A Discordant Harmony – A Critical Evaluation of the Queer Theory from an Indian Perspective (original) (raw)
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The paper is an attempt to understand the concept ofqueer in the Indian context. The first part of the paper tries to look into the relationship between women ~ movements and sexuality rights groups analysing what it means to be a queer in a feminist space and to be a feminist in a queer context. The second part of the paper looks at how sex work can be understood through queer theory and queer politics. For this, the paper addresses the debates on the definitions of who is a sex worker and the rights of sex workers raised by sex workers' organizations/ movements. The autobiography of a sex worker by Nalini Jameela from Kerala, south India is used as a case study to analyse the usefulness of the concept of queer. Being Queer The term queer, as a way forward from a coalition of identities-LGBT (lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender/sexual)-has brought in a space where there are new discussions and debates around the possibilities of seeing the interconnections between sex, gender and sexuality. However, being another 'imported' concept, there is a bit of anonymity and strangeness towards the term. This paper attempts to understand the meanings and definitions of the term/concept 'queer' in Western theoretical debates in comparison with how it is used in the Indian context. The meaning of the term queer in the Indian context is derived from the definitions and debates of the sexuality rights groups in the country on the rights of the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender/sexual communities. The relationship between sexuality rights groups, sex workers' movement and women's movements in the country shapes a different meaning to the conceptual meaning of the term. The first part of the paper tries to look into the definitions of the concept and politics of being queer in Western writings. This exercise