CHAPTER-1

INTRODUCTION

1.1 WHAT IS LGBTQ?

Since eternity only two genders have been recognized and counted in the mainstream world,
i.e., men and women. Apart from these two genders, one more gender exist which is the
‘third gender, it covers the whole LGBTQ community. The entire lesbian, gay, bisexuals,
transgenders and the queer people come under the third gender. They have existed in the map
of the world since ancient times, as the proof of it can be seen on the carvings of various
monuments and scriptures. But their existence has been ignored and they have been
marginalized from the conventional world. Characters that are heterosexual have long
dominated literature. Those who are unfamiliar, there are indeed a variety of additional
inclinations and desires that fall under the tent of sexuality. The most frequently known variant
of the LGBTQ+ abbreviation is “Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Questioning or
Queer (and the plus stands for a variety of other terms, include but are not restricted to Asexual
and Pansexual)”. Even though the world appears to be attempting to reflect the species'
diversity, literature appears to be severely lagging behind. "There are three distinct components
of sexual orientation," said Ryan Watson, Professor of Family Studies &Human Development
at the University of Connecticut. "It’s comprised of identity (I’m gay), behaviour (I have sex
with the same gender) and attraction (I'm sexually attracted to the same gender), and all three
might not line up for all people." The term "gay" refers to a sexual inclination. that reflects an
individual who is emotionally or physically inclined to persons of their very own gender; it is
most generally used to refer to males. A female who is mentallyor physically interested
towards other women is referred to as a lesbian. Bisexuality is defined as a human's sexual
and psychological attraction to more than one gender. An individual having gender
orientation different from the body assigned to them at birth is referred to as transgender
whereas Queer, which began as a derogatory term, has evolved into
an overarching concept that describes the many manners in which individuals defy basic
identity and sexual preference labels in order to represent who and what they are.
Homosexuality and transsexuality are the terms taken usually as belittling.

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Queer theory is a set of concepts which "critically investigates the meaning of identity,
concentrating on intersections of identities and fighting repressive social constructs of sexual
orientation and gender" rather than a single identity (Abes & Kasch, Using queer theory to
explore lesbian college students' multiple dimensions of identity. Journal of College Student
Development, 2007, 620). Homosexuality or transsexuality is distant to the Indian culture, as
it is taken as an immoral act which will spoil the traditions and norms of the society. Even
though the traces of the existence of homosexuals are clearly mentioned in Sanskrit texts like
Narada- Smriti, Sushruta Samhita, etc. Sigmund Freud is of the belief that all men are born
bisexual, i.e., being homosexual is as normal as being a heterosexual. "Sexuality is not natural,
but rather discursivelyconstructed," writes Nikki Sullivan in her book A Critical Introduction
to Queer Theory. Queer theory is associated with how a society influences a person's sexual
identity. Due tothe paradoxical social and cultural constructs of the society, homosexuality is
taken asunusual, eccentric, unnatural sexual behaviour and people with same-sex desires are
taken as delinquent of norm.

People belonging from the LGBTQ community faces a lot of difficulty for making their
livelihood as they are devoid of even their fundamental rights. They face multiple forms of
oppression and are constantly abused, humiliated and are denied to have a normal life. Thus,
these people face discriminations in the prejudiced Indian society and are downgraded to the
margins of society. They are not allowed to imbibe with the mainstream world and are forced
to live in the closets and hence they have to lead life of duplicity as they have to pretend to be
heterosexuals even though from deep down, they are homosexuals. Cases of violence and
abuse against transgender people is among the pressing topics. A transgender person is one
whose sexual orientation varies from their biological sex. As from moment they were born,
their gendered pattern and orientation did not fit with birth sex. In comparison to those other
sexes, these individuals have been the most neglected, overlooked, and destitute sectors of
Indian society, therefore they experience oppression and discrimination. In a world where
homosexuality is taken negatively, LGBTQ literature presents the mental distress and
estrangement suffered by those experiencing violence, humiliation, preconception, bullying,
and various other traumas. Countless LGBTQ authors had to hide their own sexuality when
writing about this subject. But literature has witnessed it all from the rejection to

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recognition. Literature was and will always will be creating a space for the Lgbtq concerns
and issues and will provide to be a contended space where these individuals can find their
true selves without any need for filtration.

1.1 LGBTQ IN ENGLISH LITERATURE

One of most appropriate beginning position for an analysis of LGBTQ writing is the close of
the 19th century, when nations like Europe and USA had developed a dominant paradigm of
gender and sexual orientation as categories of identity. Works dealing with homosexual
studies, alongwith feminist studies, spawned queer theory in the 90s. Queer orientations are
assumed to be a result of depictions. It moreover casts doubt on sexuality's two - dimension
constructs. Queer theory is primarily concerned with the challenges to sexual orientation and
gender classification. Queer theorists argue that personalities are not static since they are made
up of many different factors, and that categorizing someone based on only one attribute is
indeed incorrect. They concentrate on the challenge of categorizing people in accordance with
gender identity; as a result, queer is more of a condemnation of identification than an
identification. In this study, the term "queer" covers a broad spectrum of behaviours,
orientations, proclivities, and feelings that rip gender norms apart. Just the term queer
effectively captures the fragile classifications of gender specific recognition and sexual
orientations' flexibility and astonishing adaptability. As defined by Susan Stryker in
Transgender History:

“Gender identity: Each person has a subjective sense of fit with a particular gender category;
this is one’s gender identity. For most people, there is a sense of congruence between the
category one has been assigned to and trained in, and what one considers oneself to be.
Transgender people demonstrate that this is not always the case-that is possible to form a sense
of oneself as not like other members of the gender one has been assigned to, or to think of one
as properly belonging to another gender category”. (13) Through this quote stated by Stryker,
it is evident that the gender which one person is assigned to or is born is to not what they should
feel from the inside. There are feelings and emotions which could be different from what the
gender depicts and feeling the same way is no kind of wrong.

Numerous theorists have given theories with respect to queer theory, as per whom queerness
is not a new concept and has ben ingrained deeply into the worldly sphere. Many works with

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these themes were banned due to controversy or were simply ignored and allowed to fade
into anonymity. But the voice raised for third gender through the literary works didn’t stop and
famous writers across the globe talked about them instead of all the obstacles. Literature
featuring LGBTQ concerns has experienced opposition and problems spanning history. All
with the objective of telling their experiences, readers and writers have negotiated changing
societal tides and endured constitutional limits, book censorship, and retribution. Queer
subjects in literary fields can be dated back to classical era, despite these challenges. Since its
publication in 1980, Foucault's History of Sexuality seems to have been a key source in the
study of different sexual orientations. His perspective to individuality gave the queer
movement a new depth. Sexuality, according to Foucault, is a created categorization linked to
perception, that is indeed founded in social, intellectual, and scientific conditions. Foucault
gives a broad framework for analysing sexual orientation discussion. Homosexual behaviour,
as per Foucault, is a manufactured system of ideas instead of a revealed phenomenon.

Thousands of years, the very first depictions of LGBTQ figures, concepts, and homosexual
love were created. A Greek thinker, Plato lauded platonic passion among males as the best
kind of intimate bond in works written by him, Symposium and Phaedrus. As from
Renaissance onward, his poems influenced the homosexual sonnet tradition, and thus remain
important reference books for contemporary LGBTQ poets. Same-sex relationships is
described Homer's Iliad, such as one involving two protagonists of the Iliad, Achilles and
Patroclus. Partnerships and sexual encounters between the homos and the intersex individuals
are depicted throughout many Greek and Roman mythologies. These are seen as the historical
collective information and manifestation of same-sex relationships, as well as its acceptance
of it, according to scholars and researchers. Shakespeare's seminal works, such as Twelfth
Night, The Merchant of Venice, and his sensual sonnets, have been interpreted in light of
LGBTQ perspectives by scholars. Gender roles in Renaissance are explored through these
writings. In England, certain intimate physical closeness among women was permissible. As
seen by works like as The Diaries of Anne Lister and Katherine Philips' poems, these non -
heterosexual interactions were even promoted. While blatant demonstrations of homosexual
love would've resulted in severe punishment, these writings shed light on an essential but little-
known aspect of 18th century English society. These works depicted the real picture of the 18th
century and how homosexuality was treated.

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The very next major phase of LGBTQ writing began in the 19th century; however, it was less
forthright and much more rebellious. Numerous compositions by writers such as Walt
Whitman, Marcel Proust, Emily Dickinson, Oscar Wilde and Virginia Woolf included subtle
references to LGBTQ orientation and interactions. They started opening the path for people
to become more conscious of LGBTQ issues. James Baldwin, Kafka, E.M. Forster, Thomas
Mann, Adrienne Rich and others challenged social barriers and popularized LGBTQ themes.
These writers and their writings were frequently acclaimed and economic successes, bring
about a new era of LGBTQ acceptance in the 20th century. Some of the famous works are The
Color Purple by Alice Walker, Maurice by E.M. Forster, A Beautiful Crime by Christopher
Bollen, The Carpet Weaver by Nemat Sadat, Ruby fruit Jungle by Rita Mae Brown, Oranges
Are Not the Only Fruit by Jeanette Winterson, Beyond Magenta: Transgender Teen Speaks
Out by Susan Kulin and many more which tries to make the world understand the complexity
of the lives of transgender community. Oscar Wilde (1854–1901) was perhaps the most
important British author at the 1900s within this sociocultural context. He is a gay idol, notable
not just for the literary works he wrote, but for creating a memorable experience, particularly
his abduction, conviction, and eventual incarceration for "gross indecency." The Picture of
Dorian Gray and The Importance of Being Earnest are twoexamples of his work. However,
both his works and the presence are characterized by a theatrical mentality, which is so
intimately associated to gay culture. In respect to gender, theatre activates polarity, thus "what
is most beautiful in virile males is something feminine," for reference (Sontag, pg. 279).
Claude. J Summers on analysing, Wilde’s The Portrait of Mr. W.H. argues "On one level,
the story is just a delightful hypothesis on the identity of the young man in Shakespeare's
Sonnets... and a comprehensive interpretation of the sequence and its relationship to
Shakespeare's plays," Summers comments. However, the book is however a reflection on
homosexuals and a narrative of a failed coming out..." (744). The novel "enacts a parable about
the difficulty of retaining homosexual idealism in the late nineteenth century," according to
Summers, and "both defends and regretfully—perhaps prophetically—rejects" homosexuality
(745). In Dorian, Wilde's portrayal of homosexual behaviour is also ambivalent. Wilde's
conviction and exile have entrenched his position as homosexual warrior, even though his
writing testifies to the dual dimension of theatrical flair and alienation of gay existence around
the 1900s and even beyond that time.

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Another such writer who has dealt with the homoerotic themes is E.M Forster. The concluding
section depicting Fielding and Aziz's encounter in one of his most important masterpieces, A
Passage to India (published in 1924), could be taken as a statement on the difficulties of
closeness not only among colonizing and colonized people, but among those characters as men.
Maurice, as well as the collection of short stories The Life to Come and Other Stories, are
Forster's prominent contributions to LGBT fiction. An encounter with socialist and
homosexual rights campaigner Edward Carpenter & George Merrill, his partner from working
class section influenced the story. Forster was fully aware that publishing gay literature within
his lifespan would indeed be disastrous for his reputation. As it happened, the immediate
reaction to the publishing, however, was homophobic. Gertrude Stein (1874– 1946), an
American immigrant author who spent much of her adult years in Paris, is a significant person
in lesbian and contemporary writing, widely recognized for her stylistic experiments. Stein
encountered Alice B. Toklas, who then became her companion, in 1907. Shades of their
connection, that persisted till Stein's demise, are reflected in several of Stein's works. Their
joint experience is celebrated in Lifting Belly and A Book Concluding with As a Wife Has a
Cow: A Love Story. The Autobiography of Alice B. Toklas (1933), Stein's finest work, blurs the
lines between her and her companion in a fun and rebellious way, thus creating a fictional room
for lesbian exposure. Lesbian narrative blossomed in the 1950s and 60s. It was available in
large quantities, and it certainly gave lesbians who led lives generally disconnected from queer
settings a feeling of belonging and togetherness. One of most significant writers in this
category is Ann Bannon, a writer from the American origin. Lesbianism had to be portrayed as
an abnormal type of sexual identity associated with illegality and disorder throughout much of
the early 20th century due to cultural restrictions especially in broad and licensing constraints.

In 1969, Stonewall Gay Liberation Movement emerged as a catalyst for the further rebellious
movements by the homosexuals worldwide fighting for their rights and freedom. Stonewall
was a "dramatic transformation of consciousness for the globe," according to Michael Bronski,
an American activist and Professor (Harvard University). Following Stonewall, the
experience of homosexual people in the states gaining greater significance was typically told
from the point of view of gay men. It was a long revolution which ignited the fire within the
homosexuals to fight against all the odds thrown at them by the mainstream world and stand

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Up strong with their heads high for their rights and identity, for who they truly are. They fought
with all the pain and anguish they inside them from a long time. Beginning in the latter 1970s
and former 1980s, once the inceptive euphoria of the Stonewall riots had worn off, there had
been a shift in opinion. In English literature, this was the birth of the Queer realm. As readers
got interested in the studyof LGBTQ literature, literature became a two-way connection. Many
writers produced a surge of strength and courage in the queer community, inspiring them to
break down all barriers and come out of their closets to fight for their rights and social
acceptance. Theyhave always been an important element of the global community and will
continue to be as important as any other individual. Queer portrayal had gone a long way over
the years when the only acceptable queer depiction in literature was derogatory, and that is
why Maurice
E.M Forster's masterpiece, had to be released after his death. Nevertheless, there still is work
that can be done to achieve genuine equal voice, which may be accomplished by advocating
for much more LGBTQ+ portrayal and promoting LGBTQ+ writers, particularly queerwriters
of diversity.

1.2 LGBTQ REPRESENTATION IN INDIAN MYTHOLOGY

In India, queerness has always been plagued by the problem of whether to be or not to be.
"Identities are complicated to begin with, and they become even more complicated when they
are linked to nation and sexuality," writes Dasgupta. Provided Today's diversification, not just
in regards to culture but mostly in terms of identity, Indian gender orientations are the result
of "Mulipicitous effects and perceptions of tradition, modernity, colonization, and
globalization" (Dasgupta, 2011), which are more at odds than that in an amicable fabrication.
Apart from in the West, Eastern society does not really have a notion of ‘sexual inclination,'
which categorizes gender based on what people would like to be. There seems to be, moreover,
a significant, old concept of third sex, which refers to people who have traditional masculine
and feminine characteristics. This third sex or gender, as per Sanskrit scriptures such as in the
Narada-smriti, Sushruta Samhita, and others, comprises people who have been labelled lesbian,
gays, bisexuals, transgenders, and queer people (LGBTQ). These mythologies are the proof
that homosexual or transsexual love is not a thing which came into existence into the modern
period. In early Vedic scriptures, third sexes are defined as men with a female nature, often
known as homosexual men.

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Queerness and homosexuals have always existed in the Indian society, as is well documented.
Whether it's mythological studies, Kamasutra, or a variety of folklore stories from various
locations, India has a rich history of gender fluidity. The theme has been treated in Indian
mythology as an essential aspect of the life span, wherein role-playing or sex-change is a
frequent and desirable concept. Throughout history, there's always been a yearning to break
free from societal gender stereotypes. "Few societies have awarded this phenomenon such
prominent a place in the worlds of mythology and religion as does that of traditional India,"
Goldman says of transgenderism in Hindu literature. Queer erotic expressions, despite being
socially restricted, turn their attention into the mythologies, tales, and folklore of the region.
Numerous gods and goddesses in Hindu religion and Indian folk tales are depicted both as man
and woman at various times and under various incarnations, or emerge with attributes including
both sexes at the same time, like the Ardhanareshwar (The Creator whose half portion is a
woman) formed by the union of the lord Shiva and his wife Parvati, or the androgynous Laxmi-
Narayan. This Shiva figure is connected with discourse involving male and female or
elegance and muscular capability, and depicts "the completeness that lies beyond duality." In
tales concerning non-divine people, gender reassignment as well as cross-dressing are
also common. Shikhandi, a Mahabharat warrior, is one such individual. Bhisma recognized him
as Amba reincarnated during the Kurukshetra battle and declined to combat "a lady." Shikhandi
who has taken manhood from Sthuna for a day and later on made an offering by Kubera as to
be a man till the time she wants, presents the transgender image of how a woman can get
herself transformed into a man, or how a man can be woman. During the war of Kurukshetra,
Shikhandi’s role came into existence as she was the one who brought Bhisma on his knees, as
Bhisma was blessed that no man can bring him death. Shikhandhini, who later became
Shikhandi, is what modern queer language refers to as a female-to-male transsexual, as her
body undergoes extremely specific genital changes. Devdutt Pattnaik explicates in his
Shikhandi (2014):

“The celebration of queer ideas in Hindu stories, symbols and rituals is in stark contrast to the
ignorance and rigidity that we see in Indian society. Some blame the British for making Indians
defensive about being so ‘feminine’ and for criminalizing, amongst many others, Queer
communities like the hijras and everyone else who indulges in ‘sodomy’ (a biblical word for
sexual deviation that was practiced in the ancient city of Sodom). Others blame

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Muslims for it, especially those particular traditions that frown upon all forms of sensual arts.
Still others blame the Buddhist vihara and the Hindu matha traditions, which favoured yoga
(restraint) over bhoga (indulgence)”. Pattnaik blatantly mentions that the presence of the
LGBTQ groups is there in the society since time immemorial. Nobody can claim or verify the
particular time from when the homosexuals and transsexuals are part of this world. They are
the face of the world and part of existence since eternity, from when God created the other two
genders.

One of its most crucial features of the Mahabharata is the relationship between Krishna and
Arjuna. They have a remarkable discourse in the epic, in which Krishna reinforces their
indivisibility and displays his heavenly appearance to his companion. The Bhagvad Gita, one
of most widely followed Hindu book, is a collection of their conversations. When Arjuna's
child is born dead, Krishna magically resurrects him "by evoking his personal actions of
honesty and virtue, prominent among these is his divine love for Arjuna" (Ibid:8). In this
situation, homosexual intimacy, rather than heterosexual connubiality, provides birth to the
new child. In the Vedas, the "Tritiya Prakriti," or third gender, is clearly mentioned alongside
the traditional male and female genders. "In every body exists the divine who sees, directs,
supports, and appreciates all that body experiences," the Bhagvad Gita says. (Verse 22 of
Chapter 13). The presentation of how mythical characters and their stories reveal gender
flexibility and queer inclinations is transparent. Shiva, Hinduism's ultimate deity, takes on a
female form (milkmaid) to dance about and entice Krishna, and he is still revered in some parts
of India as Gopeshwar Mahadev. All these references from the mythological texts presents
how same-sex love and transgederism has been a major part of Indian origin. In their
groundbreaking work, edited by Saleem Kidwai and Ruth Vanitha’s Same Sex Love in India:
Readings from Literature and History, collated readings spanning from historic to
contemporary period, comprising numerous Hindu texts, interpreted into 15 Indian languages
for the very first time. They also established how Hindu writings have examined and disputed
same-sex yearning from the beginning, in attitudes varying between analytical to impartial to
fun and joyous, within their complementing critical articles. "Though not part of the
mainstream, its existence was acknowledged but not sanctioned," writes Devdutt Pattanaik
discussing homosexuality's status in Hindu literary works. The debut of Deepa Mehta's film
Fire in 1996 marked a watershed event in Indian queer sexual orientation. “There is no word
in our language to define what we are or what we feel for each other,” Sita

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says to her beloved Radha in the movie. (Dasgupta) Thus, religious-cultural traditions have
significant ramifications in Indian history, were acknowledged of and permitted in pre-colonial
India, and have weathered the British's slander. However, it is regrettable how these
marginalized communities have only 'survived,' rather than being 'granted citizenship.'

The transsexual community of Hijras in India is an example of a minority identity that has
persevered through many great strides in time, but now finds itself on the outside of
sociocultural realm. " Hijras are mutilated men who lack a womb and rely on sexual
exploitation, robbery, as well as other patterns of social parasitism to survive" (Choudhuri).
The Bengali literature Kritivasa Ramayana mentions the homosexual urge amongst females
(Ramayana written by Kritivasa). The creation of the guru Bhagiratha is attributed in the
scripture to a carnal union between two girls. Bhagiratha's father passed away before he could
be born, and his existence was only made possible by the deity Sankara's heavenly approval:
“You two have had intercourse with one another.' One of you will have a gorgeous child with
my blessings” (Ibid: 101). Gender inequality has profound, even historical, strong roots in
India. “Hijras, eunuchs, Kothis, Aravanis, Jogappas, Shiv-Shakthis,” and others make up the
transgender society. In India, the transgender populations have a history going back over 4000
years.
Hijras were part of the 'Eunuch' subculture, which flourished in the Middle East regions as well
as India, with Eunuchs serving as guards, counsellors, and performers. The Hijra have a
protector deity named Bahuchara Mata. She is frequently seen mounting a rooster and wielding
a weapon, dagger, and text in mainstream culture. Bahuchara has been linked to circumcision
and perhaps other differences in body genital traits, often as a consequence of her casting spells
on males. She is thought to have started out as a worldly woman who was sacrificed.
Bahuchara is accosted by a robber who tries to assault her; however, she steals his weapon,
slices away her breasts, & ends up dead. Once Bahuchara discovers her spouse slipping into
the forest to indulge in non - heterosexual conduct, she punishes him, forcing his reproductive
organs to drop off and compelling him to appear as a woman. Bahuchara is also linked to gender
diversity once she becomes divine, according to legend. One legend tells of a monarch who
requested to Bahuchara for a male heir. She agreed, however the king brought up to be
powerless. Bahuchara arrived to the king in a vision and told him to chop away his sexual
organs, put on female's garments, then serve her. Bahuchara is said to be

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identifying and commanding infertile men to do so as well. If people disobey, she curses those
by making them powerless for the next seven lifetimes. The worship of Bahuchara Mata, whose
adherents are expected to sterilize (be effeminate) and stay monogamous, is based on this tale.

In the Mughal Emperor's imperial court, Hijras held the highest position. They were theRoyal
harem's attendants. Enslavement reigned in the Mughal family. The property was entrusted to
a numerous prisoner. The mutilated young lads were the slave hijras. In the zenana, individuals
were assigned multiple roles. They served as the king's bodyguards. They were also used as
subordinates by Mughal monarchs. Eunuchs were in charge of protecting the Mughal courts.
They safeguarded the zenana's entrance door and kept an eye on all of the harem's activities.
Hijras can be traced back to tales found in the epics Ramayana andThe Mahabharata,
two ancient Hindu classics. The principle of napunsaka, is also found in Upanishads and
religious texts.
The term 'napunsaka' was referred to the incapacity of an individual to procreate. Lord Rama,
who had been exiled from the empire for fourteen years and was about to leave for the
wilderness in the epic Ramayana, turns back to his supporters and requests everyone the 'men
and women' to stay in the city. The hijras are the only ones amongst his devotees who don't
even feel constrained by this approach and want to remain with him. Rama grants individuals
the privilege to bestow blessings on persons on fortunate events such as births and wedding,
and at ceremonial celebrations, which are thought to have create the tone for something like
the practise of badhai, wherein hijras perform and bestow blessings. A thorough allusion to
transgender is also found in the Jainism Books, thatdescribes the subject of 'psychological sex.'
Hijras also contributed a lot in the Islamicworld's king's court, notably during the Ottoman
conquests and Mughal authority in Mughal Period. A majority of hijras served as nobles in
the Mughal Dynasty and Sultan of Delhi, as is widely documented in Mughal histories.
Literature featuring LGBTQ concerns has experienced opposition and problems across
centuries. Often with the objective of telling their experiences, writers and editors have
negotiated shaping social waves and endured constitutional limits, novel prohibitions, and
retribution. LGBTQ topics in literature could be tracked back to prehistoric days, despite all
odds. These literatures not just talk about their mere presence but focuses on their dilemmas.

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1.2 LGBTQ REPRESENTATION IN INDIAN LITERATURE: CHANGING
PERSPECTIVES OVER DECADES

“Bodies are not only biological phenomena but also complex social creations onto which
meaning have been variously composed and imposed according to time and space.” (Katrina
Karkazis)

Amidst the proclamations of flawed logic, social obligation, and democratic biases, English
literature in India has gone over several stages, which demonstrates contemporary opinions
and modernity Indian literature makes it easier to concentrate on the psychological
attentiveness and consciousness of the readers. Many Indian authors have taken up sensitive
issues in their writings and with their voices they’ve tried to make it the voice of the
marginalized. One such untouched and conventional theme is that of homosexuality or
transsexuality. As literature imitates the society, Indian writers through their writings have
steadily tried their best to bring a change in the outlook of people towards third gender, keeping
alive the issue of inequality. Despite colonial oppression and strong resistance, many writers
persisted, bringing LGBTQ characters into fiction. With time many writers havecome up
together in recognizing and boosting this one of the most important concerns of society. “The
voice of dissent present in queer literature breaks the structural social hegemony. As it
disintegrates, the religious and the state’s control over sexuality withers away. However, queer
literature does not present a ready- made solution to the problems faced by these sexual
subalterns but it becomes their space to thrive and celebrate their identities”. (Chakraborty,
386). Queer literature, with time has become immensely powerful and has brought in light the
voice of the subalterns and the ignored beings.

Homosexuality appears to be a foreign concept in Indian society and a generator of moral

degradation. In Hinduism, homosexual desire and also its depictions really aren't uncommon.
The scriptures, artworks, and works of literature, both historical and contemporary, there are
direct or indirect references to same-sex love. Numerous critics, including Ruth Vanita and
Saleem Kidwai, who've already written at length on the cultures and heritage of homosexual
love, assert that "many believe that the idea and practise of same-sex love were imported into
India by 'foreigners'- Muslim invaders, European conquerors, or American

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capitalists" (2008, XXXV). As same-sex relation considered to be a crime which needed
punishment, it was stated by IPC AS, Section 377, Chapter-16 "Whoever voluntarily has carnal
intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman, or animal shall be punished with
imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend
to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine," Despite of the LGBTQ individuals, being
part of the Indian culture have been subjugated, marginalized, ignored and have been
supressed since a long time period. Their identity has been crushed and were forced to live on
the peripheries of society. Homosexuals and transsexuals are ridiculed, humiliated and are
denied of their basic rights. They are considered to be as a stigma for society and have never
been accepted by the mainstream society. With changing time, many writers have come
forward to their rescueand have become their voice. Through their works, they have strongly
condemned society’s ways towards queer individuals. Even in the so-called modern world,
LGBTQ individuals have to go through various kinds of sufferings, injustices, discrimination
and much more. Indian writers dealing with the theme of queerness, have rose awareness
among these individuals, who are becoming more specific about their rights and justices.
LGBTQ is currently a widely used term to describe people identifying as gay, lesbian, bisexual,
or transgender. Prejudices based on sexuality attitudes and behaviours are experienced by all
members of these groups.

As part of a minority group, these persons face numerous aspects of sociocultural and financial
discrimination. The inability of sexual minorities to properly acquire and exercise their rights
as individuals is hampered by a shortage of societal acknowledgment. Because of their gender
expression, homosexuals are far more liable to undergo hostility, prejudice, abuse, and also the
fear of attacks than those who recognize as heterosexual. Coming from a society up wherein
heterosexuality is typically promoted as the only legitimate preference and homosexual acts is
considered as aberrant, (LGBTQ) individuals experience enormous challenges. They tend to
endure prejudice and marginalization throughout all facets of life around the globe.
Homophobic harassment against sexual minorities is widespread. Social ostracization from
friends, family and community ties, hostility at educational places, and anonymity for LGBTQ
individuals, that could lead to psychiatric disorder, and instability in certain situations. This
exclusion not only restrict LGBTQ individuals’ equitable approach

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to critical socioeconomic commodities like jobs, medical services, education, and shelter, but
this also stigmatizes them in community and places them among the most disadvantaged
individuals at possibility of communal exclusion. At the personal, familial, and social level,
marginalization has been at the root of deprivation in satisfying and massive social existence.
Individuals on the margins have almost no control of the situation and the services
allocated to queer people; theymight be stigmatized and thus are frequently the target of
unfavourable public perceptions.

LGBTQ individuals are frequently denied allowance to basic services due to marginalization
and hostility based on their gender expression and sexual identity. Not even just society, but
the individuals are devoid of familial love and care. Since very childhood because of not being
following the monotonous binary ideals, they’re subjugated to humiliation and non-
acceptance. They’re thrown out of their houses and are forced to lead a life of estrangement.
The subjugation of the inferior sex's impulses always has flourished its voice in literature, with
a variety of authors addressing the problem. Through his confession of “longing for a man's
touch,” Binodini (Choker Bali) a female character by Tagore is a perfect demonstration of
forthright audacity. Yet what else could have been anticipated of humanity while the sex role
conflict continues? Furthermore, a group from the "no man's land" emerged to aggravate the
situation. Even in such a diverse nation, people opted to reject its own reality like they'd never
existed. Is compulsory heterosexuality merely about managing desire or is it about mandating
that the world can only have two kinds of people—women and men? is a dilemma which sums
up the actual gender disparity. Inspite of significant recognition of the importance of the 'sexual
identity' theme, traditional discourse on issues of gender rarely goes above a certain extent. It
ultimately comes down to that same binary divide, with no mention of 'third gender' as
something of an inclusive concept that incorporates all genders. Sexual orientations other than
the traditional man-woman divide appear to be imperceptible to the spectator, and that they are
relegated to the side-lines — mute and monotone. These are indeed the existence living
far outside of mainstreamworld's predefined and limited vision. LGBTQ communities are
the groups which has been forced to live on the peripheries of the mainstream world and were
excluded from the heteronormative settings. Homosexuality has been taken as a boon and those
belonging to this minoritized groups were considered as non-existent and a stigma for the
society.

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In 1999, Kolkata, became the first city of South Asia to host a Pride March. Mumbai's
transgender community, in August, 2008 organized the very first official Pride March, calling
for changes to anti-gay policies in India. On July 2, 2009, the High Court of Delhi
decriminalized same-sex relations among two consensual adults, however it was repealed in
2013 due to significant orthodox and saintly opposition. Following successive petitions, the
Supreme Court of India decided to decriminalize portions of Section 377 in 2018 has been
widely praised. The day holds something historic which "blew a life of constitutionality" inthe
LGBTQIA+ majority's fallen ancestors, who'd been exposed to generations of mind exhaustive
toil. The Supreme Court of India announced a landmark judgement legalizing homosexuality
by substantially thwarting Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, making the very day
memorable for the Queer community. The Lgbt people exploded in joyous celebrations around
the nation, celebrating their triumph over a 200-year-old Western statute that effectively
banned same-sex relationships.

The depiction of sexual difference in Indian written works has developed its very own domain
over time; a "unique" place. This is hoped that "uniqueness" will catch the eye to the marginal
position which has been associated with otherness; this is something which exists outside of
the communities' previously drawn, simply intelligible, widely recognized, and mentally (or
morally) accepted domain. Transgenderism and same-sex relationships have long existed in
the Indian mainland, which is very well documented. Whether it's myth, Kamasutra, or a
variety of folklore narratives spanning various locations, India witnesses a rich history of
gender fluidity. The theme has been treated in Indian mythology as something of an essential
aspect of the entire lifespan, wherein impersonating or sex-change is aprevalent, normal, and
accepted concept.
Oppressed groups are built ontologically as the antithesis of dominant heteronormativity; –
i.e., the formation among both heterosexuals and homosexuals is predicated on a dualistic
connection that maintains heterosexuality as that of the sole means of understanding the world.
Writers are unable to explore such matters due to a massive stigma against any sort of intimacy
that is beyond the bounds of heteronormative attitude. Indian writers have taken bold measures
to expose the underlying aspects in Indian community and expose sexual practices that cross
heterosexist societal or metaphoricalbounds. Instead of considering themselves as victims of
the society, they’ve started fighting for their rights.

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As previously stated, literature of this genre is either tried to be silenced, as it was Ismat
Chugtai’s Lihaaf (The Quilt), a short story which was published in 1942 (Urdu literary journal
Adab-i-Latif), was marked with profanity claims and a lawsuit was registered against this, or
it is deliberately overlooked as inferior literary work. As narratives of queer imaginative and
enlightening products, literary representation has yet another means ofopposition.

Representation of LGBTQ characters have created a wave of awareness in the community and
they, now know that their identity is of importance and thus they have started raising their
voice for their acceptance and to become a part of the mainstream world. Writers like Devdutt
Pattnaik, Shakuntala Devi, Ismat Chugtai, Manju Kapur, Ruth Vanitha, Abha Dawesar, R. Raj
Rao, Arundhati Rao, A. Revathi, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi and many more have talked about
their existence, their troubles and traumas, plights and protests in Indian society. These authors
entitle special note because all these authors had gone out of their own way to breach the long
pauses, to raise attention towards the contrary ambivalence and concealment concerning same-
sex individuals and their living that a group has indeed deftly maintained through time. Shobha
De, Arundhati Roy and Manju Kapur all have publicly covered casual sex, transsexuality, and
homosexuality in various writings in latest years. Women's issues are being affirmed in Indian
Literature, and that they've expressed their entitlement to their sexuality. They have
courageously brought down the past scenarios and have connected it with the contemporary
society with respect to queer identity. In his dramas, Mahesh Dattani depicts the sociocultural,
physical, emotional, and religious assault thattransgender people experience. He brings to life
each of these issues and expresses his opposition to individuals being marginalized because of
their tradition, beliefs, society, sexuality, and so on. The homosexual problem's presentation
undermines long-held societal expectations. In a few of his pieces, he introduces this message
to the target readers.

The fundamental elements of homosexuality appear in On a Muggy Night in Mumbai", Do the

Needful, and Bravely Fought the Queen. He makes no conclusions about the situation. He
simply talks about how things are in our culture. He demonstrates how societal conventions
restrict and stifle personal urges as well as passions, inflicting psychological trauma to the
individual in question. Seven Steps Around the Fire, his work, is a critique on current societal

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hypocritical expectations. The hijras are trapped outside of mainstream world. The absurdity
of the circumstance is there on the ceremonies of matrimony and childbirth, the very same
minorities are permissible and ideal for greeting the couple as well as infant, accordingly. He
takes the untrodden way in this drama, namely, a sham relationship with an androgynous and
societal harshness against homosexuals. On a Muggy Night in Mumbai, written by Mahesh
Dattani, is the very first Indian drama to openly address the issue of homosexual behaviour.
It explores gay issues such as desire, homosexual obscenity amongst young people in a modern
environment, commitment, loyalty, and infidelity. Religious conservatives, on the other hand,
see such a partnership as abnormal, rude, and repulsive.

During one of his conversations, Mahesh Dattani explains, "Feminism is a topic that can be
discussed because it is widely acknowledged. But you can't bring up gay concerns since that
isn't something that happens in India." (50) Through his writings, he unabashedly
impoverished same-sex relationships. He draws attention to the conflict which LGBTQpeople
encounter whenever they try to reconcile their actual selves with whatever conservative Indian
community considers as well as demands of them. These works depict their secret worries and
sentiments with sensitivity. Dattani attempts to analyze the existentialproblem of homosexuals
who hold no honourable niche in established stability within the boundaries of overarching
storyline. There seems to be an issue that is unspoken around in general and is about that almost
nobody publicly speaks or expresses.

Homosexuality is explicitly mentioned in the Kamasutra, a well-known Hindu erotic fiction

classic. Lesbianism is becoming a worldwide trend in which women seek physical intimacy
amongst oneself. Amidst the culture's lack of acknowledgement for this practise, it's been on
the rise in traditionalist Indian community. Throughout their pre-marital and after marital
stages of the process, Indian women are subjected to oppression. Women have either been
enslaved by their fathers or by partners. Individuals are characterized by social prejudice and
difficulties, and most of women are unable to overcome these difficulties. As mentioned by
Simon de Beauvoir in lesbian relationship there is mutuality not duality:

“Between women love is contemplative; caresses are intended less to gain possession of the
other than gradually to recreate the self through her; separateness is abolished, there is no

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struggle, no victory, no defeat; in exact reciprocity each is at once subject and object, sovereign
and slave; duality becomes mutuality.” (155)

The emergence of Queer and Hijra literature is a fine example of how society is changing with
the change in voice of these people. Some of the prominent works which has left a remarkable
impact on society dealing with the theme of queerness are Baby Ji, Shikhandi andthe Other
Tales They Don’t Talk About, The Truth About Me: A Hijra Life Story, The Pregnant King,
Same Sex Love in India, Quarantine, Exiles and many more. Many transgenders, lesbian and
gay people have come up with their works and have narrated their life stories and their socio-
political positioning and how they with their never giving up attitude, strength and
determination have marked new dimensions for themselves. ShakuntalaDevi's The World of
Homosexuals is an essential work in regard to Lgbtq theme. The work surveys the knowledge
on same-sex relation in history, government, psychology, philosophy, and society, in addition
to relaying life experiences of what really meant to be there in the hiding in nation. The work
concludes with a demand towards decriminalization and comprehensive recognition, neither
forbearance nor pity, by the community, that will normalize homosexuality to emerge out of
the shadows and establish respectable, structure and functioning.

Another notable writer that expresses lesbian longing in her memoir, My Story (1976), and
collection of short stories The Sandal Trees (1988) is Kamala Das. Although Das' writings
really aren't generally added to the original modernist literature, they are frequently used in the
portion of 'women's writing' as representations of textual explorations in lesbian attraction at a
period prior homosexuality was debated in India. Das explores experiences of women's
same-sex arousal which she encountered while being a school girl, along with her personal
desire to her women professors, in her memoir.

Apart from the works discussed, many transgenders have themselves taken daring steps and
have written their life stories and how with their courage and determination they’ve made place
for themselves as well as for their community. The term "transgender autobiography" refers to
a corpus of work that includes tales which express and strengthen the transgender or hijra
personal narrative. Transsexual people have had autobiographies written to tell their

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story, that is an endeavour to pave the path for recognition of the transgender. Initially trans-
narratives were published by third gender individuals who had exposed their sexual
orientations in opposition to misconceptions and disinformation concerning their existence.
Genderqueer narrations have been created in recent times to record these people's life
anecdotes with the disclosure of their transgender identity. One such transgender is A. Revathi,
who’s considered as the first hijra to narrate about her transitioning life frombeing a meek
and feeble being to becoming a social activist. A. Revathi's memoir, The Truth About Me- A
Hijra Life Story, is a private account of her struggles. In her paper Identity Construction of the
Third Gender in The Truth About Me, Dr. Trayee Sinha writes:

“Revathi's autobiographical account paints a terrible picture of her existence. On the one hand,
her experience exemplifies the nature-culture divide, while simultaneously posing issues with
gender mainstreaming. The claim of humanity is the human constitution. Revathi's claim to
humanity is that she is a regular human being, not a member of the sexuality minority
population. She has the ability to bridge the insurmountable divide between underprivileged
people and "regular" people. Revathi's battle is a live symbol for thousands of other people
with similar identities.” (68) Revathi aspired to dwell as a lady, however she insists on
becoming a human being on equality with the others. She pleads for the equal rights for the
transgender individual, from the start of her story. In her autobiography, she depicts the true
reality of inequity.

The autobiographical work The Truth About Me- A Hijra Life Story is a bold reveal of a
marginalised hijra's fortitude as they face whatever difficulty that Indian society throws at
them. She describes each part of hijra tradition in order to educate people about the reality that
transgender individuals are normal humans with emotions and a yearning to lead their lives as
so many other humans do. Another light bearing autobiography which by the narration wants
to preserve the dignity of the hijra community is Laxmi Narayan Tripathi’s Me Hijra Me
Laxmi. Laxminarayan Tripathi has painted a realistic image of the Hijra's predicament
in Indian culture. She is a very well Indian dancer, performer, author, and prominent
transgender rights campaigner. Laxmi became India's first hijra to constitute Asia Pacific
at the United Nations. She is deserving of the high regard that has been earned after a long
fight, and her autobiography is a beautiful representation of her

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transformation from a frail child to an elegant Indian transsexual. This could be viewed as a
harrowing but ultimately successful account of a hijra individual. Going through a quite a long
effort, Laxmi attained the highest rank in the Indian transgender society. The transgendered
story depicts not just the pitiful status of sexual minorities in nation, but rather the success of
a hijra, that contain a large number of India's lgbt individuals. Laxmi describes Indian society
as follows: "It was intolerable for my parents that their own son should become a hijra. “It's
fine if supermen are born to other people. Nobody wants a superman living in their house. My
parents wished for me to live a regular existence. They wanted meto marry and start a family.
Harisharan Tiwari, my grandpa, was a learned scholar who knew the Vedas and Upanishads
by heart, and I, his grandson, was a hijra! Even more tongues would wag now than before. My
parents would be unable to leave the house even if they wanted to. They were divided between
society's expectations and their son's devotion.” (49)

Me Hijra Me Laxmi is a gripping story about a transgender who, despite the hardships,
persevered and eventually arrived at her purpose. She had numerous challenges, although she
gradually began to live dignified life with pride. Laxmi is the trailblazer in the fight over
ridicule and prejudice towards hijras. We Are Not the Others is a deeply moving novel that
melts readers' emotions and transports them into the life of India's transgender people. It's an
unparalleled book by Kalki Subramaniam, India's prominent transgender rights fighter, who
forthrightly describes the delights, desires, problems, and anguish of a transsexual person, the
author herself, and ferociously advocates her and others' integrity. All these autobiographies
are proof that people belonging to Lgbtq community are coming out of their shells and are
determined to fight back against all the odds thrown towards them by the heteronormative
society. Literature has been a curated space for them through which they’ve got desired and
safe arena to express their traumas, troubles, life stories and share their victories as well.

In the contemporary world, LGBTQ literature has gained its own space. Through the constant
condemning and bold representation by these various writers, the actual condition ofthe third
gender community came up as a matter of serious concern which needs to be heard. The aim
of my research is to present the plights and protests of the LGBTQ community for a living. In
this research, I would like to study the representation of the third gender in the Indian society
and how they try to destabilize the heteronormativity of the mainstream world.

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Being homosexual or transgender is not by choice, it is as normal as being heterosexual;
therefore, society needs to accept this biological factor. The purpose of the research is not only
to advocate LGBTQ rights but to raise them equally in heteronormative world.

1.3 ORGANIZATION OF THESIS

It is therefore, evident from the discussion so far that this research is a genuine and sincere
attempt towards bringing out the revolutionary journey of LGBTQ community as it unfolds
from the representation of third gender in Indian writings. The precise goal is to present this
depiction through a thorough analysis of the writings of eminent Indian authors. The works
which have been taken up for the purpose of this research are The Ministry of Utmost
Happiness by Arundhati Roy, A Married Woman by Manju Kapur, The Boyfriend by R. Raj
Rao and Me Hijra Me Laxmi by Laxmi Narayan Tripathi. All of these works aim to undermine
the idea of heteronormativity and incorporate the LGBT community as an accepted facet of
Indian culture. The study was meticulously planned and executed to evaluate the writings of
the four authors, who have certain parallels and variances in how they portray LGBTQ
characters. The parameters used to choose the writers for this research project focused on their
perspectives on the third gendered group and on what they had to offer the field of queer
writing.

1.3.1 About the writers and their works:

Manju Kapur: Kapur is the first novelist to discuss about lesbian relationship as an important
topic by women’s rights activists and supporters. She, through her protagonist, Astha, has
explored the dilemmas and the vents a woman has to go through in a world which doesn’t like
changes and how much struggles and compromises she has to make to belong within the
society. Manju Kapur articulates a counter-narrative of an exclusive feminine lesbian identity
and begins the chronicle of the annihilated women within the Indian system with unwavering
boldness. She does an inexplicable attempt to highlight the lesbian relation in a society which
is socially constructed according to men’s preference. Through her works, she emphasizes on
how the frame work of the society needs to be changed and how on just focusing on male’s
perspective, it’s high time woman start focusing on their identities, their

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desires, and sexual fantasies as well. Woman have been a feminine ideal for a long time by
being submissive and surrendering attitude and now is the time when they should stand strong
against male chauvinism. She has written works like Difficult Daughters (1998), Custody
(2011), The Immigrant (2008) and A Married Woman (2003). Kapur not just talks about the
issue of male dominance but she touches a more sensitive topic in her work, Lesbianism, love
between two women, which is still a taboo and is not acceptable open- heartedly in our
contemporary society. Kapur seeks a recreated space and a validated identityfor the lesbian
self, and she attempts to reinvent her environment in order to begin the renovation of the
chauvinist model of compelled hetero normative sexuality.

Arundhati Roy: Arundhati Roy is one of the writers who has addressed the important issue
of LGBTQ community in society. She is one of India's finest writers, speaking candidly about
important challenges in the Indian mainstream. The topics she addresses in her works have
been ingrained in our culture for a long time and are rarely discussed; instead, she addresses
current challenges that need to be addressed. She has written impeccable piece of works, which
talks about the sensitive concerns of the society. The God of Small Things (1997), an award-
winning debut novel, by Roy talks about the social, religious, cultural as well as post-colonial
identity issues. This work focuses on the issue of casteism in the contemporary world as well
as the oppression of women and her desires by the hands of male chauvinistic society. Her,
another work, The Ministry of Utmost Happiness (2017), combines a huge ensemble of people,
including a transgender lady and a Kashmiri resistance fighter, to portray contemporary India,
blending personal experiences with current themes. As an IndianEnglish writer, she delves
deeply into modern social and political topics, as seen by a slew ofarticles, interviews, and
books. "Much of my non-fiction writing is an argument, but fiction is where you create a
universe through which you invite a reader to walk. It is much more complex. For me, it is the
most satisfying thing”. “When I write fiction, I feel like I am using all my skills, it delights me
the most," in an interview with PTI, Roy stated.

Laxmi Narayan Tripathi: Laxmi Narayan Tripathi is a transgender activist and writer who
has struggled for her space and identity, carving out a niche for herself in the world. Her life,
like that of any other Hijra, has been a roller coaster ride, but she refused to give in to life's
adversities. She made the decision to reform her ways on her own and fight for what she

22
desired in life. Without fear of repercussions, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi rose to her feet with her
head held high, and despite all the obstacles in her road, she confronted each situation with
incredible courage and strength. Laxmi Narayan Tripathi, a prominent Lgbtq rights advocate,
is unapologetic of her sexual identity and professes for being "a woman who can put all other
ladies to shame." She was the very first transsexual candidate to lead Asia Pacific at the United
Nations, and she has spoken up on behalf of her group and her nation on a series of global
stages, including the World AIDS Conference in Toronto. She is the founder and director of
Astitva, an institution dedicated to the advancement and maintenance of homosexual people.
Laxminarayan Tripathi's Me Hijra, Me Laxmi (2015 and Red Lipstick: The Men in My Life
(2016) eloquently advocates for a revolution based on sexual dichotomies. Hijras have been
socially ostracized and are considered as those who live on the peripherals of the society. No
one cares about their struggles, their basic rights, their everyday urge for livelihood, as they
existence is not counted. Queer individuals have been experiencing all these distant attitudes
of individual towards them since time immemorial. But from being meek and feeble
individuals to becoming audacious and self-confidence, Laxmi Narayan Tripathi has become
the voice of the marginalized trans community.

R. Raj Rao: Ramachandrapurapu Raj Rao (R. Raj Rao), born in 1955 is an Indian novelist,
poet, and literature professor who has been called "India's foremost LGBT rights crusader”.
Rao became one of the first professors in India to teach LGBT writing at the college level.
Over years of rejection from his educational authorities, he first proposed it in 2007. He said:
“It’s strange how the academic fraternity that has always been quick to accept all kinds of
literature -- Marxist, feminist, Dalit — had a huge reservation when it came to queerliterature.
For years, the Board of Studies refused to let us start the course saying that 'Indian students do
not need it. Finally, we clubbed it with Dalit literature and started it under the genre of
Alternative Literature.” (The Punekar 2011). He has contributed immensely powerful books
such as Hostel Room 101(2010), Lady Lolita’s Lover (2015), The Boyfriend (2003), Once I
Locked My Flat in Soul City (short stories) (2001), Slide Show(poems) (1992) and others. In
his works, R Raj Rao takes an unusual approach to gay sexual identity, believing that LGBT
culture is revolutionary enough to reconsider the existence of the
heterosexual/homosexual dichotomy. The suppressed sexual impulse emerges in Rao's art in
the form of a rebellious approach against methods that attempt to eliminate gay existence.

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By transmitting a message of dissent, the depiction of unabashed sensuality develops a sense
of importance. Rao passionately criticizes the sociological, political, and institutional
structures that, in the guise of the constitution, promote homophobia. R. Raj Rao has explicitly
presented the gay subculture, the trauma of homosexual relationships, their struggles and
their urge for identity and survival.

India's sociocultural perspective of the LGBTQ community is complex. Third-gendered

individuals in Indian society are treated with a mixture of intrigue and superstitious fear on the
one hand, and rejection and ridicule on another. The LGBTQ community struggles as a
consequence of being an outcast social class, being the target of gender-based violence, and
experiencing numerous other violations of human rights. But, a shift in the sociocultural
positioning of the LGBTQ community can been noticed, due to the constant protests and battles
fought by these people against all the odds thrown towards them. Literature, although, has
played significant role in bringing the struggles and hardships of the queer community in
light. Literature has long been regarded as a sign of change because of its capacity to provoke
thought and reflection in people. LGBTQ has been considered a contentious subject for a long
time. Discussing on controversial subjects has never been avoided in literature as a medium
of expression. We are able to absorb and comprehendnovel ideas and adapt to evolving
situations due to the continued attempts of authors. It hasn't been an easy journey, particularly
for individuals who chose to express their opinions while sex and sexuality in general were
still seen as forbidden issues. Over time, LGBTQ individuals have started to appear as
protagonists rather than as supporting characters. The writers taken up for this research work
deliberately talks about the plights and protests of the third gendered community and how
they have been cornered from the mainstream world.
The research work demonstrates the evolving journey of the LGBTQ community from being
meek and feeble to strong and courageous beings, and from rejection to recognition. This study
aims to explore, assess, and analyze how LGBTQ people are represented in the writings of the
writers under consideration. The study of these authors' writings demonstrated that LGBTQ is
no longer a taboo subject and has called for a completely new context in which queer people
are also conscious of their rights and responsibilities. These four authors thus serve as
exemplars of the significant advancements and transformations that the queer approach has
brought about in contemporary Indian writing.

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