Queering the Spatial Dynamics: A Study on Tropical Queer Mobility Amidst Binary Oppositions in Raja Rao’s The Boyfriend (2016)

Abstract

This article critically examines the construct of tropicality, wherein colonial powers impose socially constructed ideologies, thereby obfuscating the boundaries between reality and illusion. The tropics, consequently, become a site of Othering, wherein queerness is suppressed due to the pernicious impact of colonialism. By queering India’s tropical setting, this study endeavours to bridge the prevailing gap in tropicality research, deploying ‘tropical queerness’ as a methodological framework to interrogate the nuanced dynamics of queer identities deeply entrenched in socio-political and traditional norms. Despite formidable challenges, narratives within the LGBTQIA+ community in tropical India exemplify resilience in exploring suppressed aspects of sexuality and gender whilst challenging pervasive stigma and stereotypes. This investigation scrutinises queer mobility, both mental and physical, through the power dynamics of socio-economic, socio-political, gender, and sexuality binaries impacted by colonial discourse. By situating Raja Rao’s The Boyfriend (2016) within the purview of discourse analysis, tropical India is deconstructed as an 'Orient', revealing insights into the root causes of queer mobility. Applying Edward Said's concept of latent Orientalism as ‘latent tropicality’, this study vividly portrays queer experiences as ‘tropical otherness’, particularly through the characters Yudi and Milind, whose narratives serve as a testament to the enduring impact of colonialism on queer identities in tropical India.