
  • Machine Learning & Artificial Intelligence
  • Microservices
  • Platforms
  • Security
  • Software Testing
  • Technology Strategy
  • Business
    Business
  • Business Overview
  • Financial Services
  • Global Health
  • Innovation
  • Retail
  • Transformation
  • Careers
    Careers
  • Careers Overview
  • Career Hacks
  • Diversity & Inclusion
  • Social Change
Career HacksDiversity & InclusionCareers

My journey from acknowledgement to acceptance to empowerment

Aditya Batavia Aditya Batavia

Published: Jun 19, 2020

My journey of becoming a ‘self-made man’ started the day I was born. Unlike many others,  I wasn’t born with  XY chromosomes but I’ve always felt ‘male’ inside. As a child when I began speaking, I started using male pronouns to identify myself. Because I was born female my family taught me to use female pronouns, which I refused to accept.

Adi as a child

Growing up I had only one wish in my heart: to wake up male. Unfortunately, my prayers were always left unheard. Puberty was the hardest thing that happened to me. Rajkot, a small town in Gujarat where I grew up, only understood two genders. My cis-male friends turned their faces at me and I couldn’t get along with my cis-female friends. I found it hard to fit in and I started locking myself in a room and became friends with books instead. 

Gradually, I learned that my gender identity was different from my sex assigned at birth. While I had accepted that fact,  and made a friend in the trans community, I still felt that I was trapped in the wrong body and had a strong urge to change my physique. Eventually, I learned that there are surgeries that one can go through, however they are very costly.



While I had these thoughts in my mind, I also knew that my family was financially dependent on me and I was struggling to reconcile both of these factors. I faced a lot of rejection during my job interviews because I used masculine gender expressions; I felt hopeless and spiraled into depression. Often I would get irritated when someone mis-gendered me. I had very low self esteem and I started to compare myself with cis-male individuals, who I saw as privileged. Continuous failure and rejection only made my depression worse and one day I broke down. I couldn’t take the pain anymore and I decided to put an end to it all. I decided to end my life. I felt that death would be easier than to continue living. But somehow, I could not gather the courage to end my life. 

The next day, my friend and I decided to celebrate my failure and give life another chance. It certainly wasn’t like it is in the movies; I struggled for the next couple of years to improve my mental health and emerge from depression and suicidal tendencies. I fought negative thoughts every single day. I attended a ton of self-help seminars: some worked, some didn’t. I think my mental health finally started to improve when I accepted my gender identity and decided to come out to my family and close friends. Their acceptance gave me immense strength and a sense of support. 

Life after the transition has been much better, but I still face issues today. I still get irritated, depressed, and react to triggers, but that is part of life; it’s like an annoying neighbour that I have to live with. However, now I’m better equipped to handle triggers. I have more control over my thoughts and not the other way around. Now, I feel more empowered. 

My journey of empowering others started when I decided to support Trans people in India by providing them with resources and educating their parents/partners about their transition from a medical, social, and legal perspective. As a board member of the TWEET Foundation (Transgender Welfare Equity and Empowerment Trust), I continue to empower the community by providing them with career guidance.



In 2018, I learned about ThoughtWorks’ Interning with Pride (IWP) program and the awesome work they were doing in the LGBTQ+ space from many D&I professionals. In fact, I promoted IWP within the community via the many chat groups I was a member of. Eventually, I joined ThoughtWorks myself in 2019 as a Diversity & Inclusion (D&I) Specialist. 

For the first time in my career, I felt like I could bring my whole self to work without being judged or facing bias. The environment here gives me room to express my strength, resilience, and vulnerability. I can talk about my life as a trans man without fear of being discriminated against because of my gender identity. Coming from a non-English speaking background, I sometimes struggle to express my thoughts, yet ThoughtWorkers have been empathetic and have accepted me the way I am. I strongly feel that I belong here, more than I do at home. I feel safe at my workplace.  

Adi with a group of friends at ThoughtWorks

In my role, I’ve had the opportunity to pursue my passion of working in the D&I space and creating a more inclusive and sustainable workplace. As part of the D&I team, I work on a number of programs such as:
  • Helping to run the Mitra Collective, our LGBTQ+ and Allies affinity group
  • Implementing our Gender Affirmation/Transition-at-the-Workplace policy
  • Organizing Pride Month celebrations
  • Implementing an inclusive background verification process for LGBTQ+ employees
  • Creating D&I activities for our ThoughtWorks India Away Day 2019
  • Supporing a job fair for Transgender people.
I’ve always wanted to work in a full- time D&I role in an organization where I feel a sense of belonging and I have found that here with Thoughtworks India. The inclusive culture at ThoughtWorks is what initially piqued my interest to apply, but the close-knit community that provides safety and comfort is what keeps me here.


Like Aditya, many members of the LGBTQ+ community go through the harsh reality of rejection and pain.
We stand with them in solidarity and support. If you or someone you know needs support, we encourage you to use the resources below. 


Families for Depression Awareness - Mental Health Resources for LGBTQIA+ People - USA
CDC - LGBT Youth Resources
Pink news UK - A guide to LGBT mental health resources
Each Mind Matters - LGBTQ Resources
LGBTQ+ Mental Health Risks and Resources
White Swan Foundation - LGBT Mental Health
Equality & Mind - UK - Being LGBTQ Person and Mental Health 

Free to be yourself

Learn more about inclusivity at ThoughtWorks.

Find out more
Related blogs
Diversity & Inclusion

A multitude of colours: celebrating the many Pride Flags

Glenn Wolfschoon
Rebecca Schmidt
Learn more
Diversity & Inclusion

How Pride and visibility helped and shaped who I am today

Mike Drozd
Learn more
Social Change

Relevance of LGBTQI+ inclusion at the workplace in India

Tina Vinod
Learn more
  • What we do
  • Who we work with
  • Insights
  • Careers
  • About
  • Contact

WeChat

×
QR code to ThoughtWorks China WeChat subscription account

Media and analyst relations | Privacy policy | Modern Slavery statement ThoughtWorks| Accessibility | © 2021 ThoughtWorks, Inc.