Homosexuality In Contemporary Indian Literature Issues And Challenges

Since there is rarity and non-availabilty of book compiling the works of contemporary Indian writers on the theme of homosexuality, the book, Homosexuality in Contemporary Indian Literaure: Issues and Challenges is prepared in such a way as to meet this paucity. Authors are hopeful that the book with its diversity of topics will instill knowledge into the critical minds and explore many unexplored areas of gender and sexuality.

The anthology Transgender in Indian Context: Rights and Activism is written as a plea for transgender community in India neglected and deprived for long. The anthology with an effort to touch the soft corner of Indian hearts for this invisible class, tries to lay bare almost all those factors which are responsible to stigmatise their life and show almost all requisites through which this community so long denied to social positioning can meet dignified life on both familial and sociatal surface. The anthology has covered twenty well-explored articles on this serious issue which is the need of the day. Some of the articles in this anthology dealing with popular transgender autobiographies have endeavoured to explore the real life experience of transgender community in India showing their hard struggle to come into societal surface from their hidden marginal existence. Authors are very deep and sincere to articulate their ideas and hopefully see the service of humanity though their esteemed works in this anthology. About the Author: Dipak Giri- M.A. (Double), B.Ed. - is a Ph. D. Research Scholar in Raiganj University, Raiganj, Uttar Dinajpur (W.B.). He is working as an Assistant Teacher in Katamari High School (H.S.), Cooch Behar, West Bengal. He is an Academic Counsellor in Netaji Subhas Open University, Cooch Behar College Study Centre, Cooch Behar, West Bengal. He was formerly Part-Time Lecturer in Cooch Behar College, Vivekananda College and Thakur Panchanan Mahila Mahavidyalaya, West Bengal and worked as a Guest Lecturer in Dewanhat College, West Bengal. He has the credit of qualifying U.G.C.-N.E.T. two times. He has attended seminars on national and state levels sponsored by U.G.C. Along with this book on Transgender in Indian Context, he has also edited six books: Indian English Drama: Themes and Techniques, Indian English Novel: Styles and Motives, Postcolonial English Literature: Theory and Practice, New Woman in Indian Literature: From Covert to Overt, Indian Women Novelists in English: Art and Vision and Homosexuality in Contemporary Indian Literaure: Issues and Challenges. He is a well-known academician and has published many scholarly research articles in books and journals of both national and international repute. His area of studies includes Post-Colonial Literature, Indian Writing in English, Dalit Literature, Feminism and Gender Studies.

The book argues that there is no monolithic homosexuality; there are only homosexualities, that is, there are as many reasons for being gay as there are gays. Some people are born gay, some have gayness thrust upon them, and some do, indeed, achieve to great gayness. Representation of homosexuality/homoeroticism, as it is understood today, is thus a western import. The act and public/social discourses on same-sex love are still illegal; it is, according to many, against the Indian ‘tradition’; and a sense of ‘history’ is seriously problematic when we dig out for a past tradition of homoerotic love and desire. Hoshang Merchant, through an examination of texts, films, poetry, attempts to analyse and crack the codes of sexual (mis)conduct in contemporary India, giving short histories of the fate of several gay writers and explaining the difficulties of ‘coming out’.

Same-Sex Love in India presents a stunning array of writings on same-sex love from over 2000 years of Indian literature. Translated from more than a dozen languages and drawn from Hindu, Buddhist, Muslim, and modern fictional traditions, these writings testify to the presence of same-sex love in various forms since ancient times, without overt persecution. This collection defies both stereotypes of Indian culture and Foucault's definition of homosexuality as a nineteenth-century invention, uncovering instead complex discourses of Indian homosexuality, rich metaphorical traditions to represent it, and the use of names and terms as early as medieval times to distinguish same-sex from cross-sex love. An eminent group of scholars have translated these writings for the first time or have re-translated well-known texts to correctly make evident previously underplayed homoerotic content. Selections range from religious books, legal and erotic treatises, story cycles, medieval histories and biographies, modern novels, short stories, letters, memoirs, plays and poems. From the Rigveda to Vikram Seth, this anthology will become a staple in courses on gender and queer studies, Asian studies, and world literature.

India, often hailed as a land of diversity, is home to a rich tapestry of cultures, languages, religions, and ethnicities. Within this vibrant mosaic, minorities in India encompass a wide spectrum, ranging from religious minorities to caste and sexual minorities, language minorities, and gender minorities. With such a diversified group of people living in the nation, it becomes important to understand and reflect on the obstacles faced by the minorities in India. Despite facing historical and contemporary challenges, these minority groups contribute significantly to India's cultural, social, and economic fabric, enriching the nation's pluralistic identity. Embracing diversity as strength and fostering a culture of empathy and understanding are integral to India's aspirations for a harmonious and inclusive society. This book is an attempt to understand the obstacles of minorities in India from a multidisciplinary perspective. With contributions from researchers around the country, we hope that this book will assist professionals, academicians, feminist psychologists,sociologists, and social workers worldwide.

The book analyses the Indian Supreme Court’s jurisprudence on homosexuality, its current approach and how its position has evolved in the past ten years. It critically analyses the Court’s landmark judgments and its perception of equality, family, marriage and human rights from an international perspective. With the help of European Court of Human Rights’ judgments and international conventions, it compares the legal and social discrimination meted out to the Indian LGBTI community with that in the international arena. From a social anthropological perspective, it demonstrates how gay masculinity, although marginalized, serves as a challenge to patriarchy and hegemonic masculinity. This unique book addresses the lack of in-depth literature on gay masculinity, elaborately narrating and analysing contemporary gay masculinity and emerging gay lifestyles in India and highlighting the latest research on the subject of homosexuality in general and in particular with respect to India. It also discusses several new issues concerning the gay men in India supported by the living law approach put forth by Eugen Ehrlich.

While sexual violence is an area that is well mapped by feminist scholarship, this volume focuses on transgresive and marginalised sexualities. It brings together writings on India that highlight the transgression of norms-of heterosexuality. Of geminist and mascline behaviour, of recognisably gendered bodies-that declare ungovermed desire to be illegitinate. Sexualities also includes a selection of campaign documents from diverse sexuality movements in the country.

Despite the empowering pride culture that has evolved globally in the past half-century, the LGBTQAI+ community continues to face widespread discrimination. They are often subjected to cruelty and discrimination and are the bearers of a heavy psychological burden and frustration that stems from not coming out and expressing their concerns freely. Today, the invisibility of this community and its concerns have become enormous challenges for the world as their interests often go unrepresented and unaddressed by governments due to various barriers. Global LGBTQ+ Concerns in a Contemporary World: Politics, Prejudice, and Community considers the harsh realities of the LGBTQAI+ community and draws attention to key issues such as violation of their rights and disparities in access to basic amenities such as healthcare, employment, and security. Covering key topics such as inclusion, mental health, queer communities, and human rights, this reference work is ideal for activists, advocates, politicians, sociologists, gender studies specialists, policymakers, government officials, industry professionals, researchers, scholars, academicians, practitioners, instructors, and students.