Built lives: <i>Khwajasaras</i>, <i>Jouno‐Karmis</i>, and the Politics of Non‐Normative Kinship and Citizenship in South Asia

This paper examines how relationships are ‘built’ among khwajasaras [non-normative non-binary persons] and female jouno karmis [sex workers] in two sites Pakistan India respectively. We focus on the non-normative nature of these relationships, first, to disassemble gender normativity itself; second, argue that colonial legacy bureaucratic norming kinship South Asia, anchored legal consanguinity affinity one hand, territory patriarchy other, erases found relationships. Finally, formulating what we term, ‘relative kinship’ –authenticating one's identity belonging as a citizen typically through male kin –we trace current impetus algorithmically converge biographies biometrics recalibrate citizenship. ask, may understand built lives those deemed by state be legally out place ‘aliens’ or ‘foreigners’. Through lens modalities marginalized communities, article has wider implications for thinking about kinship-nation continuum ways which does can belong, if at all.