Bhutan and the Female Agency: Intersection of Social Norms, Religion and Gender in Bhutanese Literature

Abstract

The youngest democratic and modernized nation of Bhutan is known for its unique approaches for consummate development, environmental conservation and female representation. The country was in isolation till the greater half of the twentieth century and with its end, it emerged as a “Shangri-la” (heaven) on earth. Popular for its breathtaking beauty and gender inclusive romantic culture, there are traces of masked projection of gender performativity and liminality in the traditional matriarchal society of Bhutan. The overwhelming influence of Buddhism and modernization is said to be shifting the existence and identity of Bhutanese women into the growing ‘culture of silence’. Thus, the present paper is an attempt to examine the interplay of gender agency and the grand narratives of gender neutrality in the kingdom of Bhutan. The paper posits that there is a disjunction between the said egalitarian principles and the lived experiences of women in the country. It will analyze the works of Kunzang Choden and Karma Ura using theoretical considerations of Buddhist Feminism and Marxist Feminism to establish that the intersection of religion and socio-political transformation has weakened the gender agency where Bhutanese women are grappling to bring coherence to their existence and identity. The paper aims to contribute to the contemporary discourses on gender studies within the SAARC vicinity by focusing on the significant concerns coming from the underrepresented and poorly studied cultures and nations of South Asia.