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This book engages with the discourses on human rights as they apply to the transgender or the hijra community in India, capturing not only their larger struggle for legal rights and dignity but also their personal hardships. It situates the issues and concerns of the Indian transgender community within a global context to explore the extent of social justice in independent India.By narrating stories of individuals, local movements and activities of groups like the Association of Transgender/Hijra in Bengal (ATHB) and others, the book gives context to the changes that globalisation has brought to the narrative around transgenders in India. This shift has challenged their marginalisation and has led to stories, films and queer individuals like Chapal Bhaduri – the jatra rani – and the iconic filmmaker Rituparno Ghosh to flourish and become relevant. This book brings these literatures and personal stories to the fore, allowing readers to perceive the changes and the challenges that Indian society faces when it comes to ensuring the rights for transgender people.This volume will be of interest to scholars of gender studies, queer studies, literature and social work along with readers who want to engage with the transgender movement and community in India.

Transgender India: Understanding Third Gender Identities and Experiences provides the first scholarly study of hijras, transmen, and other third gender Indians from the perspective of a range of disciplines in the behavioral and social sciences, as well as the humanities. This book fosters a dialogue across academic fields, as authors cross-reference each other's chapters, comparing and contrasting their views of transgender experience and identity in India. This multidisciplinary approach helps readers understand the complex interplay of factors that have led to discrimination against third gender individuals, as well as paths forward to a more equitable and just future, in ways that go beyond the perspective of a single academic field. This multidisciplinary approach is the book's most distinctive feature in comparison to existing works limited to individual fields such as anthropology, investigative journalism, and history. The broad scope of Transgender Indiais relevant to scholars and students in diverse disciplines who seek a greater and more nuanced understanding of the behavioral and societal impact of these issues.