A life worth telling

Rao, Meghana (2021) A life worth telling. In: Sexuality, abjection and queer existence in contemporary India. Routledge India, New York, pp. 191-209. ISBN 9781003193531

Text - Published Version Restricted to Registered users only Download (95kB) | Request a copy

Abstract

It is believed that from 2009 to 2010, there were anywhere between 47 and 65 Hijra suicides in Bangalore. Hijra experiences of suicide are unfortunately an oft-recurring narrative within the larger queer community in Bangalore. While these experiences of suicides and suicide attempts are acknowledged in everyday conversations, they are not present within the larger sexuality rights activism. This chapter attempts to understand the reasons for this invisibility of Hijra suicide experiences within the rights discourse. This essay is based on interviews and ethnographic field work conducted in Bangalore between 2013 and 2014 where many Hijra women shared with the author, their experiences of loss of love and betrayal which led to suicide attempts. This chapter contextualizes these experiences of suicide attempts within the transgender rights activism and the larger sexuality rights activism, as well as scholarship on lesbian suicides in India, to understand why Hijra suicides have not emerged as an area for rights-based political action.

Item Type:	Book Section
Authors:	Rao, Meghana
Editors:	Editors Email ORCID Kumar, Pushpesh UNSPECIFIED UNSPECIFIED
Document Language:	Language English
Uncontrolled Keywords:	Area Studies, Development Studies, Environment, Social Work, Urban Studies, Social Sciences
Subjects:	Social sciences > Sociology & anthropology > Groups of people > Ethnic and national groups Social sciences > Groups of people > Ethnic and national groups Social sciences > Political Science > Civil & political rights Public Health
Divisions:	Azim Premji University - Bengaluru > School of Arts and Sciences
Full Text Status:	Restricted
Related URLs:	Library OPAC
URI:	http://publications.azimpremjiuniversity.edu.in/id/eprint/7064
Publisher URL:	https://www.taylorfrancis.com/chapters/edit/10.432...

Actions (login required)

View Item