Transgender Identity and Subverting Norms: Trans Lives Representation in Sufia Humayun’s It is not O.K, Not-To-be-O.K through Butler’s Lens

Abstract

Based on Judith Butler's theory of performativity, this paper critically examines the representation of non-binary and transgender identities in ‘It is not O.K, Not-To-be-O. K’ from Shattered Echoes (2024) by Sufia Humayun and societal reactions to them. The purpose of the research is to expose through literary texts the social, cultural, and religious structures that define the traditional gender binary as a sign of "normal" and marginalize identities that deviate from it. According to Butler, gender is not a natural or biological fact, but a continuous social phenomenon that is shaped by cultural norms, language, and systems of power. The excerpts included in the paper show the phenomenon in action of how powerful narratives do not consider the identity of transgender and intersex people to be comprehensible and make their existence socially illegitimate or immoral. Through metaphors such as "X" in the research, "horse's eye guards" and "AMEEN" show the performance through which individuals attempt to gain social acceptance while concealing their identity. This paper illustrates that Butler's theory is not only a means of understanding gender identity formation but also provides an opportunity to critique the systems of power that demarcate between "normal" and "abnormal". Through this study, the resistant narratives in Pakistani fiction are also highlighted, which provide an intellectual basis for gender liberation and self-realization.