Transgender Narratives in Postcolonial India: Intersections and Divergences- A Study of Select Autobiographies

Abstract

Colonial history and the Criminal Tribes Act of 1871 marginalized the transgender community in India, stripping them of their pre-colonial dignity. Analyzing the autobiographies of Living Smile Vidya, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, and Manabi Bandyopadhyay, the study explores the intersection of gender, caste, and regional culture in shaping transgender identities. While sharing common struggles of social exclusion and trauma, these narratives diverge based on the authors' specific socio-cultural backgrounds—Dalit, Brahmin, and Bengali contexts respectively. These life stories serve as powerful tools of 'Body Politics,' asserting agency and demanding social integration, thereby challenging the heteronormative structure of postcolonial Indian society.