Beyond the Binary: Transgender Representations in Indian Mythology and Their Contemporary Relevance

Abstract Book of the 5th International Conference on LGBT studies

Year: 2026

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Beyond the Binary: Transgender Representations in Indian Mythology and Their Contemporary Relevance

Aastha Chawla

ABSTRACT:

This paper examines how transgender identities are portrayed in Indian mythology alongside considering how these portrayals continue to shape present-day understandings of gender diversity in India. The study engages with characters like Shikhandi, Ardhanarishvara, and Brihannala using a qualitative content analysis of chosen mythological texts to identify recurrent themes of gender fluidity, dualism, and transformation. These narratives show a more nuanced and flexible concept of identity, where gender transitions and the coexistence of masculine and feminine principles are not only recognized but frequently normalized within the cultural imagination, as opposed to portraying gender as fixed or binary. The study explores the difference between the relative inclusion ingrained in traditional narratives and the marginalization faced by transgender communities in contemporary India by placing these mythological depictions against contemporary social realities. The alternative narratives can be revisited and reinterpreted with the help of mythology that sure works as a culturally grounded lens. This exploration caters to a broader understanding on culture, gender and representation by providing dialogue between the narratives from the past and the concerns of the present.

Keywords: Cultural Narratives; Gender Fluidity; Identity Construction; Mythological Symbolism; Non-Binary Identities