- "In Pakistan, they are known as khawaja sira, the equivalent of transgender in the Urdu language."
A broad category for individuals who do not conform to traditional binary notions of male/female or masculine/feminine, found in various cultures and regions, such as India (hijra), Thailand (kathoey), and Polynesia (fakaleiti).
Third Gender: The concept of third gender refers to individuals who do not identify as male or female. This includes people who identify as non-binary, genderqueer, or genderfluid.
Gender Roles: Gender roles are the social expectations and norms associated with a particular gender. This includes expectations about behavior, appearance, and attitudes.
Gender Identity: Gender identity refers to an individual's personal sense of gender, which may or may not align with their biological sex.
Gender Expression: Gender expression refers to how an individual presents their gender to the world through clothing, hair, and behavior.
Biological Sex: Biological sex refers to an individual's physical attributes such as chromosomes, hormones, and reproductive organs.
Sexuality: Sexuality refers to an individual's sexual orientation and attraction to others.
Transgender: Transgender individuals are those who identify as a different gender from the one they were assigned at birth.
Intersex: Intersex individuals are born with physical sex characteristics that do not fit typical male or female categories.
Hijra: A hijra is a term used in South Asia to refer to individuals who were assigned male at birth but identify as female or third gender.
Two-Spirit: Two-Spirit is a term used by some Indigenous North Americans to describe individuals who have both male and female spirits.
Eunuchs: Eunuchs are individuals who have been castrated, either intentionally or by accident, and may be classified as either male or female.
Queer Theory: Queer theory is a field of study that examines how gender and sexuality are constructed and how they intersect with other forms of identity and oppression.
Cultural Relativism: Cultural relativism is the principle that an individual's beliefs and behaviors should be understood in the context of their own culture and not judged by the standards of another culture.
Gender Roles in Ancient Cultures: The roles and expectations of gender varied widely in ancient cultures, and studying these can provide insights into the social and cultural norms of the time.
Sexuality in Ancient Cultures: Likewise, studying sexuality in ancient cultures can provide insights into the social and cultural norms of the time. This can include practices such as polygamy, homosexuality, and prostitution.
- "Hijras are officially recognised as a third gender throughout countries in the Indian subcontinent, being considered neither completely male nor female."
- "Hijras identity evolved during the Delhi Sultanate (1226-1526) and Mughal Empire (1526-1707)."
- "The word hijra is a Hindustani word. It has traditionally been translated into English as 'eunuch' or 'hermaphrodite', where 'the irregularity of the male genitalia is central to the definition'."
- "Many hijras today live in well-defined and organised all-hijra communities, led by a guru."
- "The hijra community in India prefer to call themselves 'kinnar', referring to the mythological beings that excel at song and dance."
- "Many work as sex workers."
- "Some hijras undergo an initiation rite into the hijra community called nirvaan, which involves the removal of the penis, scrotum, and testicles."
- "Nepal, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh have all legally accepted the existence of a third gender."
- "Hijras have successfully gained this recognition in Bangladesh and are eligible for priority in education and certain kinds of low paid jobs."
- "In India, the Supreme Court in April 2014 recognised hijras, transgender people, eunuchs, and intersex people as a 'third gender' in law."
- "In Pakistan, they are known as khawaja sira, the equivalent of transgender in the Urdu language."
- "Hijra are eunuchs, intersex people, or transgender people who live in communities that follow a kinship system known as the guru-chela system."
- "However, in general hijras have been born male, with only a few having been born with intersex variations."
- "It has traditionally been translated into English as 'eunuch' or 'hermaphrodite'."
- "Hijras identity evolved during the Delhi Sultanate (1226-1526) and Mughal Empire (1526-1707)."
- "Hijras have successfully gained this recognition in Bangladesh and are eligible for priority in education and certain kinds of low paid jobs."
- "Nepal, Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh."
- "The hijra community in India prefer to call themselves 'kinnar', referring to the mythological beings that excel at song and dance."
- "Many work as sex workers."