LITERATURE REVIEW: QUEER STUDIES
Literature Review
Submitted to
P. G. Centre of M.
Phil.
Swami Shahjanand College of Commerce & Management
(Affiliated to Maharaja Krishnakumarsinhji Bhavnagar University)
Bhavnagar
For the Award of the
Degree of Master of
Philosophy (M.Phil.) in English
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Research Supervisor
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Research Scholar
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Dr. Hetal J. Mehta
Principal
Swami Sahajanand
College of Commerce & Management
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Ms. Nidhi Jasani
P. G. Centre of M.
Phil.
Swami Sahajanand
College of Commerce & Management
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Enrollment No.: 2154112220170001
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Table of Contents
Introduction
LGBT
people are human being. However society or some people cannot accept them as
humans. This LGBT people face many problems. They struggle for their existents
and survival in this society where only two genders are exist men and women.
Here researcher tries to find out and represent their problems. LGBT people are
marginalized in mainstream society. Now they get some space along with they
raise their voice for their social rights. Even in literature some writers have
started writing on LGBT people. And few critique started one theory, is “Queer
Theory”, in which they tries to shows the social, economical, and psychological
suppuration or marginalization of Lesbian, Gay, Bi-sexual and Transgender
people in ordinary society.
Theory of Marginalization
LGBT
suffers in society; rather they are marginalized in normal human beings and
known as ‘other’. Theory of marginalization, make clear about what is queer
theory, what are their problems. There is range of people who are marginalized
in their society and culture. It suggests that marginalization is not a little
thing but it is widely spread over the world. Marginalized people are avoided
by powerful people and by power position. Generally in marginalization there is
absence economic power, social value or equality, lack of political right and
knowledge, lack of medical awareness and lack of power. Marginalization is
dangerous and harmful thing in the world. It is also based on class, cast, race
and gender. People who not belongs to higher class, who are not belongs to
white race, and particular higher cast they are known as marginalized people.
In gender biasness male are in power position so, women are marginalized, and
in social perspective the third gender ‘gay’ people are marginalized. Seeing to
the problem this way leads to the following definition of the marginalized by
political philosopher Iris Marion Young, in her study of justice: “Marginals
are people the system of labor cannot or will not use.” Its definition of
marginalization is: “Marginalization occurs when people are systematically
excluded from meaningful participation in economic, social, political, cultural
and other forms of human activity in their communities and thus are denied the
opportunity to fulfill themselves as human beings.” She is writing about the
United States, she includes the elderly. Again we see the multidimensional
character of marginalization. It goes beyond poverty, although the poor are
often marginalized. Marginalization is a phenomenon of material resources, but
it also includes, for both the EFA Forum and for Irish Marion Young, lack of
capacity to participate politically and culturally, in markets and in other
institutions. Lines of social difference and discrimination often overlay,
indeed sometimes promote, patterns of marginalization (Jenson) . It makes clear that
how this marginalized especially LGBT struggle for their survival. Under the
postcolonial theory, theory of marginalization gives the voice to those people
who are suppressed in society. It stands against the power position or power structure
of society. Through this it is clear that this queer people are marginalized
not only in society but politically, economically and they are voice less. Theory
of marginalization is study of the rights and power of the people who are
socially and economically suprase (marginalized).
Queer Theory and Studies
When one start studding on Queers, it is
important to know about what Queer Theory is and who is/was founder of the
theory. It is necessary to know about Queer theory, what queer theory do. For whom
this particular theory works? Where
queer theory begins? It is a part of postcolonial studies or theory. Queer theory largely talks about categorization
of gender and sexuality or sexual identity, especially LGBTs. The idea of
gender is itself problematic. If there is no identity of gender, not
categorized it then it not creates those problems of gender biasness, however
it is not possible. That’s why there is need of gender studies and queer
theory. Generally queer theory connected with post colonial and post
structuralism theory. In around of 1970 many writer have starts use this post
structuralism and theory of deconstruction in sexually or sexual identity,
especially in queer. With the help of post structuralism critique of queer
theory started deconstructing the sexual identity.
Queer theory is derived largely from post
–structuralism theory, and deconstruction in particular. Queer is an inclusive
umbrella term for those not only deemed as sexually deviant in relations to a
social hegemony but also used to describe those who feel marginalized as a
result of social practices and identity. The term queer theory was introduced in
1990, with Eva Kosofasky Sedgwick, Judith Butler, Adrienne Rich and Diana Fuss
(all largely following the work of Michel Foucault) being among its
foundational proponents. Annamarie Jagose wrote Queer Theory: An Introduction
in 1997. Recently, this term has been used as an umbrella term for a coalition
of sexual identities that are culturally marginalized, and at other times, to
create discourse surrounding the budding theoretical model that primarily arose
through more traditional lesbian and gay studies. There is an abundance of
identities in which Queer Theory not only recognizes but also breaks down in
relation to other contributing factors like race, class, religion, etc. queer
is a product of specific cultural and theoretical pressures. It is important to
understand that the terms ‘gay’ and ‘lesbian’ are static, Eurocentric labels
that fail to be universal when looking at a transnational scale. It is merely
reductive to view Queer Theory as a byname for Gay and Lesbian studies when the
two fields have stark differences (Wikipedia, Queer Theory) . Queer theory is
huge term, it is study of gender, start from the feminist theory. Feminism raises
the question on gender discrimination, along with those questions people come
to know about the problems and existence of LGBT. After that the “queer theory”
becomes popular among literary critic. Queer
theory is the theory for LGBT people; it studies the problems of the queer and tries to give voice to those
people. There are some major critiques that try to identified problem of LGBT
and present it in literature. It is complex or multilayered theory which
includes field of gender studies. Queer theory also focused on culture, life
style and language of the LGBT people. Queer critique tries to find out gender
trouble.
Queer in Indian Society
Heterosexuality
and queer studies are differently accepted in Indian culture and society, even
in Indian religion also. There are different words used for LGBT in different
regions of India. Indian people are more religious minded so they connect this
kind of LGBT people with god. In Gujarat, a state of India, if a child birth
and belong to this gay community, they give that child to Bahucharaji temple.
And the LGBT community had known as “Bahucharaji na Bhagat” means worshipers of
goddess Bahucharaji. Gay people have their cultural identity especially in
Indian society, like they dress in sari with lot of makeup, these shows or
identified that, that person belongs LGBT community. Queer includes those who
openly wear sexual identities like lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender and
those who use indigenous terms like hijra, kothi, panthis to describe
themselves. In addition to this, there are regional identities of sexual non
conformity, such as jogappa and jogtas in northern Karnataka and Maharashtra or
the shivshaktsis and gannacharis in parts of south India who are real and
potential participants in ‘queer azadi’. But in using the word ‘queer’ and
‘queering’ I wish to draw attention
towards the fact that as a political and emancipator term ‘queer’ loses
its radical potentials when it takes a purely cultural turn and tends to
neglect the pervasive impact of political economy. By cultural turn I mean the
queer protest which takes place through art, avant-garde experimentations and
identity politics without incorporating material conditions in which subaltern
sexual subjects poor ‘lesbians’ are entrapped. Interpretation of sexuality
exclusively in terms of ‘discourse’, ‘performance’, ‘difference’ and ‘life
style’ as disrupting hetronormativity inflected from issues of political
economy and class should be seen in connection with corporate funding for
research reshaping academic agenda (Kumar) . Here in above
paragraph there is description of different names give by people to LGBT people,
and tries to find of what are their life style, culture and how they live in
Indian society. From the ‘Vedic’ period in India gay people have their
existents and it mention in the text of “Mahabharta”. In Mahabharta there is a
reference of person whose name is Shikhandini, was a gay person. What are their
religion identities in different place of India is also different from the
different region of India. In Indian culture and society connect LGBT with
religion. Apart from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, in India they have
various names like Hijra and Kothi etc. In India there are many gay people work
in whore house during night, especially in metro cities. It shows new
culture-trend in Indian gay people, it can be for money, and also leads towards
homosexuality.
Social and Economical Problems
Generally
normal people do not accept LGBT as normal human, because of this attitude
towards LGBT, LGBT people feels that they are subalterns. They faced many
problems in this ordinary society. This people become member of social minority
group who are live in same society but they have not their voice or not enough
space in society. LGBT people are growing to be very broadly accepted as sexual
marginalized. Not only sexual but also social, political and economical
suppressed in ordinary society. All LGBT people are the members of the social
suppressed and minority group, who are subjugate and suppressed by normal
people. The people of this group are suffering from the political, economical,
social, and cultural injustice in mainstream society. They have not their right
as a citizen of particular country; LGBT people cannot enjoy their social right
as a citizen. They only face those problems of gender discrimination, threat of
sexual violence, harassment, mental violence because of their sexual
orientation. The biggest problem of LGBT especially youth of LGBT is
homelessness, because they need love and support from their family. However
they cannot get love from family members, but they kicked out from the family
and home. This is directly affected on their mental state, and psychology. This
LGBT people are marginalized from many things like education, medical care,
economical, and some legal rights also. It is extreme level of marginalization
that LGBT have not their fundamental things and rights, like house, no family
support, health or medical care, social suppuration, education.
LGBT
individuals may experience multiple forms of marginalization-such as racism,
sexism, poverty or other factors alongside homophobia or trans phobia that
negatively impact on mental health. Marginalization of LGBT people often starts
with the family into which they were born. According to one study,
approximately 30 percent of LGBT youth in the U.S. have been physically abused
by family members because of their sexual orientation or gender identity or
expression, and LGBT youth are estimated to comprise up to 40 percent of the
homeless youth population in the U.S. The family marginalization of LGBT youth
hinders initial prevention and education efforts, encourages risk-taking
behavior that can lead to HIV infection, and places obstacles in the way of
receiving proper medical treatment and psychosocial support for LGBT youth
already living with HIV/AIDS (Chatterjee) LGBT people face
this kind of medical and social problems. This LGBT people face this kind of
dangers disease like HIV/AIDS. They cannot get proper medical care for
HIV/AIDS, because they have not enough money, and awareness about the disease,
especially in youth of LGBT. Apart from this they also face social and mental
problems, because of racism, sexism and poverty this factors leave negative
impact on mental health of LGBT people. Family members also abuse them and
rudely behave with the LGBT people; it leaves very bad effect on the mind of
LGBT especially in youth. There is lack of medical awareness lead youth of LGBT
towards a such a dangers dieses like HIV/AIDS. Social problems of LGBT and how they feel
marginalized in society. Some LGBT people hide their identity and behave as
normal human beings, and they started working at some places. When authority of
working place comes to know about identity of LGBT he/she kicked out from the
job or working place. They try to become equal to common men. LGBT people have
started working, but still they are marginalized. Since of their gender identity
and sexuality they cannot get appropriate space in working place, sometime
kicked out from working place. In society there is politics of sexual identity. As ‘normal’ dailt citizens share
hegemonic sexual construction and participate in sexual exclusion, an elite
queer may be marginalized in sexual terms but is able to access the material
comforts of her own class-group. Such queer individuals can equally choose to
remain apolitical and enjoy material comforts with ‘intimate relations’ of
their choice which is evident in collection of gay short stores Pink Sheep
authored by Mahesh Natrajan (2010). When social movements as a sub-field is
almost as old as sociology itself and when the queer movement in India has two
decade old history, why do movement studies fail to include mobilizations
active in challenging sexual power. I end with a humble submission that every
sociologist in India who considers ‘social suffering’ and ‘marginalization’ as
authentic subjects and auto-ethnography as one of the reflective methods of
sociology must read Truth about Me: A Hijra Life Story by A. Revathi written
Tamil (Kumar) . It is also happened that a person who work very well in any field,
though that person kicked out from that place, for the reason that, that person
belongs to LGBT community. Sometime LGBT kicked out by their family members
also, especially their parents. There are several writer started writing about
those particular group of people, in which they write about some basic problems
of LGBT people. For any human being generally there is two things are
important: social status (space in society) and economical power (money). In
social media like Faecbook and Hike they only give two options Male/female,
there is no space for the other (LGBT) people. It is not matter because now in
many form we found that they give 3rd option of ‘Other’.
Psychological impact on LGBT
Not
only social and economical suppuration but also there is psychologically they
are suppressed. Even in schools and colleges they are physically harassed by
normal student. In Indian constitution, there is little space for LGBT. The
abnormal behavior of normal people with LGBT people is leaves deep effect or
impact on the mind of the LGBT people. When a normal human started abusing LGBT
people for their sexuality and sexual identity at that time they become
psychological depressed. It affect their mind, mentally they become distress.
It is also point of thinking that, if the gay people want to parents, however
they are not able to be parents, they cannot get marriage. This physical
deformity affect their psychology, mentally they think or accept that they are
not equal to common men. LGBT people face extreme level of mental suppuration;
rather we can say victimization because of their sexual orientation, especially
youth. Higher perceived family, workplace and friendship support reduces
psychological distress in LGBT people. Evidence suggests that a supportive
school environment with clear anti-discrimination and anti-hate crime laws,
LGBT people display lower levels of psychiatric disorders than do LGBT people
in states without such protection. Finally, laws that provide equal rights for
LGBT people would improve mental health. Attorney General Eric Holder’s
decision to expand recognition of same-sex marriage in federal legal matters
such as survivor benefits represents this type of change (Friedman) . Psychologically they suffered, because some desire of LGBT is not
full filed because of their sexual orientation. For that psychologically
depression they need love and support from family and friends, but they not get that support. Family has already leaved
them and nobody wants to be friend of LGTB people. In schools and colleges gay
people feel sexual insult by other normal student, this kind of sexual
harassment, affect psychology of LGBT they feel marginalized and suppressed.
That’s why from the childhood some gay people try to hide their sexual identity
that they are belongs to LGBT community.
Representation of LGBT in Literature and Films
In
literature and film how LGBT people are represented. It is good that they have
given some space in film and fiction. No doubt that in literature and film they
have not given an appropriate space. Film and fiction is good medium for
describing and showing this problem of LGBT people to common people. Literature
and films sensitively express social, cultural, historical and political status
of LGBT people. Gay people time and again face marginalization in mainstream
society and culture, nation and power. Through the help of literature and
cinema (film) Indian writer want to demonstrate experience of LGBT. Their
language, culture, life style, suppuration and many other things are
highlighted in Indian film and fiction. What Sucheta Mallick tries to say is. My
dissertation argues that the representation of queer spaces in Indian literary
and cinematic texts counters the disempowerment of the queer community in
postcolonial India. I analyze a selection of literacy and filmic texts novels,
short stories and a film from colonial India and the Indian Diaspora to
demonstrate how queer space is constituted and configured within the context of
this “unique” ambivalence, which results in a distinct kind of territorial
reclamation. Historians of homoeroticism in the Indian subcontinent-Ruth Vanita
and Saleem Kidwai among them rightly point out that while same-sex desire was
not uniformly valorized or celebrated in pre-colonial India, homosexuality
rarely called for punitive measures before the British instituted the anti-sodomy
law in 1861 (Choudhuri) . With the help of some
well known critics like Ruth Vanita and Saleem Kidwai, it is interesting
explanation of the troubles and what is their position in film and fiction
(literature). No dough that in film they are used for create laughter only.
LGBT present as point of entertain people. In film and some drama film producer
bring this character for crating laughter only, generally they are ridicules
characters. However some film and fiction also tries to shows real problems of
queer, especially homosexuality, for example ‘Gulabi Aaina’ (Pink Mirror) by
Sridhar Rangayan and some other from other director.
This
is the good example that how LGBT people are represent in literature. How they
represent in literature, what are their mantel or psychological effect of how
normal human beings are behave with them. Some time they want to hide their
identity from normal people. Here Mahesh Dattni gives some point from one play,
that what they feel when their identity revel among normal human, especially
when they try to hide their original identity. Sometime LGBT people feel
loneliness, at that time they need someone especially family member for
support. Characterization of
bisexuals - Are They Hypocrites? There is a different opinion between Kamlesh
and Ed, about the photograph. Kamlesh finds it beautiful whereas Ed calls it
ugly and a piece of filth. Ed’s calling it ugly shows that he was not ready to
leave any proof of his gay identity with Kamlesh. He also tries to commit suicide
when he comes to know that Kiran and other people at the party and the wedding
have seen the picture and his gay identity that he wanted to hide was revealed
to the people. The fear, the loneliness and the conflicts of playing the
traditional gender roles are fully displayed in On a Muggy Night in Mumbai. In
many cases, homosexuality may exist by side with heterosexuality. The
socio-psychological identity crisis of the gays, who are torn between the
social taboos and their personal desires, their conscience and social
consciences are discussed in the play On a Muggy Night in Mumbai. Dattani
examines the psychology of persons who are by nature or by choice ‘gays’ or bi-sexual’
and the desire on the part of some of them to term heterosexual, by hiding
their identity (Dattani) . Through literary
works some writer tries to represent the problem of LGBT people. It is
different than one writer represent LGBT in their work from a person who is
LGBT and presents their problems in different way. Now some LGBT people have
also started write fiction. In which they try to shows their struggle against
society, some LGBT writer become famous with the support of their family also. However
they are very few that who get support from their family. The serial “Shakti
Astitva ke Ahesaski” in which they tries to shows problems of LGBT in society
but the main character who is gay, she get support from their family members,
and fight against society. Fight for her existents (Astitva) in society.
Conclusion
It
is proved with the help of those articles that Queer (LGBT) is marginalized in
society. They face social, economical, and physical as well as psychological
problems. LGBT people are also human, accept them as human being. Even their
family member when they come to know that their child is belongs to gay or LGBT
community they kicked out from the house. In working place LGBT people are
become reason of laughter and even if they are do good work they kicked out
from their working place. How LGBT people represented in literature and film.
It shows that people started thinking about those marginalized group of India,
and give them some space in film also. Though they are still not having their
voice, rather says it is marginalized voice in Indian culture and society. Not
only in India but they are known as other or third gender in all over the
world. Queer study introduces some core ideas regarding what is the social,
political, economical, regional and religious status of LGBT. Queer theory originates from the
feminist studies. Because when feminist critic started thinking on direction of
gender biasness and gender studies, at that time they also fight for the
identities of whore (prostitute). From that critique come to know about the
problem of LGBT people. Queer have several problems like homelessness and
family, religious problem, economic means poverty, lack of medical facility,
socially suppressed, mantel depressed. Through literature and criticism writer
and critique try to shows their troubles, and their fight for their survival
and struggle for their existence.
Reading Resource
|
No.
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Name of Article/book/
online source referred for Literature Review
|
|
1.
|
Glossary
of literary term (book)
|
|
2.
|
Beginning
theory (book)
|
|
3.
|
Literary
Theory and Criticism (book)
|
|
4.
|
Eva Kosofsky Sedgwick Epistemology of The
Closet (web)
|
|
5.
|
Queer
Theory in Relation to Epistemology of the Closet
|
|
6.
|
Lesbian,
Gay, Bisexual, Transgender Person & Socioeconomic Status (web)
|
|
7.
|
Backgrounder:
Thinking about Marginalization: What, Who and Why? (Article)
|
|
8.
|
Problems
Faced by LGBT People in the Mainstream Society: Some Recommendations
(Journal, Article)
|
|
9.
|
Gendering
the Narrative (web)
|
|
10.
|
Queering
India (web)
|
|
11.
|
Queer
Theory (Wikipedia)
|
|
12.
|
Queer
Studies (Wikipedia)
|
|
13.
|
Gender
Trouble (web.) Judith Butler
|
|
14.
|
Marginalization
of Gays: A study of Dattani’s On a Muggy Night in Mumbai (pdf)
|
|
15.
|
Queer
Space in Indian Fiction and Film (Research paper)
|
|
16.
|
Queer
sexuality by Rohit Dasgupta (Research paper)
|
|
17.
|
Privileging
the Marginalized voice of gay/lesbian college students (PDF)
|
|
18.
|
A
Pioneer in Queer Theory (web)
|
|
19.
|
Queer
theory in Relation to Epistemology of the Closet (web)
|
|
20.
|
The
Queer Theory essay (web)
|
Bibliography
Chatterjee, Subhrajit. "Problems Faced by LGBT
People in the Mainstream Society: Some Recommendations." International
Journal of Interdisciplinary and Multidisciplinary Studies (IJIMS) 1
(2014): 15.
Choudhuri, Sucheta
Mallick. "Transgressive territories: queer space in Indian fiction and
film." http://ir.uiowa.edu/etd/346. Iowa: University of Iowa,
December 2009. 3-196.
Dattani, Mahesh.
"Marginalization of Gays: A Study of Dattani's On a Muggy Night in
Mumbai." August 2013. languageinidia.com. 3 February 2017
<http://www.languagrinindia.com>.
Friedman, Michael. The
Psychological Impect of LGBT Discrimination. 11 February 2014. 13 January
2017
<http://www.psychologytoday.com/blog/brick-brick/201402/the-psychological-impact-lgbt-discrimination>.
Jenson, Jane.
"Thinking about Marginalization: What, Who and Why? ." November
2000. http://www.cprn.org. Canadian Policy Research Network Inc. (CPRN).
12 January 2017 <http://www.cprn.org>.
Kumar, Pushpesh.
"Queering Indian Sociology A Citical Engagement." Queering Indian
Sociology, Working paper. Hyederabad: Jawaherlal Nehru University, New
Delhi, May 2014. 7-9.
Wikipedia. Queer
theory. July 2011. 26 january 2017
<https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Queer-theory>.
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