Struggle for Existence and Marginalization of the Third Gender in I am Vidya: A Transgender’s Journey

Abstract

Gender and sexuality are socially constructed and not natural. Sex is the polarity of anatomy whereas gender is the polarity of appearance and behaviour. Whenever a discussion of gender is presented it mainly takes place about two genders i.e., male and female. The word ‘gender identity’ too might lead one towards feminism. However, there is another gender which is often neglected. It is the third gender i.e., transgenders who are a complex and internally varied group mostly male born and a few biologically intersex persons, who cross-dress and may or may not undergo voluntary castration. The existence of the third gender is as natural as the existence of male or female. But transgenders are looked down with ridicule, disrespect and are marginalized in the society. The present paper is an attempt to analyse the struggle for existence and marginalization of transgenders in the autobiography of Living Smile Vidya, I am Vidya: A Transgender's Journey.