“Both Sharad and Abhik are very clear that they are attracted to men, that they are in love with each other. The difference between them is that Sharad is not ashamed of it but Abhik is very English educated and is confused.”
Dr Ruth Vanita shared this afterthought on her newest novel, A Slight Angle, during a vodcast conversation with me.
The story is set in the midst of socio-political tensions in pre-independence India of 1920s. Fast forward to 1980s. “At least 20 years before any country legalised same-sex marriage, young women in India were already getting married.”
The Netherlands was the first to legalise same-sex marriage in 2001.
In her other book, Love’s Rite, Ruth uncovers the hidden histories of same-sex unions among women often excluded from mainstream narratives. “There was no larger discourse on marriage equality when these young women were first reported as getting married to each other or committing joint suicide,” she remarks.
These women, who were students, factory workers, agricultural workers, domestic workers, and homemakers from all over the country, existed in a world that did not recognize their love.
Thingring and Roinathy Basumatary from Assam are two such women. They not only sought legal equality but also garnered support from their fellow villagers. “These women were the pioneers and martyrs for the struggle for marriage equality,” Ruth passionately describes.
A striking moment in our conversation was when I used the word queer to describe people whose sexual orientation, gender identity, or gender expression differs from societal norms.
Ruth clarified her stance on the term ‘queer,’ stating, “I don’t use the word queer for my work, for my characters. This is a very recent word.”
She emphasised how historical contexts in ancient civilizations viewed same-sex relationships as natural variations rather than aberrations. “The basic meaning of queer is strange, that hasn’t gone away, that meaning.”
In history, especially in the ancient world, whether it was India, Greece, Rome, China, Japan, Egypt, same sex relationships were not seen as strange. They were seen as natural variations. This is how they are depicted, for example, by Plato and in the Kama Sutra.
This perspective is vividly explored in her works, bridging historical literary traditions and contemporary discussions on sexuality and identity.
(Shruti Kohli is Head of Digital, Special Projects; and Host at NDTV Just Books)
Disclaimer: These are the personal opinions of the author.