Heteronormative geographies and other sexual practices in rural Haryana, India.

Abstract

Kinship patterns and caste structures have a significant effect on Indian people's lives. Rural Haryana has a strong caste-based kinship system organised around a heteronormative narrative that shapes associated societal and cultural values. This narrative centres on heterosexual marriage, which is arranged within the rules of kinship patterns. Such marital arrangements are viewed as the only space in which people can realise their sexual desires. This article aims to understand the diverse practices of people in rural Haryana that subvert this narrative to realise their sexual desires. The study adopted an ethnographic approach, using casual conversations as a data source to understand how sexuality is practised in rural areas under a strong kinship structure. In the paper, we argue that while the practices documented may seem subversive and countervailing, they contribute to concretising and maintaining the dominant social structure.