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ABSTRACT
This working note examines the social media presence of Hijra and trans communities in Bangladesh. Visibility filters and representation has created new forms of community making and empowerment. Whilst some of this is created through self representation, this note also argues the role played by international bodies and neoliberal agendas in this creation of online identities. Through an exploration of digital identities, these working notes seek to enrich our understanding of queer, trans and hijra lives in Bangladesh and also help in envisioning radical possibilities of connection and identity.
Acknowledgment
This paper and the work behind it would not have been possible without the support of my supervisor- Rohit K Dasgupta. His enthusiasm, knowledge and attention to detail have been an inspiration and kept my work on track. My friends in the community who have been pseudonymised- Bonita, Sadiul, Arman, Kyle and Mili. I am also grateful for the insightful comments offered by the anonymous peer reviewers at the journal.
Disclosure statement
No potential conflict of interest was reported by the author(s).
Notes
1. Please note: All illustrations have been done by the author.
2. A young person is trained by a guru, or teacher, who will teach the chela, or disciple, in the hijra ways of life. This includes leaving their home to live in community with other hijras, to learn the ritual roles that they perform in a household. It is also used in yogic and Hindu traditions to denote a relationship with the guru, which is especially sacred and significant.
3. On 26 January 2014, the Government of Bangladesh took the policy decision to officially recognise the hijra, popularly considered in Bangladesh as neither men nor women, as Hijra gender. This recognition by the government was praised as a major achievement by civil society and the international community.
4. Though it is an umbrella term including intersex, non binary, gender fluid and many other identities it is also important to think how well that can represent the local subculture of hijrahood. Hijra identity is also often excluded from globally legible terms such as queer, trans etc. or cultural and social specificities are subsumed under globally accessible trans identities. (Sajid 26).
5. This content can be seen here in the following link. After controversy, the campaigners removed it from many platforms. The caption says, apart from men and women, if you consider yourself as a person of other gender, then be a proud partner of national development by participating in the current census-2022 in your own identity: https://www.facebook.com/bandhubsws/videos/769396860907446
6. Bangladesh is among the top five countries where authorities have shut down the internet last year as ‘weapons of control’, according to a global digital rights watchdog. The detail report can be read here: https://www.thedailystar.net/tech-startup/science-gadgets-and-tech/tech-news/news/global-report-internet-shutdowns-bangladesh-ranked-5th-3260651
Additional information
Notes on contributors
Tanvir Alim
Tanvir Alim (He/They) is a PhD candidate in the University of Glasgow. Their work cuts across several disciplines with interests in oral history, identity politics and community organising. Their PhD research is a critical social analysis of contemporary practices of community organizing by sexual and gender minorities in Bangladesh and West Bengal, in comparison with historical and traditional practices.