GENDER AND SEXUALITY.
Hijra is a person who has been born, and his or her sex is a male, but he/she is recognized as a female or as not a male or a female. In India, it’s commonly referred to as transgender. It’s the third gender in the country, for example, the non-binary gender system is found among the Hijra in India, these individuals are usually biologically male but adopt female clothing, gestures, and names together with the desire to engage sexual activity(Gender transition services for Hijras and other male-to-female transgender people in India). They go through religious rituals that give them certain divine powers, including blessing or cursing couples’ and newborns, among others. According to the Indians, when a baby is born, a new life is brought to existence, and celebrations are held to welcome and bless the newborn baby. People from different families are invited with others possessing extraordinary characteristics like the hijra people(Gender transition services for Hijras and other male-to-female transgender people in India). These people play a very crucial role in Indian society, and they usually come to visit the baby for blessings as per the film(https://video.alexanderstreet.com/watch/no-man-s-land). A person may decide to undergo surgical removal of genitals through a “nirvana” or rebirth operation. Some hijra is males born with ambiguous external genitals, such as an unusually small penis or testicles that did not fully form. In the past, this third gender in Indian had not beenlegally recognized until back in the year 2014 when the Supreme Court in Indiaruled and acknowledged the existence of the third gender(Gender transition services for Hijras and other male-to-female transgender people in India: availability and barriers to access and use).
Laxmi was a celebrity and appeared to the public eye for a very long on TV shows and debates. She narrated all that and how she went through a tough livelihood since he was young. He was also an activist and fought so hard towards the sexual health and well existence and wellbeing of the hijra community in India. The book tells more about how she faced struggles and difficulties with recognition and relationships than the enjoyment and commemorated of the third gender in him(Social Identities: Sex, Gender, and Sexuality). After all his difficulties, the book shows how Laxmi made peace within him and with the fact she was a hijra.With the fact the Laxmi was a hijra, her family accepted her and took him to school and supported her till she became successful. However, she feared going out with her parents for people not to question her gender. Pammi, a singer in India and Kajal, both being actresses in the entertainment industry, have emphasized their effort in pursuing their career without minding so much their gender. Although most of the communities and societies in India condemn hijra and its associations, these celebrities have proved to many that it does matter who you are or which gender you possess. Still, the first thing is to know and accept who you really are and get out of the comfort zone, work hard outside, and struggle with the others, and success will find you. These celebrities accepted their gender and wellbeing and moved on with the aid of their families and friends who received them as they were, amid so much opposition and non-acceptance from high ground and community, they proved that their hijrahood did not matter or determine what they wanted to be(Social Identities: Sex, Gender, and Sexuality). They have gone the extra mile in the life of sharing their stories and how they came to succeed, how and what they went through, the difficulties and challenges they faced just because of their gender since they were born.Soni, a political personality, also pushes for the acceptance of the hidrahood in the country by pointing out facts and proves that hidras needs to be addressed and accepted as other Indians in their communities. Their gender should never undermine or determine the treatment to get either positively or negatively from anyone(The Hijras of India: Cultural and individual dimensions of a traditional third-gender role).
All this explanations and thoughts of Laxmi, Pammi, Soni, and Kajal have brought out the real truth and light about most communities and cultures perceptions that biological traits determine what a person or individual is supposed to engage in and proven than what the biological state of an individual can’t determine what a person decides to join(Social Identities: Sex, Gender, and Sexuality).
In most cases in India about hijrahood, most communities have not fully embraced it, and many people with this condition have fled their homes to other places where they get to engage mostly in commercial sex and prostitution. Hijras have made their living in also in other ways like performing rituals and attending ceremonies of various and different families with differentiated backgrounds(Gender transition services for Hijras and other male-to-female transgender people in India: availability and barriers to access and use).
Sex– this is the biological categorization and division of any living thing than can reproduce and multiply based on being a female or a male.
Ritual– this is an earnest or a religious commemoration with the inclusion of specific procedures and operations in which they are done according to or following a particularly systematic way or order as directed or ordered.
Gender– this term which is used to differentiate and distinguish the two sexes (male and female) individually when considered culturally and socially other than biologically
References
Robertson, S. (2020). Module 8: Social Identities: Sex, Gender, and Sexuality. Foundations in Sociology).
Nanda, S. (2015). Hijras. The International Encyclopedia of Human Sexuality, 501-581.Nanda, S. (1986). The Hijras of India: Cultural and individual dimensions of a traditional third gender role. Journal of Homosexuality, 11(3-4), 35-54.
Singh, Y., Aher, A., Shaikh, S., Mehta, S., Robertson, J., & Chakrapani, V. (2014). Gender transition services for Hijras and other male-to-female transgender people in India: availability and barriers to access and use. International Journal of Transgenderism, 15(1), 1-15.
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