Photos: Trans persons show us their authentic selves in Truth Dream

Transgender and non-binary individuals had been requested to decorate in the personas they felt mirrored their inside selves. See how superbly they turned out in the artwork mission Truth Dream. learn more

1 / 9

In Bengaluru, Payana, an NGO working to empower Karnataka’s sexual minorities, collaborated with Maraa, a media and humanities collective, to supply 12 members from town’s transgender neighborhood an opportunity to decorate like they really feel. What emerged had been appears to be like that borrowed from popular culture, cinema, fantasy and on a regular basis actuality. Lakshmi, 54, picked a bejewelled golden sari and ornate jewelry, impressed by photographs she’d seen of maharanis of Mysore. (Photo courtesy Jaisingh Nageswaran)

Updated on Jan 22, 2023 08:24 PM IST

2 / 9

Some, like Bernie, 55, discovered sufficient inspiration in on a regular basis concepts of what was trendy. The sculptor posed as a drag king, full with go well with, moustache and beard. He needed to impress his girlfriend and pals, he mentioned.(Photo courtesy Jaisingh Nageswaran)

Updated on Jan 22, 2023 08:24 PM IST

3 / 9

Chandni, 49, a relationship supervisor at a tech firm, based Payana in 2009, and thought up the picture mission. Her personal fantasy: to decorate like Kalidasa’s Shakuntala, an attractive lady and daughter of a royal sage. “I thought this would make a man fall in love with me,” she says. (Photo courtesy Jaisingh Nageswaran)

Updated on Jan 22, 2023 08:24 PM IST

4 / 9

Costumes, make-up, hair and backdrops crammed out the fantasies. Reshma, 60, embodied the look of the late actress Sridevi. She posed in a blue sari, impressed by the track Kaate Nahi Kat Te from Mr India (1987). (Photo courtesy Jaisingh Nageswaran)

Updated on Jan 22, 2023 08:24 PM IST

5 / 9

Shobhana’s look drew on mythology, particularly Ardhanaishvara, a male-female type of Shiva, together with his consort, Parvati. (Photo courtesy Jaisingh Nageswaran)

Updated on Jan 22, 2023 08:24 PM IST

6 / 9

Bhanu, 52, a transgender activist, became an apsara, with a matha patti, a number of necklaces, bangles and a kamarband. Her childhood idol, actress Jayamalini, was the inspiration for her transformation. “As soon as my makeup was done, I felt like I’d transformed into Jayamalini,” Bhanu says. (Photo courtesy Jaisingh Nageswaran)

Updated on Jan 22, 2023 08:24 PM IST

7 / 9

Fans of Tamil cinema may recognise Nadiya’s avatar immediately. She dressed as Nandini from the movie Chinna, a feisty rich lady who has to battle for her relationship with a village boy.(Photo courtesy Jaisingh Nageswaran)

Updated on Jan 22, 2023 08:24 PM IST

8 / 9

More movie references. Revathi embodied Andal, from the 1968 Tamil movie Thirumal Perumal. In the movie, Andal, who's a reincarnation of Lakshmi, wins over Vishnu along with her devotion. (Photo courtesy Jaisingh Nageswaran)

Updated on Jan 22, 2023 08:24 PM IST

9 / 9

Shobha, nevertheless, merely used the mission as a possibility to glam up. Her fantasy, one of many dozens of fashions peppered throughout popular culture.(Photo courtesy Jaisingh Nageswaran)

Updated on Jan 22, 2023 08:24 PM IST