The Doubleness of Sexuality

This ground-breaking work argues that 'homosexuality' cannot capture the many intersecting idioms of same-sex desire in India whose breadth and romance extend far beyond the term. Instead, Akhil Katyal argues that 'sexuality' is marked by a 'doubleness', a constant tension between how sexuality is conceptualised and how it is lived out, ensuring that 'gay' or 'lesbian' identities remain open-ended. Studying early to mid-20th century Hindi/Urdu literature and recent Indian 'gay'/'lesbian' writing and activism, Katyal advances his arguments with a vigour and freshness that make for a deeply conceptually rooted yet extraordinarily light text that's a pleasure to read.