Positioning Queer in Theatre Mahesh Dattani and Other Voices

Abstract

The innate apprehension of human beings towards phenomena that deviate from their perceived natural order manifests itself in two contrasting ways: the deification of such unnatural or quotdifferentquot entities as gods or goddesses and the convenient vilification of the same entities as social outcasts. When this minority, who are distinct from the majority and part of multiple minority groups, succumbs to the process of creating and perpetuating this negative portrayal, they must carry the stigmatized identity for future generations. Sexual minorities are a group in our society that has faced marginalization and social exclusion. They have also been exposed to oppressive laws, both in the past and present. Social theory largely disregarded the intricate concepts of gender and sexuality during the majority of the nineteenth century and the initial portion of the twentieth century. Consequently, the responsibility of establishing the initial discourse on the interconnectedness of these concepts and their impact on human character and social interactions fell upon the fields of psychology and sexology. Prominent scholars, such as Judith Butler, Eve Kosofsky Sedgwick, and Gayle Rubin who were influenced by the works of Michel Foucault and other notable thinkers, advocated for a profound disentanglement of gender and sexuality. Their objective was to facilitate a comprehensive study of the internal mechanisms involved in the construction of homosexuality and heterosexuality. The term quotqueerquot comprises a wide array of interdisciplinary viewpoints that investigate many aspects of desire, subjectivity, identity, relationality, ethics, and norms. These perspectives are often distinguished by their diversity and occasional contradictions. This study primarily examines the narrative that emerges from writings interpreted as expressions of fluidity about gender and sexuality. This allows for extensive opportunities to engage in debates about the characters, plots, narrative styles, themes, and imagery present in each text. Su