• Dhidhiya A Jaleel

Gender Fluidity, an abscond transition of Life; Through A. Revathi's autobiography The Truth about me, A Hijra Life story and Chup, breaking the silence about India’s Women by Dr Deepa Narayan. Dhidhiya A Jaleel, MA English Amrita Vishwa Vidyapeetham, Kochi Gender identity is the extent in which one associate’s or identifies themselves to be Masculine or Feminine. It is their personal will on what they want to be identified with. Gender identity is self-identified while Gender role is manifested within the society, forcing one to live by the patriarchal rules. Sex refers to the physical differences between male and female. A baby boy who is born with male genitalia will be identified as male. However, as he grows, he may be identified with the feminine aspects of his culture. The truth about me is about the everyday experience of suffering, oppression, injustice, and also about the happiness, joy and self-love. This autobiography is about setting free the soul that was shamed by the society. Her life changed from a very young age when the realization dawned about her feminine interests and her irresistible attraction towards men. Being a middle class Tamilian boy, his ways were closed. He didn’t know how to conceal his identity neither did he know about the changes that was happening to his body. His likes towards skirt and blouse rather than pants and shirt are rather taunted by the family and relatives. At a very young age, when the society didn’t accept him for what he was, the only way left was to leave everything behind and find his own way. Revathi, in her never-ending quest for happiness first fled from her village to Delhi in search of her liked. There she removed her sexual organs to adapt the feminine beauty, to adapt what she always felt inside. There were hurdles, sufferings, pain and loss, but in the end, he was able to adapt his true identity, Her. Chup, breaking the silence about India’s women, by Deepa Narayan is a book of research on the woman of India. It is an eye opener for every woman who undergo abuse even without knowing through misogynistic acts. The subtlety of these acts is so scary that are our older generations are brainwashed to believe these acts mean justice. Narayan’s book gave us a way to see the life of many women with untold stories, who are suppressed to the four walls of confinement as a part of cultural conditioning the country. We see the story of Meera from Delhi, who grew up in a middle-class family with her grandparents, parents, aunt and uncle. It is said that when her father holds a strong opinion for himself but claims to be liberal in thoughts, her mother is a silent observer as well as good listener and a wife. What was expected of Meera was to be in a medical profession when she in real wanted to do psychology. This unacceptability of forcing others will leads oppression and then comes, depression. She ran away after three weeks of being in medical school to follow her profession what whatever that was left in her hand. This forcibility of ending up in such situation itself comes when one’s own dream and life is suppressed. With no other option, she started staying with women who are sex workers in order to survive. She took care of their kids, while they went for work. After one month, her family arrived with police and took her back home. The author raises a question, did you feel safe staying with the sex workers? The answer probably is what everyone knows. In an Indian household, Meera didn’t feel safe. Her existence didn’t matter neither her voice. Her independency was put at hold, and until her father acknowledges her existence, she was not alive. But with them, she got the family she craved for, the acceptance she desired. From a very young age, we the women of India are taught to do things quietly; walk quietly, sit quietly, no opinions unless asked, be invisible until you are called out. True to words, this book did hold a mirror to every Indian Woman, to every India’s daughter. Chapter one covers the general aspects of society to the India’s women. This section gives a view on how the patriarchy and misogynistic acts out view the oppression and struggle in real life hold. Chapter two tells the tales of India’s daughter along with A. Revathi’s autobiography and as a medium of acceptance to all the gender with equal rights and power. This research in conclusion perceives relevant findings and real-life stories that outbreaks the patriarchal male dominant society.

"Women breaking the silence: An analysis on the truth about me, A hijra life story by A Revathi and Chup: Breaking the silence about India’s women by Dr Deepa Narayan", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 9, page no.f239-f258, September-2022, Available :http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2209554.pdf

"Women breaking the silence: An analysis on the truth about me, A hijra life story by A Revathi and Chup: Breaking the silence about India’s women by Dr Deepa Narayan", International Journal of Emerging Technologies and Innovative Research (www.jetir.org | UGC and issn Approved), ISSN:2349-5162, Vol.9, Issue 9, page no. ppf239-f258, September-2022, Available at : http://www.jetir.org/papers/JETIR2209554.pdf