Constitutional Rights and Social Stigma: A Study of Truth about Me: A Hijra Life Story

Name of Author : Dimple M. Scaria, Dr. R Jinu

Abstract: Being transgender is independent of sexual orientation. The extent to which individual feel genuine, authentic and comfortable with their external appearance and accept their genuine identity has been called transgender congruence. Most transgender people face discrimination in the workplace and in accessing public accommodation and healthcare. In many places, they are not legally protected from discrimination. This paper proposes to study the process and effect of heteronormative gender colonization that the Hijra community of India witness, by taking into account the autobiography of A. Revathi’s The Truth About Me: A Hijra Life Story. The autobiography “is the first of its kind in English from a member of the Hijra community” and it clearly shows how the Hijra community of India suffers lingual, sartorial and economic colonization at the hands of this heteronormative society. It is a travelogue of travails but the intention of the author is not to “seek sympathy from society or government”, but rather to make this heteronormative society aware of the fact that the Hijras are also human—Hijras also have feelings, they too want to be loved and accepted in the society.

Keywords : Transgender, Sexuality, Gender Colonization, Stigma

DOI :