India has always been a country that has not only embraced but cherished binary free genders and non conformist gender performance. Before I present the argument of this paper, I would like to shine a light on the topic I have chosen. Popular media has always seen sexuality from a linear perspective, the beginning of the conversation around homosexuality has also been narrow and often discouraged absolute inclusion. The LGBTQ+ (Lesbian Gays Trans Queer plus other genders) community is marking its visibility day by day all over the world; however in India’s history and culture this community has had more visibility than in European or American culture. Colonization of India created rigid gender roles which also mirrored Eurocentric values.
This rings true in native America and Africa (where there is evidence of more than two genders in language as well as the culture) too where Europeans refused to recognize more than two genders. Before I present a historic background of India’s journey of gender and homosexuality I would like to define some important terms.
