Sexuality In Urban Middle Class Bangladesh Economics Essay

Being a Muslim dominated inhabitants with a combined tradition of Hinduism, Buddhism and Islam- Bangladesh is a at a vital but intriguing level in historical past the place it struggles to be a part of a globalized world and nonetheless preserve a moderately conservative social-culture. Intercourse is a taboo matter and sexuality is strictly understood inside ‘heteronormative’ framework, inside which although ‘deviance’ for males is tolerated and infrequently ignored however the identical for girls isalmost denied.

The paper, is derived from my very own PhD discipline analysis work (on Girls and Sexuality in city center class Bangladesh),goals to discover and perceive how particular person non-heterosexual ladies dwell, problem or ‘counter’ heteronormativity in city center class Bangladesh via ladies’s private narratives. It goals to inquire how ladies, of this explicit class, of their lives outline, assert and observe their very own sexuality and sexual identity- which incorporates fixed means of negotiation, discount, manipulation, conciliation, and methods. Utilizing the idea of heteronormativity, the paper, due to its limitation of scope, narrows right down to non-heterosexual ladies’s personal narratives of ‘identification’ formation inside their center class existence in Bangladesh, and thus, hope to open area for understanding of how heteronormativity works and operates within the sexual lives and identities of girls.

The paper is printed as such:

Part 1: Contextual Background: Bangladesh;

Part 2: Ideas presents the paper’s understanding of sexuality and heteronormativity, in addition to analysis questions and methodology;

Part three: Dwelling Sexualities and never speaking so ‘straight’, identification formation of non-heterosexual ladies;

Part four: The ‘Invisible’ ladies, during which I speak in regards to the invisibility and social exclusion of non-heterosexual ladies in mainstream social lives in addition to from the LGBT motion/group.

Part 5: conclusion.

Part 1: Contextual Background Bangladesh

Bangladesh is a South Asian creating nation, and is among the largest Muslim nations of the world, which implies Bangladesh has Islam as its official State Faith, is dominated by Muslim (particularly the Sunni Muslim) and Islamic norms and practices. This affect has main implications on state coverage, tradition and the lives of spiritual minorities. Bangladesh has a inhabitants of about 140 million, making it one of the densely populated nations of the world. The bulk (about 88%) of the individuals is Muslim, and over 98% of the individuals converse in Bangla (Statistical Pocket Ebook of Bangladesh, 2007). Bangladesh is a extremely patriarchal society during which males are at prime of gender energy, and have management over ladies`s labour, sexuality, revenue, and assets- each via private and non-private sphere domination system. Girls are taught and infrequently made to depend upon males all through their lives (fathers, husbands and sons); and a lady with none male `guardian` or safety is seen as susceptible. Marriage is a norm, and obligatory heterosexuality is the normative type of accepted sexuality. Due to conservation social tradition and dominance of faith, any deviance from norm has social or authorized penalties, particularly if deviance is of sexual nature. constitutionally (Article 377 homosexuality is a punishable crime, and there’s no provision of marriage or civil union for same-sex relation or any gender identification apart from female and male. Modesty and chastity are of paramount significance for girls, and the idea of defending `household honour` or `izzat` sees into the management of feminine sexuality. In Bangladesh feminine sexuality is usually managed via denial of entry to info on intercourse, sexuality and reproductive perform. (Khan et al 2002; Rashid 2007). In spite being a Muslim dominated and culturally conservative society, Bangladesh sees a way more relaxed gender relations and sharing of areas in comparison with many different Islamic nations, and the strict notion of `private and non-private` may be, and infrequently is, a blurry one, the place ladies transfer out and in of male domains.[1] The UNDP Gender Improvement Index (GDI) for 2004 ranked Bangladesh 110 amongst 144 nations, a rise of 13 positions since 1999.[2] Girls`s participation in public work locations have elevated within the current years and regular enhance in ladies`s participation in training, labour market and politics has contributed to an improved gender scenario in Bangladesh, however on the similar time, this enhance in `path-crossing` of private and non-private and independence has made the problem of sexuality, identification and its assertion a extra problematic and challenged one.

Part 2: The ideas

I perceive sexuality from a feminist perspective:

Sexuality refers to … points of non-public and social life which have erotic significance’, not solely ‘particular person erotic wishes, practices and identities’ but additionally the discourses and social preparations which assemble erotic potentialities at anyone time.

(Andermahr, Lovell and Wolkowitz (1997) quoting Jackson and Scott, (1996) as: 1997:245)

It due to this fact, acknowledges the truth that what’s outlined as erotic varies from context to context, and due to this fact, what’s encompassed by the time period is much from fastened. However I do take this definition of sexuality as an entry level for this analysis as a result of a) it lists what’s broadly included in sexuality: erotic wishes, practices and identities- thus scoping it from an intimate private level to a broader subject of identification; b) it relates the non-public with social, particularly inside discourses that create social preparations, and faith is a dominant discourse in most societies that constructs ‘erotic potentialities’, particularly on this case for girls; c) it specifies that every one these are time and context particular, due to this fact, permitting me to justify my examine of a particular class context and time line.

My examine is located in a small however rising physique of literature on ladies’s sexuality in Bangladesh. Sexuality research in Bangladesh, particularly ladies’s sexuality research, are a current phenomenon, however one thing that’s gaining significance slowly and steadily. On a broad degree, I’m taken with sexuality as a subject and ladies’s sexuality specifically. Totally different approaches to sexuality solely show that sexuality doesn’t have one or ready-made theoretical framework, which might be prescribed for a analysis like this. However, as a result of this can be a examine about relations between sexuality and sophistication and gender- particularly ladies’s sexuality – a broader analytical framework used right here can be a social constructionist one, taking gender as an analytical software. The understanding is that sexuality is socially constructed in addition to subjective; and that its meanings are expressed in language (discourses) in addition to actions (practices).

What lies on the core of this analysis are the ideas of: heteronormativity, Sexuality and Gender. Heteronormativity: why is it central to the analysis?

‘…the query shouldn’t be whether or not (hetero) sexuality is pure. All points of our social world – pure or in any other case – are given that means. The true subject is, how we give that means to heterosexuality and what pursuits are served by these meanings…With no systematic evaluation of this establishment (i.e. heterosexuality) – varied questions go unanswered…the broader query at hand, ‘who decides what counts as applicable and needed and underneath what circumstances is their authority reputable? It’s cultural that means methods that decide (with our settlement, after all) what counts as pure or unnatural. And it’s cultural that means methods that regulate what must be the ‘correct’ remedy or response to something ‘inappropriate’ or ‘unnatural. (Ingraham, 2002:73-74)

This analysis goals to interact itself with a spread of particular person assertion that ladies make to problem or ‘counter’ heteronormativity in Bangladesh, particularly within the instances of non-heterosexual ladies. In that course of, it additionally goals to grasp and query the dominant, its building by way of influential parts/phenomenon like historical past, politics, class, faith and many others. As indicated by many researches[3], it’s of paramount significance to hint the historical past or mapping of a time period, for instance, right here heteronormativity, within the particular context of the examine (right here Bangladesh). As Bangladesh is a comparatively new nation, was a part of the Indian sub-continent, due to this fact, a part of the British colony, this mapping of course of via historical past may be understood by researches completed within the continent, particularly in India (which is ample and wealthy). The route often would take one via the processes over the 19th century the place two opposed tendencies or forces- British colonial interventions and emergence of latest nations- got here collectively to create the identical impact of erasing homoeroticism and naturalizing heterosexuality (Menon, 2007:eight). Particular research on Bengal (which incorporates each current Bangladesh and Indian state of Bengal) reveal how modernity, with its affect of training, created a dominant ‘Bhadrolok’ (gents) methods of issues for each masculinity and femininity, and thus reinforcing the great housewife-ideal marriage type of heteronormativity as norm.

Heteronormativity is critical to check sexuality as a result of it produces explicit types of household, gendered identities, and makes solely sure wishes as pure, acceptable and as one thing which have existed via eternity- and far of those are institutionalized and continued via mechanism of state and its legal guidelines. However a cautious examine of the time period in its conceptual and historic mapping solely reveals the porosity and instability of the binaries and limits that represent heteronormativity- the duty is to query or interrogate these via the lived experiences of people.

I undertake the lens of heteronormativity, in its broader, all inclusive meaning- it could enable me to grasp class, gender, energy, identification, subordination in addition to agency- and faith would inevitably be a part of these revelations. It could additionally enable me to research what constructs the dominant norms, picture and illustration of sexuality for girls in modern Bangladesh, and particular person’s life tales and narrations will assist me to grasp each the dominant in addition to the options which might be lived by individuals, a minimum of of their personal realms of life.

Hetronormativity, as it’s an analytical framework for this analysis, shouldn’t be solely understood as ‘obligatory heterosexuality’, as it could then solely imply to be challenged by homosexuality. However heteronormativity can and also needs to be understood past this scope of homosexuality or same-sex relations, as one may be heterosexual and never be heteronormative- as a result of the crux of the matter shouldn’t be solely what’s the sexual desire of a person or how one is ‘match’ right into a the hegemonic heterosexual classes, however to grasp whether or not an individual conform to a/some social formation that emphasizes on or constructed on a heterosexual patriarchal monogamous household unit, largely throughout the framework of marriage. On this mild, it’s not solely individuals who have same-sex preferences, but additionally those that are both stay single, and sexually lively exterior marriage, or have youngsters exterior marriage- in different phrases who embrace sexuality, motherhood and many others exterior the heteronormative social norms and limits of this given society and thus transgress heteronormative ideology which is anticipated to be the ‘basis’ of the social identities of its members, particularly of girls. But it surely additionally stays conscious of the truth that there are energy dynamics which might be based mostly on gender roles (typically replaying the dominant norms) and gender subordination in all relationships, be it similar intercourse or heterosexual- as gendered roles and consequent subordination are based mostly on variations between particular person entry and management of assets, which once more, in flip is expounded to the category subject in a method or the others. Due to this fact, a hyperlink between gender subordination and heteronormativity is to be explored in particular person’s lived experiences of sexuality.

The main focus of this examine is city center class, which I contemplate as a big class for quite a lot of causes. It will be important as a result of it’s a class that’s changing into focus of research in South Asia within the context of globalization and liberalization because it has expanded as a category which advantages from the neo-liberal financial system. Moreover, liberalization has affected the financial points of its peoples’ lives, but additionally existence by way of consumption, decisions, mobility and many others. Together with these, there are the altering influences of faith (together with fundamentalism) and the methods gender relations and representations, energy dynamics particularly inside households, and extra relevantly for this analysis, the adjustments in sexuality and identification discourses – thus linking it to the broader ongoing debates on tradition and modernity in South Asia. I’m conscious of the truth that ‘center class’ as a generic time period is problematic as there’s definitely no fastened definition or revenue degree that ‘bins’ this class.

This explicit paper has a particular set of analysis questions:

• How do non-heterosexual ladies type their sexual identities in city center class Bangladesh?
• How do ladies in same-sex relationships negotiate, problem, resist, reinforce and/or make use of heteronormative methods of center class life-style?

As part of PhD analysis work, non-heterosexual ladies shaped one of many three teams of people who I collected life-stories of, and in whole there are 10 narratives of non-heterosexual ladies that might be used for this paper.

Part three: Dwelling Sexualities and never speaking so ‘straight’

three.1 How can we speak about intercourse, sexuality and need in modern city Bangla: heternormativity constructed via on a regular basis language

The development of heteronormativity in public discourse in Bangladesh is clearly multi-faceted, and is a fancy process. Sexuality and its building may be present in standard media, literature and on non secular discourse. However for the aim of this paper, i’ve chosen the on a regular basis phrases and phrases of sexuality which might be generally utilized in city contexts, particularly inside center class educated youth.

Bengali language has erotic phrases that tackle the problems of intercourse and sexuality, and plenty of of those phrases are poetic and are utilized in literature, and in context of affection. However on a regular basis phrases that specific intercourse, sexuality, and wishes have a unique class which is dominated by slangs, violent-aggressive heteronormative phrases and phrases. For the aim of this analysis I made a decision to make a listing of those ‘generally used sex-words’ in city Dhaka, sourced to me by my informants and their social teams. I did name out for contribution by keen contributors to ship me lists of the phrases they know of and use relating to intercourse and sexuality. The ladies got here up with the least quantity and least variety of ‘slangs’- not as a result of they had been attempting to look good, however as a result of they merely didn’t know or didn’t have the social alternatives to study or use such phrases. It was males (each homosexual and straight), starting from 25 to 35, who might give a variety of sexual phrases which might be in use in Bangla, in modern Dhaka. When requested to make the listing, males did warn me, with little embarrassment that the phrases can be ‘unsophisticated’, crass and uncooked, and offensive at instances. For instance, one (straight man, a poet and pupil of Journalism in a public college) took 2 days time to consider phrases, and after 2 days stated apologetically, ‘ I’m very sorry…I’ve realized that I solely know slangs, and nothing else…and I exploit these typically…when I’m with my girlfriend (I say it in my thoughts); and when I’m with my associates (I say these aloud); and to tease ladies…I imply, I don’t know any ‘good’ phrases… it’s all slangs…I’m very shocked to see that I don’t know any stunning phrases about intercourse’.

Individuals with some English language abilities (or picked up from media) use English phrases in on a regular basis life to speak about intercourse. Intercourse is ‘intercourse’, and a generally used phrase is ‘sexual/(horny?)’ to explain something (from a individuals to perspective, costume, need) that has any connotation of intercourse to it. The commonest query to us (me and my analysis assistant) was, ‘oh, you might be in search of ‘gali’.i.e. slangs’? and had been suggested to learn the ‘Choti’ books (booklets on intercourse, typically in story varieties, which might be accessible often from avenue distributors ). It’s apparent, from observations and from reflections of our social-cultural upbringing that ‘choti’ books have been and nonetheless are the supply of sex-education for many younger individuals, who can learn Bangla.

Lists of sexuality associated Bangla phrases and phrases

Record 1: primary phrases

There are additionally phrases and phrases that aren’t, what may be termed as ‘direct’ phrases, however are used to explain a sexual exercise, sexed physique, and worth judgments for sexual morality, desirability and dominance in a sexual or potential sexual relations. And the listing beneath have such phrases and phrases that’s generally utilized by largely males (and a few ladies) aged 20-30, and particularly in dialog amongst educated center class younger individuals. These are located in heterosexual social settings. See attachment 1 for extra itemizing of phrases and phrases.

An in depth take a look at the phrases and phases reveal that expressions of intercourse, sexuality and sexual wishes are inherently masculine in nature, and violent in motion. The shortage of feminine need, lively participation and even gender respectability is tough to seek out. Apart from the phrase `Lace-fita`, which is all female-sexuality oriented, all different phrases are embedded in obligatory heterosexuality, and in case of deviance, it’s expressed with both ridicule or violence. An extra investigation of a second listing (attachment 1) will present that in on a regular basis sexual speak, feminine physique and sexuality is objectified and an inclination or perpetrating the physique with power and indignity characterises these expression, masculinity and femininity is established as lively versus passive; ladies are seen sexual objects when they’re exterior a authorized – monogamous relation; and masculinity is proved via virility. None of those are extra-ordinary or new, or completely different from different languages. Heteronormativity is dominant in all cultures, to variant levels, and due to this fact, its linguistic expressions are extra or related to one another. In case of Bangladesh, which has a really excessive prevalence of violence towards ladies, and gender based mostly violence, that are intently related to the notions of intercourse and gender- it’s, due to this fact, essential that one takes discover of language of sexuality and the way gender and heteronormativity is constructed on on a regular basis foundation.

Lack of phrases for feminine sexuality and its expression of wishes is critical, as a result of within the following part, via the narratives of girls, we are going to see that understanding of non-public erotic wishes, its meanings and assertions, particularly in coming in phrases with one`s identity- it’s the lack of vocabulary, in particular person`s personal language and speedy surroundings- play essential function.[4] Girls`s inaccessibility to info on sexualities, their gender-conditioning of sexual repression or suppression and urge to grasp their very own bodily wishes may be challenged due to how they arrive to find out about sexuality or a lot of the instances, associated to their ignorance` of the topic.

Within the following part, ladies`s personal narratives of sexual identification and the method via which they articulate their acknowledgement of non-heterosexual wishes, are introduced.

three.2 `Lace-Fita`- Girls Loving Girls: Sexuality and Identification formation amongst non-heterosexual ladies

It’s not solely limitation of vocabulary that brings problem in articulating sexuality, wishes and identification for girls generally, and non-heterosexual ladies specifically; nevertheless it additionally the limitation of areas during which they’ll converse of their lives that may be instrumental in suppression. Areas that doesn’t different` non-normative sexualities, or the place one doesn’t `pass-off` as heterosexual, or the place all instruments of expressions of sexuality shouldn’t be heternormative may be discovered not often. Although ladies in my examine, often, took very long time to agree to provide their narratives, however as soon as a relationship of mutual belief and respect was constructed (primarily due to my very own heterosexuality and never being a part of the `homosexual group` and the concern of being uncovered and going through social retribution), an eagerness and willingness to inform their tales.

One of many functions of the examine is to undertake a story strategy to the examine of sexual identification amongst non-heterosexual ladies in city center class Bangladesh, and to discover how, in what methods identification is constructed in relation to cultural discourses and representations n Bengali society. Due to this fact, the next narratives of a bunch of lesbian ladies mirror on their lives, and specifically how their sexual decisions and orientations are built-in or shaping their private identities. I interviewed 10 non-heterosexual (lesbian and bi-sexual) ladies, age starting from 20-60, all from city center class background, largely initially contacted via a snow-ball course of and interviewed via a time of 10 months, in Bangladesh. Although the unique narratives are precise life-histories and are a part of a broader PhD analysis mission, for this paper, i’ll use chosen elements of some narratives which might be associated to sexuality and identification.

three.2.1 Describing non-heterosexual wishes: `Uncover, Dilemma and Denials` of same-sex attraction

Girls doc of their narratives their journey of discovering their sexualities, their attraction for similar sex- which regularly is encountered with a self-awareness of their wishes but additionally their distinction from others, particularly towards their very own cultural dominant mannequin of obligatory heterosexuality. Such encounters makes technique to dilemmas and conflicts in ladies`s minds as they attempt to make sense of their very own emotions, erotic wishes and sexuality towards the social building of demonizing or a minimum of stigmatising something apart from heterosexual identification. Sala and Benitiz (2009) of their examine of lesbian ladies`s narratives of sexual identities in Spanish tradition, explains how `… contributors clarify very clearly the difficulties they confronted when first thought-about the opportunity of being gay, an thought that’s even tough to formulate owing to a scarcity of vocabulary. …right here we see the results of hetersexism in silencing nonnormative identities, feelings and wishes. There aren’t any phrases to speak about it- and if we don’t speak about it, it doesn’t exist. ` (2009: 828-829)

Life story of Flora, for instance, is an efficient instance of how ladies via completely different phases of life come to find her personal sexual wishes; face dilemmas and battle and undergo heterosexualization course of, and eventually, via publicity different identities and potentialities of non-normative life kinds in addition to with language instruments and entry to info – how a lady can are available phrases together with her sexual identification.

Flora

Is a 58 yr previous Self recognized ‘lesbian’ (she prefers to be referred to as `Shomo-premi, i.e. one who LOVES individual of similar intercourse). An outed lesbian Flora is an activist and the founding father of help group for girls in same-sex relations. Flora is deeply non secular and follows Islam; has been profitable in her skilled profession in growth sector. Although she hailed from a small city in Bangladesh, and nonetheless has her roots there, however she lives in Dhaka, and may be termed as a Dhaka city center class lady. She lives an unbiased life, and has her personal dwelling area, a flat. Introduced up in a moderately conservative household and surrounding (the place women didn’t proceed education after puberty), she made an exception. Her father dressed her as just a little boy (in conventional male costume of ‘lungi’ and shirt) until she was eight/9 years previous and when she was handed female attire, she was upset and ‘wished to show right into a boy’! Flora had reached puberty just a little early, across the age of 11-12, having menstruation at that age made her really feel disgusted about her physique and he or she wished to show right into a boy as quickly as doable (although she mentions that by no means ever in her life she has been uncomfortable together with her physique or gender ). She additionally says that sexual consciousness and that of the physique got here moderately late in life for her. So, when the wedding proposal got here, and he or she agreed to marry was not as a result of she had a lot thought about marriage, conjugal life and many others, however she was simply excited to know that she would or might attain her aim, i.e. passing Faculty last examination.

On the age of 14 and half, Flora received married to a person, 10 years older, very completely different from her and who was not that educated. After wedding ceremony she moved in together with her husband in Sylhet, one other small city and received right into a women’ college – ‘every part regarded wonderful- I liked every part about life, the world- women of my age, books, bushes, class, sky, tiffin interval – every part! The world modified for me! But it surely was a unique, the actual world for me- poles other than the family that I shared with my husband. I hated going again house, to must have intercourse with him- painful, stiff, uncomfortable and life a torture. I liked staying at school!’

It’s at school, that Flora had a love relation with a lady. A classmate of her’s ‘knocked’ at her, and he or she responded. Although there was nothing sexual between the 2, it was a really shut, affectionate relation between the two- exchanging secret love letters, sharing snacks in break time; holding fingers and easily having fun with one another’s presence. It was solely as soon as that her ‘good friend’ kissed her, which she didn’t dislike a lot, in truth favored it rather a lot, although there wasn’t a lot past that! (her husband had by no means kissed her). This relation continued for a yr, however after a yr her husband needed to shift base to a different district, and the 2 associates separated. Letters continued for some time, however after the varsity last examination, there was no reply from the opposite woman, most likely as a result of she was additionally married off by that point.

On the age of 17, Flora left her husband with out a lot hesitation as she deliberate to proceed together with her school, which the husband was not very eager on; and he or she returned to her mother and father’ house amidst scandals and far social humiliation. After many makes an attempt of freedom (together with operating away from house), she was despatched to Dhaka, to her sister, to proceed together with her training. It was in Dhaka that flora would full her training, until MA diploma, and largely staying at women’ hostels. It’s throughout her undergraduate days, she fell in love with a good friend of her and so they shared a ‘dedicated’ relationship- a lot in order that they deliberate to dwell collectively after their commencement, and he or she began assortment family stuff collectively for his or her future. Flora’s girlfriend proved to be a bi-sexual and he or she st