To Be Or Not To Be- A Question of Identity- A Comparative Study of Me Laxmi, Me Hijra and The Truth About Me- A Hijra Life Story

Abstract

From the existence of human, the two genders, male and female were considered as a significance for identity. On the one side, man was supposed as dominator in the society while one the other side, female played a passive role towards man in the society. Apart from these two genders, another gender existed in modern period which is called as 'transgender'. In the present time, the identity of being hijra or transgender, lesbian, gay has been considered as 'third gender'. In India, Hijra community is despised more than other communities such as Dalit and tribal communities. They suffer discrimination, humiliation and violence of the society throughout of their life. Mostly Hijras, remained as third gender spend their life in dilemma, having question of their identity. Through this comparative study of both autobiographies, Me Laxmi, Me Hijra: An Autobiography of Laxminarayan Tripathi and The Truth About Me: A Hijra Life Story, I analysed that both Revathi and Laxmi were humiliated and discriminated in their childhood due to their transgender identity.
Keywords: Transgender (hijra); Identity; Victim; Discrimination; Third-gender; Rights etc.