If I Learn to Ride a Bicycle, I Will Turn From Gay to Straight”: Decoding ‘Masculine Behaviour’ and Gay Voice in Vasudhendra’s Mohanaswamy

This article discusses the representation and reciprocation of masculinity in gay men, primarily from non-urban setups in India, which has been underrepresented in South Asian masculinity studies. Vasudhendra’s coming-out book, Mohanaswamy (2013/2016), set in the Indian state, Karnataka, paves the way for the study of the impact of hegemonic masculine behavior and ideal masculinity in gay men in the transition from rural to urban setup. The imposition of ‘idealistic’ masculine behavior seeks scrutiny of the critical question: how does the hegemonic masculinity impact gay masculinities in the non-urban Indian setup in Mohanaswamy? This study seeks to provide answers to pertinent questions and create space for a more inclusive study of men through a detailed examination of the deconstruction of hegemonic masculinity in Indian gay masculinity, deriving from the theoretical framework by the scholars of masculinity studies.