This video essay represents one of my most expansive works to date, weaving together personal narrative and socio-political analysis to examine body and gender identity. The piece focuses specifically on the lives of trans women across the western world and Australia, contextualising their experiences within an increasingly hostile legislative landscape. Recent developments—including regressive transition laws in Queensland, the imprisonment of trans women in men’s facilities in the Northern Territory, and the introduction of anti-protest legislation in Victoria and Western Australia—form the backdrop of this investigation.
Central to the work is my exploration of support structures, both community-based and state-provided, and their critical role across all stages of life, particularly during adolescence. Drawing from my experiences as a South Asian trans immigrant, I reflect on the conservatism of my cultural upbringing, the political upheaval in Sri Lanka, and my arrival in Australia during a period of rising fascist sentiment.
The creation of this work followed a thought process that I have been holding onto for years: rather than demanding that fascist state apparatuses meet the needs of trans and queer communities, there is greater potential in building autonomous structures of care. This approach emphasises material solidarity across marginalised groups, connecting struggles for indigenous sovereignty, disability rights, housing security, food security, and universal healthcare.
The video incorporates elements from my previous works, including Hormone Replacement Crisis, a site-specific piece I created in Sri Lanka following the mass protests, and What Kinda Trans Am I (animation by Moksha Kamaladasa), a poem and animated video exploring my search for identity within the Sri Lankan queer community.
Vasi Devi