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Gender Dysphoria and the Politics of Difference: Re(locating) Marginalization of the Trans Persons in Urban Kolkata, India.
Sengupta, Lopamudra (Bangabasi College, University of Calcutta),
lopa_sg@yahoo.co.in
Gender Dysphoria and The Politics Of Difference: Re(locating) Marginalization Of The Transpersons In Urban Kolkata, India.
Social discrimination based on gender is an age old phenomenon in the socio cultural milieu of South Asian countries. In a country where sex is considered as a taboo, and heteronormativity the order of the society, non confirming gender identity persons have been a victim of constant attack, leading to humiliation, deprivation of basic human dignity that leads to violence and gross human rights violation.
By borrowing from the narrations of the real lives of the transpersons in Urban Kolkata, this paper tries to address the conceptions concerning sex and gender identity in South Asia. It also explores a broader understanding of violence which is not limited to the understanding of direct physical assault but also involves the whole paraphernalia of a larger socio cultural practise that promotes day to day violence towards these people who are non confirming to the accepted notion of the gender binary.
The paper tries to arrive at the fact that contrary to the politics of difference, attempts have been made to bring them back into the main flow of the society. The author draws attention to the drawbacks that prevent to bring the transpersons into the main stream and questions the role of the State towards these vulnerable communities. Reflecting on the recent changes that have taken place in the legal framework of the country (NALSA Judgement 2014 and Protection of Trans(person) Bill, 2016) the author tries to grasp a holistic notion of human rights and social justice cutting across intersectionality, time, space, caste, class and geographical location.