Finally! The queerness that saturates Hindu mythology is given center-stage, instead of being miserably repressed into the background. The Pregnant King, a perfect title for such a gender-bending book, is by Dr. Devdutt Pattanaik and it focuses on certain stories of the Mahabharata. Easy to relate to in today’s queer world (note: a pinch of imagination needed as well!), are stories of machismo warriors being castrated, FTM able to father children with borrowed penises, and of course, a king that’s preggers!
the placenta is able to grow in the abdomen as well. So, fetuses should be able to grow in males, right? Well, easier said than done. The right hormones need to be thrown into the mix, the male’s body needs to be able to adapt to the extra strain, and, don’t forget, guys don’t have a vagina – the baby would have to be caesarean sectioned!
OK, in summary: Check out the book. And don’t be too surprised if you see some daddy-mommas in the future.
Posts
4 comments:
i can't help but be a little cautious of books like this. while it's definitely important to revisit/unearth stories from a cultural legacy, i think it's just as dangerous to view those stories (and derive meanings of them) from the the perspective of contemporary queer identities.
This is another book by Devdutt Pattanaik- http://www.amazon.com/Woman-Other-Haworth-Lesbian-Studies/dp/1560231807/ref=sr_1_9?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1204823392&sr=8-9
ok i see where you're coming from a.kini... but you also have to admit that a lot of the "queerness" that was originally in these stories has been taken out and downplayed. as these stories have been passed down from generation to generation they've been modified according to the current values that the society holds. so i think it's nice to finally acknowledge it.
Post a Comment