Gender-based Violence as a(n unfortunately) Formative Force for Personal and Group Identity

• In Event: Emerging Voices in Criminology, Sponsored by ACCCJ and DIC

Abstract

We present work based in which we examine the developmental trajectories of the Thirunangai community, a genderqueer community in Chennai, Tamil Nadu, India, focusing on their experiences of violence, discrimination, and the eventual formation of self and community identity. Through the analysis of fifty interviews, we investigate how Thirunangai individuals navigate their gender identity and expression in the face of familial responses and the broader socio-cultural context. The findings of the study highlight pervasive gender-related discrimination and violence from natal families, posing significant challenges for genderqueer individuals in realizing and embracing their authentic selves. Furthermore, our research sheds light on the resilient response of the Thirunangai community in the aftermath of violence and isolation, revealing the emergence of a sense of pride and supportive structures within their own communities. Our study highlights a critical gap in the understanding of violence experienced by gender non-conforming individuals, particularly in the global South, and we advocate the importance of recognizing diverse family dynamics and community support systems in policy-making to address and mitigate gendered violence, alongside calling for future criminological research that is inclusive of experiences of gender non- conforming individuals in diverse cultural contexts.

Authors

• Dhanya Babu, John Jay College of Criminal Justice / CUNY Graduate Center

• Kwan-Lamar Blount-Hill, Arizona State University