🏳️‍🌈 Third Spaces in India: A Silent Revolution We Must Acknowledge

📍 Understanding Gender, Identity, and Inclusion through the Lens of Society & Governance

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🔍 What Are Third Spaces — And Why Are They Essential?

The sociologist Edward Soja categorised space into three forms:

Space	Definition	Example
First Space	Physical, measurable locations	Roads, buildings, maps
Second Space	Power-dominated, planned zones	Urban planning, policies, development zones
Third Space	Lived, emotional, identity-driven experiences	Addas, feminist gyms, queer festivals

🧠 UPSC Angle: Third space is where real social empowerment begins — beyond the plans and maps.

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🌟 Case Studies That UPSC Aspirants Should Remember

1. 🏋️‍♀️ Ladies Club, Chennai – A Gym Beyond Mirrors and Scales

• All-women gym by Prashanti Ganesh
• Encourages women from 16 to 65 to lift weights, not shrink themselves
• A third space of fitness, joy, and Tamil music, without societal judgment

📚 GS Paper 1: Women's empowerment through non-traditional spaces
📚 GS Paper 2: Role of civil society in creating inclusive public domains

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2. 🎭 Dayamma Theatre Festival – Queer Voices from the Margins

• Free performances to eliminate economic barriers
• Celebrates trans identity, cabaret, and cultural resistance

📚 GS Paper 2: Public policy should integrate cultural equity
📚 GS Paper 4: Ethics of inclusion, justice, and empathy in cultural policy

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3. 👩‍🏫 Aruvi – The Trans Teacher Who Codes and Performs

• Blends education and theatre as a form of trans storytelling
• Performs Body/Boundaries, adapted from Susan Stryker’s work

📚 GS Paper 1: Changing social norms on gender and identity
📚 Essay: Intersectionality and new definitions of leadership

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📉 India’s Shrinking Social Circles

According to a 2021 Ipsos survey:
👉 4 in 10 urban Indians feel lonely and friendless
👉 Addas like tea stalls, cinema halls, and performance spaces have either gone digital or become exclusive
👉 Women and queer people rarely find accessible, welcoming physical spaces

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🧠 New Concepts for Mains & Ethics Paper

Concept	Explanation	Use in UPSC
Thirdspace	Identity-based lived spaces for expression	GS1 – Society, Essay
Mankeeping	Emotional labour by women to support isolated men	GS4 – Ethics, Case Studies
Gender Euphoria	The joy of being seen and accepted in one’s identity	Essay, GS1 – Social Issues

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🛤️ Policy Takeaways for UPSC

✔️ Recognise Third Spaces in urban and rural planning policies
✔️ Funding & Grants for community-run gyms, libraries, theatres
✔️ Encourage intersectional inclusion in Smart City and Urban Renewal Missions
✔️ Strengthen public-private partnerships for inclusive cultural initiatives
✔️ Remove entry barriers in public cultural events for marginalised communities

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🧭 Ethics Angle for UPSC GS Paper 4

A policymaker is tasked with allocating public funding for cultural programs.
They must choose between:

• Funding a mainstream national-level music festival
• Supporting a free-entry trans-led theatre festival in a Tier-2 city

Q: How should the funds be allocated?
A: Use principles of justice, equity, and representation. Third spaces need support because they serve the underserved.

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✍️ Final Thoughts by Suryavanshi IAS

“Not all spaces are equal. Some are built. Others are claimed. And a few — like feminist gyms and trans theatre festivals — are born from resistance and joy. As future bureaucrats, your vision must stretch beyond files. It must include laughter, deadlifts, art, and freedom.”

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🌐 Stay connected: suryavanshiias.blogspot.com