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Abstract:
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This thesis discusses the ideological and political composition of the contemporary queer community in India . It is specifically concerned with the ways in which transgender /gender variant identities are represented within Indian queer scholarship and queer organizations in the subcontinent . At present , transgender /gender variant studies of South Asia are primarily confined to research on hijra and other trans feminine gender communities . While this research is important , this thesis seeks to expand the understanding of transgenderism /gender variance in South Asia by examining other transgender identities , including trans masculine identities , as well as analyzing Indian discourses on gender and sexuality more broadly . By examining Indian queer scholarship and the politics of contemporary queer organizations , I find that transgender /gender variant individuals face greater forms of marginalization within the contemporary queer movement in India because of the silence surrounding their gender identities . |