Vol. 6, Issue 1, Part D (2024)

The research aims to highlight queer experiences in Laxmi Narayan Tripathi's autobiographical book, Me Laxmi, Me Hijra, which provides a firsthand account of the life of a prominent hijra (transgender) artist and activist in India. Tripathi's narrative offers insights into the daily realities of the hijra community, often marginalised in Indian society, by examining the interconnections of gender, sexuality, and social exclusion. The literature presents multiple perspectives on the complexity of identity, self-acceptance, and social rejection while challenging conventional understandings of gender through human accounts. The study examines how Tripathi's autobiography effectively challenges binary ideas of gender and sexuality while drawing attention to the prejudice that hijras experience in both public and private settings. The study explores how Tripathi's experiences mirror more general social problems including patriarchy, caste-based discrimination, and heteronormative expectations through referencing queer theory and postcolonial viewpoints. Furthermore, the study explores how language and cultural customs influence gay identities in Indian culture. The research ultimately positions the autobiography as not only a personal account but also a collective struggle for the recognition and visibility of queer and transgender lives. The paper explores how Tripathi navigates a world that continuously marginalizes hijras—a community historically relegated to the margins of Indian society—while simultaneously resisting those very forces of oppression.