A Light Inside by photojournalist Danielle Villasana documents the lives of trans women in Peru. Villasana spent three years in a close knit community of trans women in Lima, following them through their daily lives and the discrimination and harassment they face when looking for housing, employment and health care. Her work counters the sensationalized and stereotypical depictions of trans women rampant in popular media.

A personal introduction by trans activist  Leyla Ariana Huerta evokes the conflict that trans women face with their families and overall in a patriarchal society where ‘machismo’ plays a critical role in gender identity.

An afterword by anthropologist Xemena Salazar provides a clear an insightful analysis of the social conditions that confront trans women in Peru and the way in which trans women construct their identity facing these constraints.

The text in the book is in Spanish and English.

Read an interview with Danielle Villasana here.