Rupert Raj is a trailblazing, Eurasian-Canadian, trans activist and ex-psychotherapist, who transitioned from female to male in 1971 as a transsexual teenager. He is (co-)editor of “Trans Activism in Canada: A Reader” and “Of Souls & Roles, Of Sex & Gender: A Treasury of Transsexual, Transgenderist & Transvestic Verse from 1967 to 1991. He is also included as part of the National Portrait Collection of the Canadian Lesbian and Gay Archives.

 

His most recent self-published memoir,“Dancing The Dialectic: True Tales of A Transgender Trailblazer”, is a wonderful and insightful personal journey of life and discovery. “Dancing the dialectic” between gender dysphoria and gender euphoria, cynical despair and realistic hope, righteous rage and loving kindness, Rupert relates his lifelong fight for the rights of transgender, intersex, and two-spirit people in Canada and the USA since the 1970s. He also portrays his later-life role as an eco-activist and animal liberationist working to free Mother Earth’s enslaved farmed animals and expand the circle of compassion, as exemplified by ecofeminism, environmentally-engaged Buddhism, and Native spirituality.

 

Raj’s intersectional identity evolves from Dialectical Dancer (existential philosopher/psychologist) to Gender Worker (trans/intersex/two-spirit activist) to Therapeutic Healer & Teacher (psychotherapist/ gender consultant/trainer) to Rainbow Warrior (eco-activist/animal liberationist). The book is available online, at Glad Day Bookshop (Toronto), and a Kindle version is also available at Amazon. 

“Trans people today are deeply indebted to pioneers like Rupert Raj, who forged a path where none existed and dared to make the world a better place for all.” —Brice D. Smith, PhD, author of Lou Sullivan: Daring To Be A Man Among Men

Raj will also be presenting at the “Moving Trans History Forward 2018” Transgender Archives Conference (University of Victoria in Victoria, B.C.) March 22-25, 2018.  His presentation,“VULNERABILITY & RESILIENCE ACROSS THE LIFESPAN: A Trans Elder’s ‘Dialectical Dance’ from Trans Youth to Trans Activist, Therapist, Trainer & Writer” (partially based on his Memoir), will be delivered on Saturday, March 24, 2018 (1:30-2:30 pm) in the Students Union Building (Upper Lounge) at the University of Victoria.

 

About the Author

Bryen Dunn is a freelance journalist with a focus on travel, lifestyle, entertainment, and hospitality. He has an extensive portfolio of celebrity interviews with musicians, actors, and other public personalities. He enjoys discovering delicious eats, tasting spirited treats, and being mesmerized by musical beats. Reach out - bryen@thebuzzmag.ca