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Vaishnavi Sundar vs. transgender people

Vaishnavi Sundar aka Vaishnavi Sundararajan is an Indian filmmaker and anti-transgender activist. Sundar directed the anti-trans propaganda films Dysphoric and Behind the Looking Glass. Sundar is associated with anti-trans group Women’s Declaration International.

Background

Vaishnavi was born in Avadi, a suburb of Chennai. Vaishnavi earned a bachelor’s degree from Ethiraj College for Women, then studied at Anna University. Vaishnavi worked at Theatre Nisha as an actor and director for seven years.

In 2017, Sundar released a film about sexual harrassment in the workplace titled But What Was She Wearing? Sundar’s anti-trans views led to some screenings being scrapped.

Anti-trans activism

In 2020, Sundar described how having anti-trans views had led to being “cancelled”:

Many moons ago I got into a Twitterspat about pre-op trans women in women’s shelters, prisons, bathrooms and women’s sports. And someone had brought the tweets in question to the organisers’ attention. As a result, the Polis Project thought it was only fair to shelve a screening of a film about a pressing topic that affects women across all social strata in society. All because the filmmaker believes biological sex is not a social construct, that women’s sex-based oppression is real, that housing people with male genitalia in spaces with victims of male sexual violence can be harrowing to women inmates, that mental illnesses like autogynephilia and other dysphorias can cause dangerous, irrevocable damage, and that gender theorists are erasing women, much like patriarchy does.

Dysphoric (2021)

Sundar directed the 2021 Vaishnavi propaganda piece Dysphoric: Fleeing Womanhood Like a House on Fire. The piece includes conservative and anti-trans extremists, including:

Behind the Looking Glass (2024)

In 2024, Sundar released Behind the Looking Glass, a propaganda piece about people who are upset that their spouses or loved ones made gender transitions.

In the end credits, Sundar promotes the following media:

  • transwidowsvoices.org
  • childrenoftransitioners.org
  • 18 Months by “Shannon Thrace”
  • In the Curated Woods by Ute Heggen
  • Sex Changes by Christine Benvenuto
  • The Cross Dresser’s Wife – Our Secret Lives edited by Dee A. Levy and B. Sheffield Hunt 

The film features several trans widows, most of who use pseudonyms: Abigail, Alison, Angels, Austin D. Dinah, Eleanor, Ginny parrow, Jennifer Kimmel, Julietta, Marigold, May, Melanie, Shannon Thrace, Tinsel, Uno Ishigami, and Ute Heggen, as well as child of a transitioner Emma Thomas.

This film gives special thanks to Amparo Domingo, Caroline Reid, Derrick Jensen, Genevieve Gluck, Helen Joyce, Josephine Bartosch, Lisa Marchiano, and Sierra Weir. A second list includes Anna Zebnina, Addy, Dead Signal. Donovan Cleckley, Florence Waller, Kath Aiken, Martin Cleaveler, 4W, Angie Jones, Eva Kurilova, Floraisons, GBNews, Jaclynn Joyce, Julie Bindel, Rebellesdugenre, Sall Grover, The Critic, The Mess We’re In, WDI, Milli Hill, Nantha Kumar, Nicolas Casaux, Paola Diana, Rajavel Subramanian, Sheffield Women’s Group, Sheila Jeffreys, Virago Team, and WomenArePeopleToo.

The funding partner is Male Allies Challenging Sexism (MACS), and merch partner is Women’s Rights Network.

Research and translation support was provided by Alfie Dring, Amal, Caroline Norma, Clarice Saadi, Eldur Smári Kristinsson, Inge Kleine, MACS, Maria Kin, Nicolas Casaux, Sandra Robinson, Tracy Dempsey, Une Ishigami, and Yogi.

References

Leger, Shewonda (July 7, 2017). Interview with Vaishnavi Sundar and Hannah Latimer-Snell, Producers of But What Was She Wearing? Agnes Films https://agnesfilms.com/interviews/interview-with-vaishnavi-sundar-and-hannah-latimer-snell-producers-of-but-what-was-she-wearing/?utm_source=chatgpt.com

Coverage in anti-trans press

Bindel, Julie (September 4, 2023). The desperate plight of trans widows: An Indian filmmaker risks everything to tell women’s stories. UnHerd https://unherd.com/2023/09/the-fate-of-indias-trans-widows/

Nobre, Andreia (June 8, 2023). New Documentary Will Give Voice to Women Whose Male Partners Claimed Womanhood. 4W https://4w.pub/new-documentary-will-give-voice-to-women-whose-male-partners-claimed-womanhood/

“Gluck, Genevieve” (March 26, 2021). INTERVIEW: Vaishnavi Sundar is fighting the transitioning of kids in her film, Dysphoric. Feminist Current https://www.feministcurrent.com/2021/03/26/interview-vaishnavi-sundar-is-fighting-the-transitioning-of-kids-in-her-film-dysphoric/

Sánchez, Raquel Rosario (March 8, 2021). Vaishnavi Sundar: Feminist filmmaking and sex-based rights. Woman’s Place UK https://womansplaceuk.org/2021/03/08/vaishnavi-sundar-feminist-filmmaking/

Bartosch, Jo (March 4, 2021). Vaishnavi Sundar. Lesbian and Gay News https://lesbianandgaynews.com/2021/03/dysphoric-fleeing-womanhood-like-a-house-on-fire-an-interview-with-documentary-film-maker-vaishnavi-sundar/ [archive]

Brooks, Brenda (February 22, 2021). The modern betrayal of girlhood. Feminist Current https://www.feministcurrent.com/2021/02/22/the-modern-betrayal-of-girlhood/

Cleckley, Donovan (August 20, 2020). ‘Not My Cup of T’: Interview with Vaishnavi Sundar, Filmmaker Exploring Rise in Girls Treated for ‘Rapid-Onset Gender Dysphoria.’ Women Are Human https://www.womenarehuman.com/not-my-cup-of-t-interview-with-vaishnavi-sundar-filmmaker-exploring-rise-in-girls-treated-for-rapid-onset-gender-dysphoria/

Selected anti-trans writing by Sundar

Sundar, Vaishnavi (March 4, 2020). I was cancelled for my tweets on transgenderism. Spiked https://www.spiked-online.com/2020/03/04/i-was-cancelled-for-my-tweets-on-transgenderism/

Films

  • Behind the Looking Glass (2024)
  • Dysphoric: Fleeing Womanhood Like a House on Fire (2021)
  • But What Was She Wearing? (2018)
  • To What End? (2018)
  • Aage Jake Left (2017)
  • Unearthing The Treasures Of Ariyalur (2016)
  • The Catalyst (2015)
  • Pava (2014)

Media

Maiden Mother Matriarch with Louise Perry and Vaishnavi Sundar (June 28, 2025). The Untold Stories of Trans Widows – Vaishnavi Sundar | Maiden Mother Matriarch Episode 151. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x_Nfr3tA_hM

OurPath with Kristin Kalbli and Vaishnavi Sundar (October 18, 2024). Behind the Scenes of Behind the Looking Glass with Filmmaker Vaishnavi Sundar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0XwiSm17kXA

You Must Be Some Kind of Therapist with Stephanie Winn and Vaishnavi Sundar (September 30, 2024). 129. Behind the Looking Glass: Vaishnavi Sundar on Trans Widows + Women’s Issues in India and Beyond. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fsLLED7TDZs

TERF TV with Sall Grover and Vaishnavi Sundar (September 13, 2024). TERF TV EP 1.6. https://www.patreon.com/posts/terf-tv-ep-1-6-111971551

Lime Soda Films (August 30, 2024). Behind The Looking Glass – FIRST EVER Documentary about the Wives & Children of Trans-Identified Men. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Frffv2sB8zE

Peter Boghossian with Vaishnavi Sundar (February 21, 2024). Gender Identity Ideology Is NOT FEMINIST | Peter Boghossian & Vaishnavi Sundar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IQA8gDHNORw

GBNews with Andrew Doyle and Vaishnavi Sundar (November 5, 2023). What is a ‘Trans-widow?’ | Vaishnavi Sundar on her gender documentary. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VQDO_ChNcmg

Maiden Mother Matriarch with Louise Perry and Vaishnavi Sundar (August 11, 2023). Are the Indian Hijra Really a Third Gender? – Vaishnavi Sundar | Maiden Mother Matriarch. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5OwTAO71G7w

Maiden Mother Matriarch with Louise Perry and Vaishnavi Sundar (August 6, 2023). Trans Ideology in India – Vaishnavi Sundar | Maiden Mother Matriarch 27. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rkBwyCPVdl4

TERF Talk Down Under with Angela Jones and Vaishnavi Sundar (July 23, 2023). Feminist Filmmaker Vaishnavi Sundar chats to Angie about her new film Behind the Looking Glass! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wg5YzJszTv8

Women’s Rights Network with Vaishnavi Sundar (June 5, 2023). Transwidows’ Stories: Vaishnavi Sundar and Behind The Looking Glass (Audio). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4-XOmif5N78

VLOG. WTF with Vaishnavi Sundar (October 25, 2022). Vaishnavi Sundar, Founder of ‘Women Making Films,’ VSEzine, Vlog.WTF & more. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nrl4j7VgAZo

FiLiA with Vaishnavi Sundar (August 5, 2022). Feminism Through the Lens with Vaishnavi Sundar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_PXEvhrEogA

Women’s Declaration International with Vaishnavi Sundar (November 24, 2021). Vaishnavi Sundar – an update on India. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=574fsew4F_w

Women’s Declaration International with Vaishnavi Sundar (April 19, 2021). Vaishnavi Sundar on the harms of appropriating Hijras by the trans movement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yS7xKOu-QhQ

LGB Alliance with Kate Harris and Vaishnavi Sundar (March 26, 2021). Let’s Talk – 19th March 2021. Interview with Vaishnavi Sundar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj-IweL5RsE

Calmversations with Benjamin Boyce and (March 19, 2021). The Plight of Women in India | with Vaishnavi Sundar.Vaishnavi Sundar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ybg-mSaHGnA

Object UK with Jan Williams and Vaishnavi Sundar (March 16, 2021). The Cancelled Filmmaker – Vaishnavi Sundar. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aaFw4-0dxWY

Truth Is The New Hate Speech with Erin Brewer and Vaishnavi Sundar (March 8, 2021). Not Our Cup of “T.” https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WHIZXb6d2Cs

Women’s Declaration International (February 15, 2021) Vaishnavi Sundar Talks About Her Latest Film ‘Dysphoric – Fleeing womanhood like a house on fire.’ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fL6_tnYG3Ik

Lime Soda Films (January 29, 2021). Dysphoric: A Four-Part Documentary Series Part 01. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w8taOdnXD6o

Deep Green Resistance with Derrick Jensen and Vaishnavi Sundar (Aug 28, 2020). Vaishnavi Sundar—Feminist filmmaker, writer & activist—Derrick Jensen Resistance Radio 2020-08-3. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=1-DboZiE104

Woman’s Place UK with Gita Sahgal and Vaishnavi Sundar (July 5, 2020). WPUK goes to the movies with Vaishnavi Sundar and Gita Sahgal (Chennai and London, 28 June 2020). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ETmrI_QJT6Q

Women’s Declaration International with Holly Lawford-Smith and Vaishnavi Sundar (June 24, 2020). Holly Lawford-Smith talks to Vaishnavi Sundar about women’s rights in India. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a0wMcEIEqTs

Women’s Liberation Radio News with Thistle Pettersen and Vaishnavi Sundar (March 22, 2020). Vaishnavi Sundar | WLRN Extended Interview. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FYy7NO4jqAc

Resources

Vaishnavi Sundar (vaishnavisundar.com)

Lime Soda Films (limesodafilms.com)

Wikipedia (en.wikipedia.org)

IMDb (https://www.imdb.com/name/nm10204389/)

YouTube (youtube.com)

Facebook (facebook.com)

Instagram (instagram.com)

X/Twitter (x.com)

Buy Me a Coffee (buymeacoffee.com)

PayPal (paypal.com)

Women Making Films (wmfindia.com)

Spiked (spiked-online.com)

Spinster (spinster.xyz)