NEW DELHI: Deepak or Deepika—which identity feels closer to you, a reader asked a ‘human book’ during a reading session on Sunday.

The ‘human book’ was speaking on the theme ‘transgender’. 

Four people huddled around the book for around 20 minutes at the Delhi chapter of Human Library as they listened to Deepak’s experience of being a transgender person. 

As Deepak explained the personal challenges of choosing one identity over other, more questions came up—the Transgender Bill, medical facilities, systemic challenges in exercising rights, and the everyday challenges a transgender person faces. 

The ‘human book’ addressed each query. This is what sets this library apart. Here the books talk back.

Started in the capital two years ago, the Human Library is arranged once a month. Sunday’s session was held in collaboration with the campaign India HIV/AIDS Alliance.

Sanya Suri, a professional artist who attended the session as a reader, pointed out how the session helped her explore this non-traditional reading source. “This was the first time I attended the session after a friend recommended it. Today, my human book was on Buddhism and it was amazing to listen,” said Suri. 

The session had human books on sexual fluidity, single parent, child of HIV positive parent, harm reduction and drug abuse, transgender, refugee, Buddhism, veganism, visual impairment and compulsive liar.

Neha Singh, book depot manager of the Delhi chapter, said that the idea behind the session was to bust the practice of people not being able to talk in libraries and to break stereotypes.

Mona Balani, project director at India HIV/AIDS Alliance, shared her story of fighting the stigma attached to being HIV positive. She lost her husband to that condition. Talking about her elder child’s death, bringing up a son as a single parent, societal ostracisation and long years of physical ailments is not easy.

But Balani recounts her years of struggle throughout those 20 minutes. Her aim: to help people fight stereotypes about HIV-positive people.

Challenging stereotypes

The initiative was started in Denmark by Ronni Abergel to provide readers the opportunity to challenge stereotypes. People can volunteer to be ‘books’ to share their stories and help people get acquainted with a range of topics.