Hijras

Definition

Hijras are a third gender community in the Indian subcontinent, recognized as neither male nor female. They are individuals who identify outside the gender binary, often taking on a spiritual or ceremonial role in their communities. The term 'hijras' connects to the topics of 12.1 Sex, Gender, and Sexuality in Anthropology, 12.2 Performing Gender Categories, and 12.4 Sexuality and Queer Anthropology by providing a real-world example of how gender identity and expression can exist outside the Western conception of a male-female dichotomy. Hijras challenge traditional notions of sex and gender, highlighting the diversity of human gender experiences across cultures.

5 Must Know Facts For Your Next Test

1. Hijras have a long-standing cultural and religious significance in South Asia, with some tracing their origins back to ancient Hindu mythology.
2. Hijras often live in close-knit communities, led by a guru, and perform traditional ceremonies and blessings at weddings, births, and other auspicious occasions.
3. Many hijras undergo a ritual called 'nirvan,' which involves the removal of male genitalia, though not all hijras choose to undergo this procedure.
4. Hijras face significant social stigma and discrimination in India, though their status has improved in recent years with greater legal recognition and acceptance.
5. The Indian Supreme Court recognized hijras as a third gender in 2014, granting them equal rights and protections under the law.

Review Questions

• Explain how the concept of hijras relates to the topic of performing gender categories in anthropology.
  • The hijra community in India represents a distinct gender category that challenges the Western binary conception of gender. As a recognized third gender, hijras demonstrate how gender can be performed and expressed outside the male-female dichotomy. Anthropologists studying the hijra community provide insights into the diverse ways in which gender can be socially constructed and culturally specific, rather than universal or biologically determined.
• Analyze the significance of hijras in the context of sexuality and queer anthropology.
  • The hijra community represents a unique expression of sexuality and gender identity that falls outside the heteronormative framework. Anthropologists studying hijras have contributed to the field of queer anthropology by examining how non-binary gender identities and sexualities are recognized and integrated into certain cultural contexts. The legal recognition of hijras as a third gender in India is a significant milestone in the advancement of LGBTQ+ rights and the acknowledgment of diverse gender and sexual expressions across cultures.
• Evaluate the role of cultural and religious factors in shaping the social status and experiences of hijras within the Indian subcontinent.
  • The cultural and religious significance of hijras in South Asia has played a crucial role in shaping their social status and lived experiences. Hijras are often associated with Hindu deities and are believed to possess spiritual powers, granting them a unique ceremonial role within their communities. However, this cultural reverence has not always protected hijras from societal discrimination and marginalization. The interplay between cultural/religious factors and the lived realities of hijras highlights the complex and sometimes contradictory ways in which gender, sexuality, and social status are negotiated within specific cultural contexts.

Related terms

Third Gender:

A concept in which individuals are categorized, either by themselves or by society, as neither man nor woman, but as a third gender.

Gender Identity:

A person's internal, deeply felt sense of being male, female, neither, or other gender(s).

Gender Expression:

The way a person outwardly expresses their gender, through clothing, behavior, interests, and other external characteristics.