“My life has been one long struggle, to express and experience my identity as a woman. In my quest as a person born physiologically male, but who always desired to live as a woman., I experienced multiple oppression from many sides- family, society, and in education, law, culture and caste. Although it has been uphill all the way, I emerged triumphant as a trans woman. There is no better teacher than one’s lived experience…”- Excerpt from “A life in Trans Activism”, by A Revathi, as told to Nandini Murali

Jeeva, a Bangalore based NGO, led by Uma ( Umesh), organised the book launch for A Revathi’s new book “A life in Trans Activism”, on Wednesday, August 31 2016.

The new book charts her remarkable journey from relative obscurity to becoming India’s leading spokesperson for transgender rights … Revathi, speaks about her life , her work in the developmental sector and her move to being independent activist and her discovering of the creative mediums

“I discovered another way of taking my life and work to people-through performance. Whether it writing, or acting ( the latter is something that I have recently discovered), my initiatives in these areas were driven by a burning desire for social change”. Excerpt from “A life in Trans Activism”, by A Revathi, as told to Nandini Murali

In the second part of the book, Revathi, offers the reader an insight into one of the least talked about experience on the gender trajectory: that of being trans men.Calling several female to male trans persons her sons, she offers their stories and experiences and puts before us their moving, passionate and sometimes tragic stories of marginalization, courage , resistance and triumph.

An unforgettable book, A Life in Trans Activism will leave the reader questioning the “safe” and “comfortable” binaries of male/female that so many of us take for granted.