The beauty of Indian trans literature lies in its ability to provide a comprehensive standpoint on the trans condition, capturing the resilience and strength of individuals who defy societal norms. These stories are declarations of identity, testaments to the enduring quest for selfhood amidst a society that rigidly defines itself in terms of binary gender norms. From enduring physical and emotional harassment to embracing their true selves, these narratives exemplify extraordinary courage and perseverance.
The stories of Indian transgender individuals are surely marginalised, yet some find eternal life on paper, offering profound accounts of self-discovery, transition, and acceptance. The stories of Mona, Vidya, Manjubai, and others reflect the cultural and regional specificities of the transgender experience in India, probing the intersectionality of caste, religion, and regional identities with gender identity.
“Mona’s Story” by Urvashi Butalia, “A Gift of Goddess Lakshmi” by Manobi Bandyopadhyay and Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey, and “I Am Vidya: A Transgender's Journey” by Living Smile Vidya are powerful testaments to one’s capacity to transcend societal limitations and assert one’s identity. These works are essential reads, providing not only personal insights but also a broader understanding of the cultural and social dynamics that shape the transgender experience in India.
Mona’s Story by Urvashi Butalia
‘I’m a woman, I’ve always wanted to be one, it’s that simple.’
Mona was, quite simply, indifferent to traditional gender norms and expectations. She expressed discomfort with her assigned male body from an early age. Her affinity for feminine things, dolls, and female friendships goes against societal expectations. Mona's family initially celebrated the birth of a “boy”, expecting her to carry on the family line. However, Mona's rejection of her assigned sex and her desire to adopt a child challenged traditional family structures and expectations. Mona exercises agency over her identity by leaving home and undergoing sex reassignment to align her physical appearance with her internal sense of self.
“Speaking to the men she became, or assumed, the male” Mona didn’t conform to a rigid gender identity. She was comfortable switching between male and female personas based on the context. She adopted the male persona of Ahmed-bhai when interacting with men and her female persona when engaging with women. This fluidity in her desire to practice agency in different circles while denouncing the traditional binary notions of gender was a truly compelling outlook on expression.
The story of Mona, written by Butalia, is truly one of the best accounts of trans lives in India. It is a powerful testament to the enduring quest for selfhood, a must-read.
I Am Vidya: A Transgender's Journey by Living Smile Vidya
TW: Systemic violence during hospitalisation
"transgender(s) are human beings, try to respect them"
Identities are not merely markers by which we are known; they define and limit us, capable of both confining and releasing our consciousness. "I Am Vidya" chronicles one such journey—a declaration and claiming of an identity. It is an assertion of a consciousness that has endured the agony of being trapped in a mould it does not belong to, a body it does not identify with. Vidya has faced all the indignities forced upon a tirunangai, a transgender person, by a society that rigidly divides and defines itself in terms of biology alone.
Vidya's account of her gender affirmation surgery is harrowing. Conducted in conditions that were far from humane, the operation was akin to a visit to a "slaughterhouse," where compassion was a rarity, and patients were discharged as soon as they showed signs of recovery. The hospital walls, covered in the names of other transgender individuals who had undergone similar ordeals, bore silent testimony to their fears and hopes not to be forgotten. Vidya chose not to add her name, clinging to an optimism that the experience might be different for her. Unfortunately, the reality was brutal. However, Vidya's journey did not end in despair. She found solace and peace in the newfound alignment between her body and identity.
From being rejected by her family to begging on the streets as a social outcast, from donning women's clothes to undergoing excruciating surgery to align her body with her identity, from suffering emotional and physical harassment to finally embracing her true self—Vidya's journey is one of extraordinary courage and perseverance. This compelling narrative of a woman trapped within a man's body is a testament to the resilience and strength required to overcome societal barriers and assert one's true identity.
A Gift of Goddess Lakshmi by Manobi Bandopadhyay and Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey
TW: mentions of Sexual Violence, Child Abuse
"Education has been my weapon against discrimination and ignorance."
"A Gift of Goddess Lakshmi," the biography of Manobi Bandyopadhyay, as told to journalist Jhimli Mukherjee Pandey, is an essential and emotionally challenging read. Born in 1964, Manobi’s journey from a childhood marked by premonitions of struggle to becoming India's first transgender principal is nothing short of extraordinary.
Manobi's early life was marred by abuse and violence, from being raped by a cousin in fifth grade to enduring physical assaults at school. Despite these hardships, her resilience shone through as she pursued education and personal transformation. At Jadavpur University, studying under esteemed mentors like Shankha Ghosh and Pabitra Sarkar, Manobi found solace and a creative outlet in theatre, dance, and writing.
In 1999, Manobi began hormone treatment and underwent gender affirmation surgery in 2003. Her groundbreaking initiative, Abomanob, India's first transgender magazine, created a vital dialogue between the transgender community and broader society, addressing the issues of health, stigma, and rights.
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