The Colour of Identity

Gender is a spectrum and is a value-neutral scientific concept which needs to be treated with kindness and compassion, says Anandajit Goswami, the author of the book, 'Pink Gender'. "Sexuality, gender, and identity are all different concepts and the society needs to be more sensitive and compassionate to these different existences by being less elitist and completely grounded to the realities of the cultural ethos, values and realities of my country- India," he adds. The book is a psychological drama involving a man, a woman and a transgender.

The story is all about the magical mysteries of life, which are explained, self-explained, unexplained in their own ways by opening all bright and dark corners of the human mind. The author is an associate professor, Head of the Department of Social and Political Studies, Manav Rachna International Institute of Research and Studies, Faridabad.

Excerpts from an interview:

What is your take on the word "Pink" and how have you used that in shaping the story?

The word pink has a long political and cultural history of being connected to a different gender, sexual, and cultural identities. People often mix up these separate concepts and use the word very loosely with sexual binaries. I have just tried to tell the complexity of the word pink through a twisted and complex yet simple mysterious narrative of few stories which have a self-healing interaction process in a metaphorical set up of moral policing which is not beyond the science and compassionate approach to study these concepts.

Which was the toughest character for you to develop in the book?

I guess not one but few - Ravi Paul and Ranjit

Why did you decide to break the story in two different parts rather than in one book?

The story is opening of one gateway after the other like a psychological counseling or therapy session. So maybe the first one was the first half of the therapy session and the second one might be the second half. You never know as, many more might come.

What was the inspiration behind the story that brings such such varied emotions together?

Human experiences and living observations.

What portion of the book was the most challenging for you to write?

Many but bringing everything together closely to a seamless climax by keeping all textual and narrative experimentation intact was challenging.

Was it tough to come back to the sequel or was it a smooth process?

It was the second half of a counseling session. So it was flowingly inevitable.