Digital queer cultures in India : politics, intimacies, and belonging

Sexuality in India offers an expression of nationalist anxieties and is a significant marker of modernity through which subjectivities are formed among the middle class. This book investigates the everyday experience of queer Indian men on digital spaces. It explores how queer identities are formed in virtual spaces and how the existence of such spaces challenge and critique ‘Indian'-ness. It also looks at the role of class and intimacy within the discourse. This work argues that new media, social networking sites (SNSs), both web and mobile, and related technologies do not exist in isolation; rather they are critically embedded within other social spaces. Similarly, online queer spaces exist parallel to and in conjunction with the larger queer movement in the country. This book will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of gender studies, especially men's and masculinity studies, queer and LGBT studies, media and cultural studies, particularly new media and digital culture, sexuality and identity, politics, sociology and social anthropology, and South Asian studies. Sexuality in India offers an expression of nationalist anxieties and is a significant marker of modernity through which subjectivities are formed among the middle class. This book investigates the everyday experience of queer Indian men on digital spaces. It explores how queer identities are formed in virtual spaces and how the existence of such spaces challenge and critique 'Indian'-ness. It also looks at the role of class and intimacy within the discourse. The work argues that new media, social networking sites (SNS), both web and mobile, and related technologies do not exist in isolation, rather they are critically embedded within other social spaces. Similarly, online queer spaces exist parallel to and in conjunction with the larger queer movement in the country. This book will be of great interest to scholars and researchers of gender studies, especially men's and masculinity studies, queer and LGBT studies, media and cultural studies, particularly new media and digital culture, sexuality and identity, politics, sociology & social anthropology, and South Asian studies Cover......Page 1 Title......Page 6 Copyright......Page 7 Contents......Page 8 List of figures......Page 9 Acknowledgements......Page 10 Introduction......Page 12 1 Postcolonial residues and contemporary sketches......Page 22 2 Media, diversity and emergence of the cyberqueer in India......Page 32 3 Virtual intimacies on digital queer platforms......Page 52 4 ‘Imagined’ queer communities......Page 80 5 Effeminophobia, ‘straight-acting’ and global queering......Page 106 6 Dissident citizenship......Page 135 Conclusion: Pleasures and politics of researching new queer media......Page 165 Appendix 1 Research participants......Page 173 Appendix 2 Research methods......Page 175 Appendix 3 Participant handout......Page 184 Glossary......Page 187 Bibliography......Page 189 Index......Page 204 Cover 1 Title 6 Copyright 7 Contents 8 List of figures 9 Acknowledgements 10 Introduction 12 1 Postcolonial residues and contemporary sketches 22 2 Media, diversity and emergence of the cyberqueer in India 32 3 Virtual intimacies on digital queer platforms 52 4 ‘Imagined’ queer communities 80 5 Effeminophobia, ‘straight-acting’ and global queering 106 6 Dissident citizenship 135 Conclusion: Pleasures and politics of researching new queer media 165 Appendices 173 Appendix 1 Research participants 173 Appendix 2 Research methods 175 Appendix 3 Participant handout 184 Glossary 187 Bibliography 189 Index 204