Inconvenient Sexuality: Our traditional wisdom in gender identification
8 Aug 2010, 0250 hrs IST,Pankaj Molekhi,ET Bureau
http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/People/articleshow/6272965.cmsEarly last week, French fashion house Givenchy caused a minor stir when it disclosed that one of the models in its latest ad campaign for the autumn collection is a transsexual. Italo-Brazilian model Lea T, born Leo, has also posed for fashion magazine Vogue and is the current sensation on high-end fashion street.
A similar, minor ripple was caused closer home when Penguin India published The Truth About Me: A Hijra's Life Story in mid-July. Written by A Revathi, born Doraiswamy, The Truth... is not merely a piercing tale of the transgender community in our country but also an iconoclastic approach to our traditional wisdom. It questioned our black & white approach in matters related to gender and sexuality. "While addressing a person on the basis of gender, we often take the easy route," says Revathi. "We have conveniently forgotten the grey shades of sexuality; thus, if you do not fall in the category of a man or a woman, you are seen as abnormal. Tell me can't a teacher have a singer hidden inside him or her? If we can have multiple talents and capacities hidden in us, why not multiple sexuality?" Such wisdom came the hard way for Revathi. And that she was born in a far-flung village, made her journey tougher.
