TRANSGENDER INDIA: Understanding Third Gender Identities and Experiences

Book Details

• Publisher: Rawat Publications

• Author/Editor: Douglas A. Vakoch (Editor)

• Language: English

• Binding: Hardcover

• Number of Pages: 226

• Release Date: 2024

• ISBN: 9783031469466

About the Book

Transgender India: Understanding Third Gender Identities and Experiences is the first comprehensive scholarly exploration of hijras, transmen, and other third-gender Indians. It brings together a range of disciplines from the behavioral and social sciences, as well as the humanities, to foster a multi-dimensional dialogue about third-gender experiences and identities in India. The book’s unique multidisciplinary approach makes it a standout in comparison to existing works that focus on individual academic fields like anthropology, history, or investigative journalism.

By comparing and contrasting various academic perspectives, the book examines the complex interplay of factors that have led to the marginalization and discrimination of third-gender individuals. It also discusses potential pathways for a more equitable and just future. The book's scope covers not only social and behavioral aspects but also addresses key legal, health, and employment issues faced by the transgender community in India.

This work is an invaluable resource for scholars, students, and activists seeking a nuanced understanding of transgender issues in India and the societal impact of these identities.

Contents

Literature

1. Re-writing the Subject and the Self: A Study of Hijra Life Writings – Shalini Jayaprakash

2. Queer Futurities in Arundhati Roy’s The Ministry of Utmost Happiness – Anna Guttman

3. Indian Influences and the Transgender Imagination in the Chinese Literary Classic Journey to the West – Peter I-min Huang

History
4. Contradiction and Concurrence of Castration and the Fertile Phallus: A Transgender Reading of Ancient Indian Literature and Contemporary Hijra Experience – Ruman Sutradhar
5. The Colonial Censu(re/ses) of Transbodies in Nineteenth-Century South Asia – Shane P. Gannon

Law
6. Differs in Dignity: Shame, Privacy, and the Law – Vaibhav Saria
7. Time to “Act”: Guaranteeing Full Citizenship of Transgender Persons in India – Sangeetha Sriraam

Health and Employment
8. Exploring the Psychosocial Needs of Third Gender People Living with HIV in Hyderabad, India – Sameena Azhar, Jason Vaudrey
9. Employability Issues of Transgender Individuals in Gujarat, India: An Analysis of the Origin – Supriya Pal, Neeta Sinha

Transmen
10. Female Masculinities and Women of Third Nature: Analyzing the Gender and Sexual Politics of Identity and Visibility of Alternative Masculinities through Indian Mythologies and Literary Narratives – Tanupriya
11. “Families We Choose”: Kinship Patterns among Migrant Transmen in Bangalore, India – Agaja Puthan Purayil

About the Author / Editor

Douglas A. Vakoch is the president of METI International and professor emeritus of clinical psychology at the California Institute of Integral Studies. He has edited or co-edited over twenty books on topics such as gender studies, cross-cultural studies, psychology, sustainability, and the search for life beyond Earth. Some of his notable works include Transecology: Transgender Perspectives on Environment and Nature (Routledge, 2021) and Altruism in Cross-Cultural Perspective (Springer, 2013). His academic background spans clinical psychology (PhD, Stony Brook University), history and philosophy of science (MA, University of Notre Dame), and religion (BA, Carleton College). His work has been featured in such publications as The New York Times, The Economist, Nature, and Science, and he has been interviewed for numerous radio and television programs, including those on the BBC, The Science Channel, and The Discovery Channel.