The world keeps taunting him as girlish but the fact is that, biologically, he is a boy. And, he is always attracted to guys. Is Laxmi both a man and a woman? Or, perhaps, neither a man nor a woman? The first inklings and stirrings of lust that Laxmi remembers came from noticing big, strong arms, the hint of a guy's moustache over his lips, billboards that advertised men's underwear. Laxmi found this puzzling initially. Was there a woman inside him who couldn't really express herself because of some last-minute mix-up that god did at the time of his birth? Struggling with such existential questions, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, eminent transgender activist, awakens to her true self: She is Laxmi, a hijra.
In this fascinating narrative Laxmi unravels her heart to tell the stories of the men-creators, preservers, lovers, benefactors and abusers-in her life. Racy, unapologetic, dark and exceptionally honest, these stories open a window to a brave new world.

About the Author

Laxmi, transgender rights activist, Hindi film actor and Bharatanatyam dancer, is a celebrity and a LGBT icon. Founder of the NGO Astitva, which works towards the support and development of sexual minorities, she is the first transgender, who went to the United Nations representing the Asia Pacific sex workers. Laxmi played a pivotal role for the recognition of hijras as the third gender in India.

Pooja Pande is a writer and editor with a keen interest in gender issues.
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Transcending Gender By Pooja Pande
Imagine you’re in a mall. And you really need to go. What do you do? No-brainer - you use the facilities. All malls have bathrooms!

Now imagine staring at those very bathroom doors - with their cute raja-rani icons and not knowing which one to push through. Imagine risking ridicule, being mocked, made fun of, or worse, being assaulted for choosing to use of one of those bathrooms, because the way you look, act, behave does not reflect the majority in there.

Answering nature’s call is never as dangerous or laced with humiliation as it is for a person who does not identify with the male-female gender binary that the world understands and favours.

But it doesn’t end there.

If you’re looking to book a rail ticket, wherein your only options are M and F, what would you tick on, if you weren’t comfortable with either of those identities? These are just a few of the daily life quandaries and dilemmas that people who identify as transgender come up against. Stuff that is regular for the mainstream world, banal even.

Even as the tide is turning for the better globally, India has a long way to go. We still hold onto draconian laws such as Article 377 that came into existence at the time of the British Raj, when Victorian-era prudery was eradicating freer, more open-minded civilizations, such as ironically, ours!

As a culture, a race, a species, there’s much more to be done, so much more we can do to ensure that the playing, living, loving field is a more level one. That we are free of narrow biases based on a person’s gender. So we can truly be proud to call ourselves the new citizens of the world’s largest democracy.

Let’s see this happen in the twenty-first century, so we can all live and breathe and work and play and thrive together – men, women, lesbian, gay, transgender, bisexual, queer, and all the multiple identities possible – in a global world.

And for this, we have to look in the mirror now, and start the conversation.

The revolution then won’t be far behind. Celebrating this spirit of inclusiveness and ambition is Red Lipstick: The Men in my Life, a literary-styled memoir chronicling the relationships of India’s first hijra activist. It’s a book that looks to the future – where a more vibrant, progressive, and beautiful India awaits us all.

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A Conversation with Laxmi Narayan Tripathi
We caught up with the fearless, fabulous Laxmi, India’s most famous transgender activist to know more about her memoir Red Lipstick: The Men in My Life. In the freewheeling conversation that ensued, Laxmi spoke to us about sexuality, gender equality and the men and women that matter. An excerpt from an interview with the author.

Q. Sexuality is a taboo subject in India, treated with shame and often indignity, in the book you mention that you realized you were first attracted to men when you first looked at billboard that advertised men's underwear. How do you hope to help young men and women grapple with their sexuality through your story?

A. Laxmi: Sexuality is fluid, Sex is different from sexuality, one needs to find and explore one’s sexuality. I won’t agree with the term ‘sexuality is a taboo subject in India’, it is mentioned in puranic texts, there is a quote in the Manu Smriti, ‘Vikhurthi Evam Prakruthi’, people freely accepted sexuality in ancient times. It was only after our colonization by the British that we adopted a more rigid moralistic code. I would in fact suggest that we go back to our ancient culture to re-discover our roots and with it ourselves, rather than prescribe to norms set by society. Books will open the Pandora’s Box and will lead the youth on a path of discovery and self-realization.

Q. You have said time and again that your parents are your biggest support system, and it is their love and understanding that gave you the courage to face the hurdles life sent your way. What role have your parents played in your life?

A. Laxmi: See, your parents are your first teachers, they are your guiding light, the way they mould you, that’s what you turn into. I am very thankful to my parents, they have been my mentors and teachers, they have been my friends. My parents have stood by me and guided me, they have supported me in all my decisions