ISSN (Print) - 0012-9976 | ISSN (Online) - 2349-8846

TransgenderSubscribe to Transgender

A New Touchstone for Kinship and Queer Studies

Hijras, Lovers, Brothers: Surviving Sex and Poverty in Rural India by Vaibhav Saria, New York: Fordham University Press, 2021; pp 268, $30.

The Indian Prisons and The Search for Equality: The Problems Faced by Transgender Inmates

The social stigma around the transgender community is changing and taking a turn for the better. But this change may be slower than expected if we take into consideration the discrimination the transgender community faces not just in a particular aspect but in all walks of life. They are denied education and employment opportunities, discriminated against in their homes, and looked down upon by society. Even more so, they are ridiculed and made fun of and act as a source of amusement which people get by humiliating such people. The authors, through this article, try to explore the discrimination and humiliation faced by transgender people in an Indian prison and emphasise upon the advisory given by the ministry of home affairs regarding the provision of separate housing cells for people belonging to these marginalised communities. The authors try to explore the societal gap which exists acting as an imminent factor in the unequal treatment and harassment of transgender inmates. The paper touches upon the various problems faced by transgender inmates in Indian Prisons and offers solutions which could help provide such inmates with a habitable and reputable environment to be detained in. The paper includes a descriptive analysis of the issue at hand with the solutions and the change in perspective that society needs to leave behind to prevent the stigmatisation of the transgender community.

Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui and Transfeminine Identity: Representation or Exclusion?

Chandigarh Kare Aashiqui fits in with a trend initiated in recent years by a new generation of filmmakers, experimenting with characters and narratives that yield a more empathetic and mature representation of sexual minorities. The film has Maanvi, a trans girl, in a pivotal role, attempting to define her beyond her "transness"—highlighting her love for dance and life, her spiritedness and vulnerabilities. However, the process through which Maanvi, the trans girl protagonist, is "normalised" calls for some unpacking.

Supreme Court Judgment against Section 377

The Supreme Court’s judgment on Section 377 is an important reminder of the task that lies ahead for the queer movement. How would homonormativity take shape in this nation, as another form of upper-caste male hegemony? Now that lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender, and queer persons are formally being called into full-fledged sexual citizenship, how does the queer movement articulate an intersectional politics of hope that insists on forms of emancipation that do not exclude those who are on the wrong side of caste, religion and ethnicity?

What Does it Mean to be a Hijra Mother?

Hijras are known as the “third gender” in India. This article aims to understand hijra motherhood, “natural” motherhood, and womanhood in context of a recent advertisement. The author questions the false binaries of sex and gender through hijra subjectivities.

Third Gender and the Crisis of Citizenship

Why do transgender persons migrate to Tamil Nadu from Kerala despite the latter having high development indicators? A comparative study looks at the experience of the transgender community and their citizenship rights.                                                                                                                                     

Back to Top