Book Review: Dance Like a Trans: From Jogathi To Padma Shri by Raghav Chinnivar
Book Review: Dance Like a Trans: From Jogathi To Padma Shri by Raghav Chinnivar
From the very start to the very end, Dance Like a Trans: From Jogathi to Padma Shri was a transformative book for me. With this book, my thoughts and opinions on this matter found their validation. I have had my fair share of altercations with people who have shown nothing but intolerance toward the transgender community. While I have shown them my respect, I have seen people show utter contempt toward this community. This book is the answer to them.
I see this biography as a precious account of the journey of a Transgender person from the Jogathi to India’s Padma Shri. As I continued to read, I realized that this was not just another biography of someone whom success has touched, but rather the story of someone whom success has touched, but rather the story of someone whom success has required to write the countless tribulations of this world. Beyond the social condition, this book is a narrative that speaks to the impact of Dance and Art!
Plot : Dance Like a Trans
Dance Like a Trans: From Jogathi to Padma Shri shares Manjamma’s journey, showing childhood poverty and hardships, including rejection and the societal challenges of being a member of Jogathi. So, it was pretty inspirational to see that Raghav Chinnivar shared how they expressed all their pain and anger through dance and cultural performance acts.
Dance served them as the medium of power through which they advocated for transgender rights. This journey took them from being a member of Jogathi to being the awardee of the Padma Shri. The challenges and triumphs described in this journey are the reason for the interest that I had in this book.
Premise: Dance Like a Trans
Dance Like a Trans: From Jogathi to Padma Shri is a clear example of how true art can heal. This book showed me that talent knows no gender, that gender is irrelevant in the scope of achievement, and that art heals. Its message is to replace sympathy with understanding and empathy for the struggles of transgender people.
The journey of Manjamma described in this book forced me to rethink my position on the gender-diverse people I have been ‘observing’ with a mixture of sympathy and discomfort. I came to appreciate the unfairness, difficulties, and suffering that people of the transgender community endure simply because they are expressing their gender as they believe they ought to. I started believing that gender should be irrelevant in peoples’ paths and in determining achievements.
Character Development: Dance Like a Trans
I really liked seeing the sections of the biography that described the experiences that shaped this protogonist’s character. Manjamma was born an innocent child, but this book talked about how, she learned the struggles and pains of being a member of the Jogathi. She transformed from a member of the Jogathi like the rest of her people and became a respectable and successful member of society. She accomplished this because she went through a tough battle of culture and art and now supports the poor and underprivileged of her society. I admire her because she has gone through tough struggles and accomplished everything because she is resilient and has pride.
I found transformations of other people in the biography interesting as well. Some of the Manjamma’s community people were intolerant and disrespectful. I am able to tolerate and respect Manjamma and her people because of the insight the book provided me of the society that a transgender person is forced to live in. Some of the other people in this Manjamma’s life helped her and were kind to her. I believe that being kind to everyone will help people in your community. I appreciated the relationships that were depicted in the biography despite all of the prejudice.
Writing Style : Dance Like a Trans
Raghav Chinnivar writes simply and quickly, and without preamble. I was able to make many more connections due to the authors unadorned and forthright language, likely due to his many life difficulties. This is especially true when he connects with the members of the Jogathi community and the traditions and lifestyle he exercises. The author of this book also adds to the richness of the community. He describes with a deep understanding of the community’s struggles, while also acknowledging societal and social inequities and injustices that have not changed. The narrative writing is simple but is rich and complex, making it a good age inclusive recommended read.
Final Verdict : Dance Like a Trans
I enjoyed reading the book Dance Like a Trans: From Jogathi to Padma Shri. It is a kind, empathic account, and provides heartwarming insight into the life of a transgender person. Dance like a Trans gives a testimony to the power of resilience, art, and empathy. I found the fortitude of Manjamma and the resolution to actualize the dream she had and the struggles she had to do.
It gave me a different way to think about how we restructure society. In reading this book, i reevaluated the source of the respect and recognition that we award. I came to understand that these awards and accolades should be the result of contribution and not gender or some other arbitrary characteristic. People like Manjamma Ji are true inspiration for the society at large.
Rating: ★★★★★
Recommended For: People who love to read biographies, social issues, LGBTQIA+, Indian culture and literature, art and performance, and inspiring stories.
This review is powered by Blogchatter Book Review Program.
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