QUEER AESTHETICS AND THE POETICS OF IDENTITY: A LITERARY REAPPRAISAL OF LGBTQIA NARRATIVES

Abstract

The rainbow representation of LGBTQIA identities in Indian and global literary traditions underscores literature as a vital domain for negotiating visibility, resistance, and cultural relevance. Even though LGBT lives have often been disregarded, erased, or hidden in mainstream texts, they have also survived in ways that challenge traditional ideas about desire, gender, and physical identity. This study examines the changing frameworks that influence LGBT identities, scrutinizing their formation, challenge, and reclamation across various historical periods. Employing queer theory, intersectionality, and postcolonial critique, the study highlights the tension between indigenous expressions of gender diversity and the heteronormative frameworks imposed by colonial modernity. The research compares South Asian narrative traditions with global gay literatures, encompassing ancient philosophical works to modern activist writings, thereby highlighting both the similarities in narrative techniques and the uniqueness of local histories shaped by caste, religion, and nationalism. The study, utilizing significant ideas from esteemed scholars, asserts that LGBTQIA literary production is neither peripheral nor accidental; it is essential for understanding cultural histories, identity formation, and the politics of representation. The study underscores the transformative role of narrative in creating more inclusive queer imaginaries, demonstrating literature's ability to record marginalized experiences and envision alternative futures.