Abstract:
The hijra community, representative of third gender individuals, is one of the most
deprived communities in Bangladesh. Not conforming to traditional gender binary
identities, they do not embrace the conventional notion of family and home. In this
context, the study is exploratory research that delves into the realm of hijras,
observing their relationship with their dwelling spaces and seeking how they
negotiate the meaning of home. By examining hijra dwellings called deras, it aims
to understand the dynamics of the hijra lifestyle and ultimately uphold their lived
experiences against a dehumanized image of them in the context of Dhaka. For this
purpose, the study employs a qualitative approach, drawing on everyday narratives
gathered through interviews, group discussions, and observations. Applying
Rapoport’s framework for linking the built environment with culture and lifestyle,
the paper uncovers the meanings of dera at three levels: at the lower level, it finds
that dera provides everyday shelter and a new purpose to these outcasts against the
hostile world. At mid-level, the deras become a locus of fostering social relations
and a spatial manifestation of hijra existence. And finally, the higher-level
meanings reveal a constant juxtaposition of loss and belonging, colourful
appearances with feelings of estrangement, and initiation of hijra life with the
constant desire for a normal one, making dera a ‘heterotopic space’ a manifestation
of the otherness, as per Foucault’s concept of another place. The findings of the
paper deepen our understanding of how individuals navigate the oppression of
stigma and marginality while actively shaping and transforming their identities in
adverse circumstances. It uncovers important relationships between (marginal)
community and (housing) environment that can contribute to potential future
research within the discourse of spatial justice. The study, by upholding marginal
voices of hijra population around everyday space, advocates for their right to the
city.
