Construction of the Hijra identity

Abstract

The purpose of this research paper was to be able to discern the various focal points that consist in the building of the hijra identity. The paper required a study of the different spaces in a Hijra's life, such as religion, government, the media, and their personal lives. I deployed the method of interpretivism, in my open ended one-on-one structured interviews with the participants. The field work was done in two phases in two separate physical spaces. For this paper I have drawn extensively from the works of Hossain, Nanda, Stenquist and Butler. The findings suggest a definite correlation between a traumatic childhood and the individuals joining the community, rather than the participants willfully chosen lifestyle choice. The gap with the mainstream societies is further solidified due to a lack of education. An important aspect of my research is to investigate the outcome of the 2006 formal acknowledgment from the government of the hijra community and understand in detail the process that was involved in establishing of the aforementioned law.