Besides other famous hits, she croons 'If I were a boy' sung by Beyonce straight from her heart but there is nothing more she wants than to be a girl. Born Joy Paul from Kolkata, 28-year-old Joe felt she was a girl ever since she was 3 years old and knew she was trapped in the wrong body by the time she entered high school. She has completed the first step towards her sex reassignment surgery where she has been certified with gender dysphoria and wishes to complete the process by next year.

An ad filmmaker by profession, she has made 30 corporate films in her 7 year career in Mumbai and is sure she will be the most celebrated transgender filmmaker in India one day. Currently struggling to find a house and a permanent job, Joe is trying to save all the money she can for her surgery. “I came to know about sex change operation when I was in the 11th standard. I had to move away from my parents in Kolkata because of societal pressure and relatives. I am blessed to have my family because my parents love me so much. My father never tried to buy me bats and balls but bought me barbie dolls. I was bullied in school and college for being feminine and I still face a lot of discrimination and humiliation but I know I am a strong woman. I can do it,” said Joe who has her own youtube channel showcasing her work as a film maker and also has a cooking blog. She was a district level athlete for 100 mt run.

In 11th grade joe attended a wedding where she had a crush on a boy. For the next two months she prayed to god to turn her into a woman overnight. She abandoned all logic and just prayed to magically turn into a woman the next morning but it didnt happen. “People should know that I am not homosexual. I am not gay. I am in a mans body but I am a woman inside and I feel like every woman does. I want to have a husband and cook for him and do whatever women do. I wont be able to bear children and women should realise what a miracle it is. Women have the power to give life. Beyond that, I just want to be the best filmmaker I can be,” she said. When asked as to what she thinks women take for granted she said that they misuse their authority. “I see many women misusing their womanhood and even the law and police supports them. Straight men arent always horny or want to sexually attack you,” she said. She also added that police is not sensitive to the LGBT community and she has faced ridicule at their hands quite a few times.

Joe's life in Mumbai has been nothing short of tumultuous especially when it comes to finding a job and a house. People have turned their backs on giving her a house on rent saying they do not entertain people like her.

Currently living in a small house in Jogeshwari, she feels unsafe as people have stolen lights outside her door, knocked on it and asked her how much she charges for a night and has been called abusive names while entering and exiting her locality. “Just because I look like a man in a womans clothing, they think I am a prostitute or im easy. I have done graduation in botany and a I have a diploma in film study from Satyajit Rays film institute. I know I am talented and I am ready to work hard. But the industry is very narrow minded when hiring people like me. I have been asked for sexual favours in return for getting a job. I do not understand what my sexuality has got to do with my skills?” she asked.

Her procedure took a setback as her father suffered a stroke and she had to send her savings for his medical needs. “I do not want to ask for money from anybody because this is what I want for me. I just want to work and I am ready to work 24/7 to fund my operation. I am a bengali and I was born creative. I just want a permanent job so that I can find myself a good place and complete my surgery. I want to live alone because the doctors told me my mood will fluctuate and I will lash out at people. Also because I am a clean freak,” she said.

Joe has a boyfriend who is an actor in the industry. He is ready to foot her medical bills but she has refused. “I am so blessed to have him in my life. He is my rock and my strength but I dont know about the future. This is what I want. I had a boyfriend earlier who was a filmmaker. I took care of his finances and spent so much money on him. Atleast Rs 2 lakh for around one and a half years. One fine day he just left the city and when I called him he abused me and dumped me over the phone. Now he is married to a girl who he was in a relationship with 9 years ago,” she said.

Besides cooking and film making, joe paints, sings and dances. “I do the best Lata Mangeshkar impression,” she says and starts singing Jiya jale Jaan jale. She qoutes Ramkrishna Paramhans and talks about how the male energy always fails in front of Female energy. “If you see mythology. All male gods have turned into woman to defeat evil. Never has a female god turned into a man,” she said. She is happy she will not menstruate because her friends keep complaining about the pain and PMS. “i see how my best friend gets irritated when she is on her period. I dont want to become like that so I am glad. But I hate the male organs that I have. I just dont want them. I am so thrilled about growing breasts. For you its normal part of growing up as a girl. For me to be trapped in a wrong body, the journey is full of suspense,” she said.

After she is finds the funds to complete her procedure, she wishes to go back to kolkata. When asked about how much time will it take to be a complete woman, she parted with the words, “I am already a complete woman. I am more of a woman than biological women,” she said.