There is a belief that being from the LGBTQ community, there comes unwanted attention and discrimination galore- but for Manipur's Beoncy Laishram, this wasn't the case.

Even though she is a trans-woman, however, she never felt discriminated and everyone around her has supported her in every way.

Beoncy Laishram is an inspiration for many like her from the LGBTQ community for she is the first transgender doctor from the Northeast.

"Every human being or an individual has the right to live their lives in their own terms and so does a transgender," she said in an interview with news agency ANI.

She feels that instead of sticking to stereotypical professions like that in a beauty parlour or that of a make-up artist, transgender people should explore different avenues.

"If people from the transgender community engage themselves in various other fields, then the society will automatically accept them with ease," Laishram says.

Even though she realised her transgender identity at quite a young age, Beoncy Laishram, however, decided to keep it in the closet and she revealed about it only in 2016.

"I realised my transgender identity while I was in Class V or IX, but I kept it inside the closet due to the involvement of the society and the family," she further said.

"However, in 2016 I revealed my identity and I have never faced any discrimination because of it," she adds on quickly.

Beoncy further revealed that she was always supported by her fellow students during her medical study days.

Even at work, every single colleague of hers support her and they cooperate with her completely.

"For them, I am no different and I am just one of them. They treat me as a friend and not an outsider," added the 27-year-old doctor.

Presently, Beoncy Laishram is engaged as a COVID-19 warrior and she is working Resident Medical Officer (RMO) at Shija Hospitals and Research Institute.

A former student of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), Beoncy Laishram today is a symbol of hope for Manipur's highly visible yet marginalised Nupi Maanbi (trans-woman) community.