Gender and Nationalism An Overview of Joseph S. Alter’s Celibacy, Sexuality and the Transformation of Gender into Nationalism in North India

Joseph S. Alter, visiting Assistant Professor of Anthropology, University of Pittsburg, examines in his work Celibacy, Sexuality, and the Transformation of Gender into Nationalism in North India- the use of Hindu concept of Brahmacharya (celibacy) in contemporary India. He relates the concept of Brahmacharya with gender and nationalism in North India. Celibacy can best be practiced as a form of political action targeting against the post-colonial idea of “freedom”, i.e. Westernization. The article focuses on biological as well as spiritual nature of semen and how semen is innately male which makes the concept of celibacy and nationalism a gendered phenomenon.

The very first part of the article is- Celibacy, Semen, and the Science of Sex. In a nutshell, this section talks about how semen conservation is essential and provides with various works of people who believe in spillage of semen as a sin.

     Because the youth of today are destroying their semen they are courting the worst disaster and are daily being       condemned to hell…Mother nature stands, stick in hand, watching their abominable behavior, and for every drop of semen spilled she lashes out and strikes their vital organs. -Shivananda (1984:41)

The idea that semen is a form of purity and spillage of the same can make one impure is well explained in this section, and how conservation of semen helps building in a strong social character. For instance, the wrestling akhara (arena) in North India is used as a social forum where this idea is not only expressed but is practiced in men. “Celibacy is not a theory based on analogy and metaphor, but a practical scheme based on the metonymical correspondence of somatic health, psychological and intellectual maturity,” states Alter. In the North-Indian akhara, men are taught to be strong in order to be ready to fight for their motherland. It is taught to men that in order to be strong one must not waste their semen, as its wastage morally corrupts men. Semen, being the epitome of purity shall thus only be used for procreation, to produce more men who will fight for their motherland.

The very next section of the article deals with the Gender and Post-colonial Desire. Semen is inherently male and the discourse on semen has always been by and about men. Such discourse emerges from a society where a woman is simply given two definite characters. One where she is a mother, sister or a wife or one where she is a “seductive whore”.  Such ideas make the very concept of semen and purity a male biased concept. Even in the contemporary times, this could be seen and the notion of purity is used against the so-called post-colonial “freedom” and is often used and forcibly understood as westernization. Alter here has done a great job collecting facts to prove that as to why is the notion of purity- a male-biased concept is often associated for the welfare of motherland and a symbol for Nationalism and at the same time is used as a character evaluation method for women. Even in contemporary India, women are expected to show “feminine behaviour” and are expected to be submissive that cancels out their courage and nullifies struggle; the women who do not fit in the given standards are then subjected to character assassination.

Further the article describes ‘Nationalism and Truth’ and talks about the conversion of a sick man into a responsible citizen by practicing celibacy. In order to reform the society, it becomes necessary to practice celibacy and abstain from indulging in semen spillage.

     Open your eyes and set your resolve in order to regain the glory of the past through the regimen of celibacy. One    who is able to control a single drop is able to control the seven seas. There is nothing in the world- no object or condition- which a celibate cannot overcome. Shivananda (1984:34-35)

In order to define spiritual nationalism, it becomes necessary to understand the relation between spirituality and celibacy or semen control that is explained above. This concept is then related to how practicing celibacy would build a strong and responsible character of men and they would then be able to bring reforms and devote all their time for the betterment of society rather than being distracted. However, a new idea of celibacy has been discussed in this section which appropriates spillage of semen is that the engagement of the man in sex only for the purpose of procreation. As discussed earlier, this idea of semi-celibacy is built upon the idea that a man can only truly provide for his motherland, and through procreation, he will not only lessen his semen spillage, but his semen when used for procreation will create more men to safeguard motherland.

The fact that one’s country is referred as a motherland, as a female entity and is always in need of protection from the men of the country further makes it clear that nationalism indeed is gendered.

The last section of the essay concludes that Brahmacharya is aggressively male and that this specific gender is responsible for embodying the truth, making nationalism a gendered phenomenon.

Author:

Ishita Roy
3rd Year, History Hons. KMC