BJP’s war on self-identification: Why does misogyny still get free pass?

BJP’s war on self-identification: Why does misogyny still get free pass? | South Central 67

2 months ago 45

In this week’s South Central, hosts Dhanya Rajendran and Pooja Prasanna first discuss the Transgender Persons Amendment Bill 2026, which has triggered protests across the country. They are joined by advocate Arvind Narrain of the Alternative Law Forum, who was part of the panel of lawyers who fought for IPC 377 to be struck down. Joining in is also Rumi Harish, a musician and a queer, trans, masculine and social justice activist. “We must begin from the 2014 NALSA judgement, which allowed the trans community to express their gender and self-identify. Following it, a private member’s Bill was introduced to protect transgender persons, but that did not get passed. Later, an Act was passed, but it was also protested against since it did not fully encompass the self-identification aspect, which is deeply connected to the right to expression and dignity. However, it included in its ambit several persons, including traditional communities like Hijras, Kinnars, Jogtas, and Aravanis. What the current Amendment does is it narrows that definition. It says that transgender does not include trans men and trans women, and only includes traditional identities. When you recognise rights, you cannot take them away. That is the fundamental problem here,” explains Arvind. Dhanya asks Rumi about how self-identification has worked in the last few years. “We have a Constitution which supports self-identification, and it was officially recognised by the NALSA judgement. Transgender rights have also evolved, so when the 2014 judgement came, and the Act came later, we have gone quite far with research and work about the lives of trans persons. This new Bill is abysmally going back,” Rumi says. Pooja points out how the gaze here is also medical, biological, and legal. Arvind says that the range of protections is now only applicable to the four traditional identities, intersex individuals, and those who are forced into being transgender. “Self-identification is also restricted to the four traditional communities. Transmen or women cannot self-identify since they are outside the framework. The projection is that this is for the communities, but that is not true. The language is also problematic. Terms like eunuchs, mutilation, etc., are used. The process also says that among these protected categories, you need to go to a medical board and then before the district Magistrate to get a certificate. But a great discretion is given to these authorities to accept or reject it,” he adds. Dhanya says that the element of coercion is also reminiscent of the anti-conversion law, where anyone can oppose. “This opens up the possibility of anyone, including the natal families, coming up and opposing a person’s identification as transgender,” she says. “The problem here is with the choice- they have a problem with the choice of a person to say it is their body and their right to define it,” Arvind says. The panel then delves into questions of how the Bill uses ambiguous language and opens up several opportunities for transgender individuals to be isolated. In the second part of the episode, the hosts discuss the controversy over the vulgar lyrics of the new song from the movie KD: The Devil, and the problematic gaze of item songs. They are joined by TNM senior reporter Shivani Kava and Associate Editor Sukanya Shaji. Dhanya explains how the Hindi version of the song titled Sarke Chunariya was removed from YouTube because of the vulgar lyrics. She also explains how the tricky part is about the lyrics. “The Hindi version, the person credited with lyrics said that the director Prem wrote the song, which he only translated verbatim,” she says. Sukanya says that the problem is with the gaze and the whole idea of an “item”. “This gaze problem has always been there. Even in Malayalam films, the black and white ones, there would be a cabaret dance number, only to embellish the villain. The outrage cannot just be about one song or one piece of lyrics; it has to be about how someone can be called an item. It also has to be about how much control the performer has, for whose gaze it is picturised, who is picturising it, and what purpose it serves,” she adds. 0:00 - Introductions 02:21 - Headlines 11:20 - Trans Bill 2026 43:16 - KD Song Lyrics 01:13:56 - Recommendations Help us meet our annual target by March 31: https://rzp.io/l/ba1to8acam Power our election coverage: https://rzp.io/rzp/zTQadhQFFT Unpack story behind bulldozers in Kashi: https://rzp.io/rzp/nl6yv82bk Join the #FightToBreathe: https://rzp.io/rzp/T4Ob0FCb Download the accessible Newslaundry app: https://www.newslaundry.com/download-app Join us on WhatsApp: https://whatsapp.com/channel/0029Va61PEo0QeacOqU9vr2k Follow and engage with us on social media: Facebook: https://facebook.com/newslaundry Twitter: https://twitter.com/newslaundry Instagram: https://instagram.com/newslaundry

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