To feel like a woman

Violence is pervasive in janana communities and janana brushes with violence mark another unique aspect of this community. In their janana personas (in contrast to their masculine personas), jananas take the more feminine and therefore the more disempowered position relative to non-janana men. This subordinate position leaves them vulnerable to relationship- and other gender-based violence. Being Janana is the first book to examine this aspect of jananas’ lives. This chapter critically analyzes janana discourses to uncover the ways in which violence penetrates jananas’ understanding of themselves.