praveenas parents thought her dressing up like a man during her teens was just her being tomboyish but as soon as she started behaving like one eyebrows were raised in her family today praveena says she feels complete as praveen nath a transman from palakkadthe 21yearold is currently pursuing ba english at maharajas college ernakulam talking about her gender identity praveen says i had this identity crisis when i was 14 years old when most girls start getting their periods i was feeling lost as my thoughts were that of a boy but i had a girls body with long hair though i wore churidar uniforms in my school i always dressed up in shirt and jeans whenever i went outside says praveenthe happiest moment for him was when he was able to walk freely even at midnight and hang out with friends just like any other boy says praveen who is preparing for a sex reassignment surgery at present i am undergoing hormone treatment and hope to undergo the surgery soon he sayswhile his family has now accepted him as he is he and his three brothers are still not quite on the same page says praveenthey got to know my identity when i got into a relationship with a girl in my school my teachers scolded me for behaving like a boy some of our family friends had said that i was possessed by an evil spirit and i was taken to temples for many rituals later my elder brother and mother took me to a hospital in bengaluru where i was introduced to the term transman he says thats when my family understood my real identity and they have been supporting me to be a boy even though i live in a girls bodyeducation has been a priority in his life and thats a reason why he suppressed his identity to complete his school with good grades things however took a bad turn when he joined nss college nenmara to pursue ba history he fell in love with one of his friends they thought i was a lesbian for having feelings for one of my girlfriends my parents told me to leave the house as they were more concerned about what others would think so i had to discontinue from that college as the authorities didnt want me to remain there he says i even thought of ending my life when all i received was hate from others i also learnt that even if i am alone i had to fight for my identity adds praveenhis mother and brothers seem to have come around now they have no issues with who i am now i was even invited to my brothers engagement last week but i chose not to go as all attention would have been on me at the function he saysat his college though praveen says he now enjoys a celebrity status among his friends he is currently looking out for a job so that