An absolute must-read for anyone interested in the history and lived experiences of the trans community. Rupert Raj has a truly unique life experience from an Ontario childhood with his Polish-South Asian family, to the tragic loss of his parents at a young age, teenage transition in the 1970s, and fifty years of trans activism in Canada and globally. Raj’s book also gives a rare look into the trans community in the 1970s and 1980s and an even more rare look into the trans male community of the time. With stories, photographs, letter excerpts, and more, Raj allows the reader to gain a deeper understanding of trans history.
~William Chan-Gill, Event Coordinator, Ceremonies & Events, Simon Fraser University, August 2022
A must-read into the ever-expanding world of gender diversity! Eurasian-Canadian, Pansexual Trans Elder RUPERT RAJ shares his “transjectory” from 1952 to 2020, from his gender transition as a teenager in Ottawa, to his 50+ years of worldwide trans activism and community-building. This expanded edition shares the spotlight with other transgender, gender non-binary, intersex, Two-Spirit and Hijra worldwide with a bonus intersectional bibliography.
– Noam Gonick, filmmaker
At this point, I’ve read pretty much every trans autobiography published between 1955 and the present – and, of all of them, Rupert’s is undoubtedly my favourite. “Dancing the Dialectic” combines a poetic approach to prose with a genuine attention to detail, and does so smoothly enough to lead the reader through fifty years of narrative that shifts between trans activism, animal rights campaigning, and therapeutic musings, all without missing a step. This is a must-read for any writer looking for inspiration, or any reader looking for alternatingly joyous and acerbically witty recollections of a trailblazing figure at multiple, vital points in trans history.
~Os Keyes, July 21, 2022