A young girl from Odisha, the southern part of India acquires the characteristics of a normal human being. She excels in athletics, with her niche in sprinting. She aspired to be a sprinter, running for the country and ended up being the first Indian woman to win a gold medal in a 100m race at an international tournament named the World Universiade Naples 2019.

She is none other than the legend Dutee Chand, who came out as the first Indian queer sportsperson. India’s court decision to decriminalize gay in 2018 helped her publicly speak about her relationship with her long-time girlfriend, Monalisa, who is happily married. Her achievements and awards are never-ending. Starting with competing and winning the U18 divisions National Athletics Championship in Lucknow 2012 and a bronze medal in the 200m race at the Asian championship in Pune 2013. She became the first Indian to reach the 100m finals in 2013. World Youth Championships in Ukraine along with this, she also won 100m and 200m races in Bangalore 2013 the National Athletics Championships and many more.

They say the other side is always greener but, in her story, the less green part was brutal treatment from the society’s end. If you are well-versed in the Bollywood movie starring Taapsee Pannu named Rashmi Rocket, you would know that it was partially inspired by her gender test allegations. In 2014, Dutee was 18 when she was forcefully made to undergo a gender test by the national athletics federation. She failed the hyperandrogenism test. It is a blood test to check the level of male sex hormones like testosterone in women.

The natural output of failing such a test is getting suspended from the various national sports federation along with the World Athletics body. This was unjust to Dutee and appealed to the court of arbitration for sports in Lausanne. She fought against the hyperandrogenism policy ruled by the International Association of Athletics Federations IAAF. She said, “2014 was very tough for me, I had prepared a lot for CWG (Common Wealth Games) but four days before the event, I was thrown out of the team. It was very tough and then it was said that I wasn’t a girl and it felt really bad but then I fought a case with the support of my family.” It took her two years to fight for herself and in this matter, her country for whom she dreamt to run for, didn’t support her well.

If we rewind her past, this unfair treatment was not new to her. Dutee got bullied in her college days for having dark skin and whatnot.

Though she hasn’t spoken about her mental state lucidly while going through hardships it’s quite an obvious guess that wouldn’t have been easy on her. Dutee strongly fought all the hardships she faced till now in her life. She continues to make her nation proud via her game.