On Stability

Hetero-normative claims such as, "Society is more stable when marriage is defined as between one man and one woman," make me wonder if stability implies resistance to change or an enduring state of mindlessness or both.

On a related note, I just added this book to my list of must-reads: Vanita, R. (2005). Love's rite: same sex marriage in India and the West. Array New York: Palgrave Macmillan. A slight peek: When a Shaiva priest from India was asked to perform a wedding for two women in 2002, he hesitated at first but then agreed. Vanita: "He told me that when the women requested him to officiate at their wedding he thought about it and, though he realized that other priests in his lineage might disagree with him, he concluded, on the basis of Hindu scriptures, that, 'marriage is a union of spirits, and the spirit is not male or female" (p. 147).

Social Justice and Social Media

Indian film director, writer and producer, Onir has taken the power and pervasiveness of social media to a different level. Along with actor-producer Sanjay Suri, he is currently filming a series of 4 short films on the theme of fear and identity. Collectively entitled, "I AM," this project uses social media to not just promote each of the shorts, but also invite individuals to help shape their stories, raise funds and most importantly, become their proud co-owners.

Onir's initiative is remarkable. Integrating independent content-oriented cinema with popular web-based technologies, it aims to spread awareness on sensitive issues such as sexuality and religion by involving people at various levels of film-making, and transforming them from "content consumers to content producers."

"Four stories...One film: I AM," as the tagline reads, is a film about four identities.

(From the website):

I AM Abhimanyu is a film based on the survivors of abuse, G. Nalari and H. Iyer.

I AM Omar is inspired from stories by gay individuals in Bombay. It is a film dealing with homosexuality and its complex interplay with fear, social acceptance and the desire to love freely.

I AM Afia is based on the true story of R. Kohli and her quest to bring to light the corruption in the NGO sector in India.

I AM Megha is a story of a Kashmiri Pandit woman and her confrontation with a horrific past, one centering on the displacement of her community and the search for freedom and place in democracy.

Already more than 250 volunteers from over 20 cities around the world have contributed in various ways to make this film. To become a co-owner and learn more about this initiative, visit the website: I AM Films. To keep track of ongoing developments, visit the blog: I am Abhimanyu.

Patriarchy Revisited

From the film: Mirch Masala (1985) by Ketan Mehta

The Bell Bajao (Ring the Bell!) Campaign is Breakthrough's new and growing campaign to help bring to our attention the grossness of domestic violence in India. It encourages people, especially men and young boys to become involved in this project, and to help bring any form of ongoing physical, psychological, sexual or financial violence within families to halt. The campaign blog is currently carrying a heart wrenching story on an otherwise archaic yet enduring evil practice in Indian society - the marriage of the girl-child. Entitled, "Without a Whimper," and penned ever so thoughtfully by dear friend Aham, it hits us exactly where we live - between the head and the heart.

The abuse of the girl-child in the name of marriage is infuriating and unpardonable. The practice needs to be condemned, but more importantly, it needs to be examined in the context of patriarchy - what it produces and who it privileges. Here is my provocation: patriarchy has its roots in the concept of man as the provider, and woman as the producer. This binary has traditionally privileged man who impregnates and provides the seed for the growth of family, and the male-child, who upon growing up is expected to then provide for the family, in economic terms, even if that means trading his own girl-child. Sadly, as a producer, the girl is considered nothing but a commodity - interchangeable in the market controlled by men.

What we need is to challenge our binary thinking, go beyond the dichotomies of provider-producer, and think of the body as one doing both irrespective of gender and/or sex. Quite in the humanist Marxist sense, production needs to be looked at as both mental (creative) and material (bodily), and their constant interactions in real time-space. Both men and women contribute to this in unique ways. It is in this context that they are also both different and equal. Notwithstanding the tensions between them, this perspective at least offers them the much desired equal footing, for presently even the founding plane has little room for the girl-child growing-up.

India, bell bajao!

On Work

Too many developments on this front. Where do I start? What do I include? Let me attempt:

1. A-Team Year 2: Yes, folks! I decided to serve on the Student Advisory Board, now in its second year. The experience from previous academic year was just so wonderful. Besides, projects started and conversations shared over the last one year in part, needed to be carried over, discussed and given a direction with members, both continuing and new. The new board is brimming with energy from undergraduate and graduate students alike. As with last year, this time too we were successful in identifying several interesting issues in our very first meeting. More on that later.

2. Global village dinner + talk: As a member of the Advisory Board, I was invited to be part of Tuesday dinner + talk at the international resident house on campus. As is the tradition at the House, a community dinner is served every Tuesday evening during the School year. Housemates take turns preparing meals for the larger group, and a free dinner is planned with invited speaker/s. The talk this past Tuesday was entitled, "Understanding homosexuality and learning to be allies." Joining me, were representatives each from the SC and the International Center.

Our talk generated great discussion. The members of the House were patient, they heard our stories, shared their experiences, and were extremely encouraging of our spirits. I spoke about my experiences on campus, my volunteer work and my understanding of the complexity in and around human sexuality in India. From Sec 377 and ancient texts to archaic morality and its role and meaning vis-a-vis constitutional morality, I presented a spectrum of issues centering on what it means to be gay. The end note was one of a just and more tolerant tomorrow, and most memorable was the concluding question, "How would Gandhi have reacted to this struggle?"

3. Meeting with the VP, Division of Student Affairs: Brilliant! The Advisory Board met with Ms. Harper yesterday to understand the institutional framework, and how best to approach our current concerns for an all inclusive climate on campus. As always, she was extremely supportive of our thoughts and ideas. She even connected them to some of her own experiences, both personal and professional. Words of wisdom included thoughts such as, "move slow but keep pushing and continue making progress," "there are always many gifts out of struggle, but if you look only at struggle then you miss out on gifts," and "it is important to understand what your 'calling' is. This defines work and sets it apart from job." For people like her and Jackie, this world is ever so bright and wonderful.

Cheers!

GLBT History Month 2009

It's October: the GLBT History Month in the United States. The event brings to attention the achievements of 31 GLBT individuals whose work is an ongoing inspiration. As with last year, I will populate this space with thoughts from 2009 GLBT icons. Stay tuned!

@micro.updates #1

"@micro.updates" are carefully sifted dispatches from my micro-publishing site. Here is one kaleidoscopic set from 082109 to 092109. It includes: Judith Butler's thought-provoking comment; reactions to current news and related articles; tidbits of my personal lived experiences.

- (...) Re: "(O)nce the theatre." Wonder if the prejudices are already a thing of the past or is he happy w/ their current continental shift? 091009

- (...) The article helped me quickly (re)realize that activism driven by empathy is not a choice. Thanks. :) 091009 (3/3)

- (...) It isn't the article per se that is troubling. It's the globality of such atrocities, whether everyday or not, that concerns me. 091009 (2/3)

- (...) That article is so troubling, N! Atrocities in the name of public order, morality, culture - what is *man* thinking? 091009 (1/3)

- Back from the Open House where this years awardees wore tired looks and I gave an embarrassed wave when introduced. 080809

- Afternoon distraction: "Historicizing the Subject of Desire" (in How to do the History of Homosexuality) by David Halperin (...). 080509

- Re: Harvey Milk Day debate. Time and again, the moronic term "lifestyle" gets associated with all sexualities other than straight. Grow up! 090409

- Yes, human rights is a relational notion/practice RT @mallikadutt If we all just practiced human rights at home, we would have a decent world. 090209

- "I repose the Qs & they become complicated. I don't try to reconcile my works w/ each other. They're part of rediscovery" (J.Butler). 082109

Quote

On identity, J. Butler speaks my mind:
"Yes, I am lesbian, I am gay but do I subscribe to everything that the gay movement says? Do I always come out as a lesbian and gay person first before say, I am a woman or before I am Jew or before I am an American or a citizen or a philosopher ... No, it's not the only identity. So these are communities where one belongs and one does not belong and it seems to me we travel, I travel ..." (Judith Butler, 2006).

Opening thoughts from a documentary on American post-structuralist philosopher Judith Butler entitled, "Judith Butler: philosophe en tout genre," ARTE, 2006. The Interview is in English with subtitles in French. You can also watch parts of this film on YouTube: Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, and Part 6.