Kinnar
   HOME

TheInfoList



OR:

In
South Asia South Asia is the southern Subregion#Asia, subregion of Asia that is defined in both geographical and Ethnicity, ethnic-Culture, cultural terms. South Asia, with a population of 2.04 billion, contains a quarter (25%) of the world's populatio ...
, hijra are
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
,
intersex Intersex people are those born with any of several sex characteristics, including chromosome patterns, gonads, or genitals that, according to the Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights, "do not fit typical binar ...
, or
eunuch A eunuch ( , ) is a male who has been castration, castrated. Throughout history, castration often served a specific social function. The earliest records for intentional castration to produce eunuchs are from the Sumerian city of Lagash in the 2 ...
people who live in communities that follow a kinship system known as the guru-chela system. They are also known as aravani and aruvani, and in Pakistan, khawaja sira. In Western terms, most hijras are feminine-identifying people assigned male at birth. Hijras are officially recognised as a
third gender Third gender or third sex is an identity recognizing individuals categorized, either by themselves or by society, as neither a man nor a woman. Many gender systems around the world include three or more genders, deriving the concept either from ...
throughout countries in the Indian subcontinent, being considered neither completely male nor female. Hijras' identity originates in ancient Hinduism and evolved during the
Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate or the Sultanate of Delhi was a Medieval India, late medieval empire primarily based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for more than three centuries.
(1206–1526) and
Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...
(1526–1707). Many hijras today live in well-defined and organised all-hijra communities, led by a
guru Guru ( ; International Alphabet of Sanskrit Transliteration, IAST: ''guru'') is a Sanskrit term for a "mentor, guide, expert, or master" of certain knowledge or field. In pan-Indian religions, Indian traditions, a guru is more than a teacher: tr ...
.
These communities have consisted over generations of those who are in abject poverty or who have been rejected by or fled their family of origin. Many of them are
sex workers A sex worker is a person who provides sex work, either on a regular or occasional basis. The term is used in reference to those who work in all areas of the sex industry.Oxford English Dictionary, "sex worker" According to one view, sex work is vo ...
. The word ''hijra'' is a Hindustani word. It has traditionally been translated into English as "eunuch" or "
hermaphrodite A hermaphrodite () is a sexually reproducing organism that produces both male and female gametes. Animal species in which individuals are either male or female are gonochoric, which is the opposite of hermaphroditic. The individuals of many ...
", where "the irregularity of the male genitalia is central to the definition". However, in general hijras have been born male, with only a few having been born with intersex variations. Some hijras undergo an initiation rite into the hijra community called nirvaan, which involves the removal of the penis, scrotum and testicles. Since the late 20th century, some hijra activists and
non-government organizations A non-governmental organization (NGO) is an independent, typically nonprofit organization that operates outside government control, though it may get a significant percentage of its funding from government or corporate sources. NGOs often focus ...
have
lobbied Lobbying is a form of advocacy, which lawfully attempts to directly influence legislators or government officials, such as regulatory agencies or judiciary. Lobbying involves direct, face-to-face contact and is carried out by various entities, in ...
for official recognition of the hijra as a kind of "third sex" or "
third gender Third gender or third sex is an identity recognizing individuals categorized, either by themselves or by society, as neither a man nor a woman. Many gender systems around the world include three or more genders, deriving the concept either from ...
", neither man nor woman, while others have lobbied for recognition as women and access to
hormone therapy Hormone therapy or hormonal therapy is the use of hormones in medical treatment. Treatment with hormone antagonists may also be referred to as hormonal therapy or antihormone therapy. The most general classes of hormone therapy are hormonal therap ...
and
gender-affirming surgery Gender-affirming surgery (GAS) is a surgical procedure, or series of procedures, that alters a person's physical appearance and sexual characteristics to resemble those associated with their gender identity. The phrase is most often associated ...
. Hijras have successfully gained recognition as a third gender in Bangladesh and are eligible for priority in education and certain kinds of low paid jobs. In India, the
Supreme Court In most legal jurisdictions, a supreme court, also known as a court of last resort, apex court, high (or final) court of appeal, and court of final appeal, is the highest court within the hierarchy of courts. Broadly speaking, the decisions of ...
in April 2014 recognised hijras, transgender people, eunuchs, and intersex people as a "third gender" in law. Nepal, Pakistan, India and Bangladesh have all legally accepted the existence of a third gender, with India, Pakistan and Nepal including an option for them on
passport A passport is an official travel document issued by a government that certifies a person's identity and nationality for international travel. A passport allows its bearer to enter and temporarily reside in a foreign country, access local aid ...
s and certain official documents.


Terminology

The Hindi word ''hijra'' may alternately be romanized as ''hijira'', ''hijda'', ''hijada'', ''hijara'', ''hijrah''. This term is generally considered derogatory in Urdu and the term ''khwaja Sara'' is used instead. Khwaja Sara is sometimes seen as a more respectable term and has been reclaimed by the community given its precolonial origins and more accepted status within Pakistani society. Another such term is ''khasuaa'' (खसुआ) or ''khusaraa'' (खुसरा). A number of terms across the culturally and linguistically diverse Indian subcontinent represent similar sex or gender categories. While these are rough
synonym A synonym is a word, morpheme, or phrase that means precisely or nearly the same as another word, morpheme, or phrase in a given language. For example, in the English language, the words ''begin'', ''start'', ''commence'', and ''initiate'' are a ...
s, they may be better understood as separate identities due to regional cultural differences. In Odia, a hijra is referred to as ''hinjida'' or ''hinjda'', in
Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...
as ''ali'', ''aravanni'', ''aravani'' or ''aruvani'' (often considered derogatory, and have been supplanted by in-community terms rejecting the concept of hijra for a broader trans identity, such as ''thirunangai'' (; "respected woman"), ''thirunambi'' (; "respected man") and ''thirunar'' (; "respected person") for trans woman, man and person respectively), in
Punjabi Punjabi, or Panjabi, most often refers to: * Something of, from, or related to Punjab, a region in India and Pakistan * Punjabi language * Punjabis, Punjabi people * Punjabi dialects and languages Punjabi may also refer to: * Punjabi (horse), a ...
as ''khusra'' or ''jankha'', in
Kannada Kannada () is a Dravidian language spoken predominantly in the state of Karnataka in southwestern India, and spoken by a minority of the population in all neighbouring states. It has 44 million native speakers, and is additionally a ...
as ''mangalamukhi'' (), in Sindhi as ''khadro'' (), and in
Gujarati Gujarati may refer to: * something of, from, or related to Gujarat, a state of India * Gujarati people, the major ethnic group of Gujarat * Gujarati language, the Indo-Aryan language spoken by them * Gujarati languages, the Western Indo-Aryan sub- ...
as ''pavaiyaa'' (). In
Bengali Bengali or Bengalee, or Bengalese may refer to: *something of, from, or related to Bengal, a large region in South Asia * Bengalis, an ethnic and linguistic group of the region * Bengali language, the language they speak ** Bengali alphabet, the w ...
, hijra is called ''hijra'' (), ''hijla'', ''hijre'', ''hizra'', or ''hizre''. In
Konkani __NOTOC__ Konkani may refer to: Language * Konkani language is an Indo-Aryan language spoken in the Konkan region of India. * Konkani alphabets, different scripts used to write the language **Konkani in the Roman script, one of the scripts used to ...
, they are known as ''hizddem'' or ''hizdô''. In North India, the goddess
Bahuchara Mata Bahuchara Mata (; ) is a Hindu goddess of chastity and fertility in her maiden aspect, of the incarnation of the Hinglaj. The goddess grants favours, especially to male children, and cures diseases. Like other divinities in Gujarat and Rajastha ...
is worshipped by pavaiyaa. In South India, the goddess
Renuka Mahur Renuka, also known as Yellamma Devi, is a Hindu mother goddess venerated predominantly in the South Indian states of Karnataka, Tamil Nadu, Telangana, Andhra Pradesh, and Maharashtra. She is regarded as the mother of Parashurama, the six ...
is believed to have the power to change one's sex. Male devotees in female clothing are known as ''jogappa''. They perform similar roles to hijra, such as dancing and singing at birth ceremonies and weddings. The word '' kothi'' (or ''koti'') is common across India, similar to the
kathoey ''Kathoey'' or ''katoey'' (, ; , , ; ; , ), commonly translated as ''ladyboys'' in English, is a term used by some people in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, whose identities in English may be best translated as transgender women in some cas ...
of Thailand, although kothis are often distinguished from hijras. Kothis are regarded as feminine men or boys who take a feminine role in sex with men, but do not live in the kind of
intentional communities An intentional community is a voluntary residential community designed to foster a high degree of social cohesion and teamwork. Such communities typically promote shared values or beliefs, or pursue a common vision, which may be politica ...
that hijras usually live in. Additionally, not all kothis have undergone initiation rites or the body modification steps to become a hijra. Local equivalents include ''durani'' (
Kolkata Kolkata, also known as Calcutta ( its official name until 2001), is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of West Bengal. It lies on the eastern bank of the Hooghly River, west of the border with Bangladesh. It is the primary ...
), ''menaka'' (
Cochin Kochi ( , ), formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. The city is also commonly referred to as Ernaku ...
),Naz Foundation International, Briefing Paper 3: Developing community-based sexual health services for males who have sex with males in South Asia. August 1999
Paper online
(
Microsoft Word Microsoft Word is a word processor program, word processing program developed by Microsoft. It was first released on October 25, 1983, under the name Multi-Tool Word for Xenix systems. Subsequent versions were later written for several other platf ...
file).
''meti'' (Nepal), and ''zenana'' (Pakistan). Hijra used to be translated in English as "eunuch" or "hermaphrodite", although
LGBT LGBTQ people are individuals who are lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, or questioning. Many variants of the initialism are used; LGBTQIA+ people incorporates intersex, asexual, aromantic, agender, and other individuals. The gro ...
historians or human rights activists have sought to include them as being
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
. In a series of meetings convened between October 2013 and January 2014 by the transgender experts committee of India's
Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment The Ministry of Social Justice and Empowerment is a Government of India Ministry (government department), ministry. It is responsible for welfare spending, welfare, social justice and empowerment of disadvantaged and marginalised sections of soc ...
, hijra and other trans activists asked that the term "eunuch" be discontinued from usage in government documents, as it is not a term with which the communities identify.


Gender and sexuality

A common misconception of many in Indian society is that all ''hijra'' are intersex,
asexual Asexual or Asexuals may refer to: *Asexual reproduction **Asexual reproduction in starfish *Asexuality, the lack of sexual attraction to anyone or lack of interest in or desire for sexual activity. **Gray asexuality, the spectrum between asexualit ...
and impotent. This is not fully accurate as many hijra are sexually active, in relationships, or partake in sex work. In India, some Hijras do not define themselves by specific sexual orientation, but rather by renouncing sexuality altogether. However, these notions can come in conflict with the practical, which is that hijras are often employed as prostitutes.Nanda, Serena. "Hijra and Sadhin". ''Constructing Sexualities''. Ed. LaFont, S., New Jersey: Pearson Education, 2003. Print. Furthermore, in India a feminine male who takes a "receptive" role in sex with a man will often identify as a ''kothi'' (or the local equivalent term). While kothis are usually distinguished from hijras as a separate gender identity, they often dress as women and act in a feminine manner in public spaces, even using feminine language to refer to themselves and each other. The usual partners of hijras and kothis are men who consider themselves heterosexual as they are the ones who penetrate. These male partners are often married, and any relationships or sex with "kothis" or hijras are usually kept secret from the community at large. Some hijras may form relationships with men and even marry, although their marriage is not usually recognised by law or religion. Hijras and kothis often have a name for these masculine sexual or romantic partners; for example, ''panthi'' in Bangladesh, ''giriya'' in
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
or ''sridhar'' in
Cochin Kochi ( , ), formerly known as Cochin ( ), is a major port city along the Malabar Coast of India bordering the Laccadive Sea. It is part of the district of Ernakulam in the state of Kerala. The city is also commonly referred to as Ernaku ...
. A 2015 study found that self identified ''panthi'' participants reported their sexual orientation as bisexual but otherwise aligned with male-typical in other study measures. Identification as ''hijra'', ''kothi'' and ''panthi'' can be distinguished from Western categories, as they go beyond sexual attraction (such as gay, lesbian or bisexual in the West) to also include gender roles/presentation and preference in sexual position. A qualitative, interview-based study found that those who fall under the umbrella of being hijra tend to identify with certain 'schools of thought' including Khusrapan and Zananapan. These terms refer to categories of hijra functioning. Those who follow Khusrapan identify with being a Hermaphrodite, denouncing sex work while believing that the ancient practices of bestowing prayers and blessings are to be depended on for sustenance. In contrast, the Zananapan school of thought has followers who may be born biologically male but identify with being a woman through their appearance and lifestyle. They often turn to begging or sex work as a consequence of social exclusion. Many transfeminine activists in Indian communities reject being considered as a third gender, saying that it's a term that is assigned to trans women even if they do not consider themselves a third gender.


History


Ancient era

The ancient Indian erotic book
Kama Sutra The ''Kama Sutra'' (; , , ; ) is an ancient Indian Hindu Sanskrit text on sexuality, eroticism and emotional fulfillment. Attributed to Vātsyāyana, the ''Kamasutra'' is neither exclusively nor predominantly a sex manual on sex positions ...
mentions the performance of
fellatio Fellatio (also known as fellation, and in slang as blowjob, BJ, giving head, or sucking off) is an oral sex act consisting of the stimulation of a human penis, penis by using the mouth. Oral stimulation of the scrotum may also be termed ''fellat ...
by feminine people of a third sex (''tritiya prakriti''). This passage has been variously interpreted as referring to men who desired other men, so-called eunuchs ("those disguised as males, and those that are disguised as females"), male and female trans people ("the male takes on the appearance of a female and the female takes on the appearance of the male"), or two kinds of biological males, one dressed as a woman, the other as a man. Furthermore, in the three kinds of ''devas'' or divine beings of music and dance were identified. These included ''apsaras'', ''gandharvas'', and ''kinnars'', with the former two referring to female and male while the latter refers to 'neuters'. Additionally, the early writings of the
Manu Smriti The ''Manusmṛti'' (), also known as the ''Mānava-Dharmaśāstra'' or the Laws of Manu, is one of the many legal texts and constitutions among the many ' of Hinduism. Over fifty manuscripts of the ''Manusmriti'' are now known, but the earli ...
explained the biological origin of the sexes, identifying a third sex that could result if there was an equal prevalence of male and female 'seed'.


Islamic era

Hijra identity and culture is documented to have evolved during the
Delhi Sultanate The Delhi Sultanate or the Sultanate of Delhi was a Medieval India, late medieval empire primarily based in Delhi that stretched over large parts of the Indian subcontinent for more than three centuries.
(1206–1526) and
Mughal Empire The Mughal Empire was an Early modern period, early modern empire in South Asia. At its peak, the empire stretched from the outer fringes of the Indus River Basin in the west, northern Afghanistan in the northwest, and Kashmir in the north, to ...
(1526–1707), where hijras held esteemed positions as servants for elite households, manual laborers, military commanders, political advisors, tax collectors, and guardians of the
harem A harem is a domestic space that is reserved for the women of the house in a Muslim family. A harem may house a man's wife or wives, their pre-pubescent male children, unmarried daughters, female domestic Domestic worker, servants, and other un ...
. Rulers of kingdoms such as
Awadh Awadh (), known in British Raj historical texts as Avadh or Oudh, is a historical region in northern India and southern Nepal, now constituting the North-central portion of Uttar Pradesh. It is roughly synonymous with the ancient Kosala Regio ...
and
Maratha The Marathi people (; Marathi: , ''Marāṭhī lōk'') or Marathis (Marathi: मराठी, ''Marāṭhī'') are an Indo-Aryan ethnolinguistic group who are native to Maharashtra in western India. They natively speak Marathi, an Indo-A ...
often had hijras participate in royal courts and religious ceremonies, and hijras were granted ''varsasans'' (cash allowances), and ''imams'' (rent-free land grants).
Franciscan The Franciscans are a group of related organizations in the Catholic Church, founded or inspired by the Italian saint Francis of Assisi. They include three independent Religious institute, religious orders for men (the Order of Friars Minor bei ...
travelers in the 1650s noted the presence of "men and boys who dress like women" roaming the streets of
Thatta Thatta is a city in the Pakistani province of Sindh. Thatta was the medieval capital of Sindh, and served as the seat of power for three successive dynasties. Its construction was ordered by Jam Nizamuddin II in 1495. Thatta's historic signif ...
, Sindh (in what is now modern
Pakistan Pakistan, officially the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, is a country in South Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by population, fifth-most populous country, with a population of over 241.5 million, having the Islam by country# ...
). The presence of these individuals was taken to be a sign of the city's depravity.


British colonialism and the anti-Hijra campaign (1858–1947)

Beginning in the 1850s, colonial authorities deployed various strategies to end hijra practices, which they saw as "a breach of public decency" and incapable of "moral transformation," as part of their influence on colonial-era sexuality in India. Although hijras were already criminalised by Section 377 of the Indian Penal Code, in 1861, authorities of the
North-Western Provinces The North-Western Provinces was an Presidencies and provinces of British India, administrative region in British Raj, British India. The North-Western Provinces were established in 1836, through merging the administrative divisions of the Cede ...
(NWP) sought to enact a 'special law' against hijras. By 1870, no high-ranking British officials argued against the implementation of special legislation to address the 'hijra problem', thus solidifying an anti-hijra campaign all across the
Indian subcontinent The Indian subcontinent is a physiographic region of Asia below the Himalayas which projects into the Indian Ocean between the Bay of Bengal to the east and the Arabian Sea to the west. It is now divided between Bangladesh, India, and Pakista ...
. Anti-hijra laws were enacted, including a law outlawing castration, a marginal practice of the hijra community, although it was rarely enforced. The hijra were included in the
Criminal Tribes Act Since the 1870s, various pieces of colonialism, colonial legislation in India during British Raj, British rule were collectively called the Criminal Tribes Act (CTA). This criminalised entire communities by designating them as habitual criminals ...
(1871), subject to registration, monitoring and stigmatisation. Because of economic costs, hijras and other so-called "criminal tribes" were unable to be collectively sequestered from colonial society. British Lieutenant-Governor Edmund Drummond (1814–1895) framed the anti-hijra campaign as a necessary project. Hijras were monitored with the hope of ending hijra practices. Since the passage of the Criminal Tribes Act (1871), hijras could not possess children. This law also prevented the initiation—castration—as the administrators argued that hijra children did not or could not consent to it.


Post-colonial era (1947–present)

Hijra communities remain throughout modern states of Pakistan, India, Nepal and Bangladesh, although they continue to face social marginalisation and police abuse. In the late 20th and early 21st centuries, hijras became the subject of more attention, being the focus of numerous documentaries, news features, ethnographies, monographs and dissertations.
Gayatri Reddy Gayatri Reddy (b. 23 June 1982) is an Indian anthropologist who has also made contributions to queer and gender studies. Reddy received her PhD in Anthropology in 2000 from Emory University after M.A in Anthropology from Columbia University an ...
writes that in the 21st century, hijras have also been 'mainstreamed' into popular films: "given this history of near invisibility, the recent attention focused on hijras has been unsettling for both hijras and non-hijras."


Social status and economic circumstances

Most hijras live at the margins of society with very low status; the very word "hijra" is sometimes used in a derogatory manner. The Indian lawyer and author
Rajesh Talwar Rajesh Talwar is an Indian Lawyer and author. He has written several books on the topics of law and human rights and also some children's books and plays. Early life Talwar finished his schooling from La Martiniere College, Lucknow and ther ...
has written a book, titled ''The Third Sex and Human Rights'', highlighting the human rights abuses suffered by the community. Few employment opportunities are available to hijras. Many get their income from performing at ceremonies (toli), begging (dheengna), or
prostitution Prostitution is a type of sex work that involves engaging in sexual activity in exchange for payment. The definition of "sexual activity" varies, and is often defined as an activity requiring physical contact (e.g., sexual intercourse, no ...
('raarha')—an occupation of eunuchs also recorded in premodern times. Violence against hijras, especially those who are prostitutes, is often brutal, and occurs in public spaces, police stations, prisons, and their homes. As with
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
people in most of the world, they face extreme discrimination in health, housing, education, employment, immigration, law, and any bureaucracy that is unable to place them into male or female gender categories.


Community

The hijra community is made up of large groups of hijras from different areas forming hierarchical lineages or ''gharanas''. A ''naayak'' is the head and primary decision maker for a gharana, determining policies for the community. Falling under naayaks are ''gurus'' (lit. "teachers"). Gurus are above community members and regulate daily life in their space (known as a ''dera''). The followers of a ''guru'' are called ''chelas''. Traditionally, teachers and their disciples use these terms in many domains such as religious learning; however, they bear specific meaning in hijra communities as being about cultural learning—hijra chelas are taught about hijra customs by their guru. These communities reflect similarities to Western notions of
found family Chosen family—also referred to as found family, a family of choice, or ''hānai'' family—refers to non-biological kinship bonds that are intentionally formed, regardless of legal recognition. These relationships are often based on mutual care ...
. In these communities, the hijras usually refer to each other in feminine terms. Thus, they refer to their relations as sisters with those who fall around their age range or aunt with those older than them, and so on.


Housing

In October 2013, Pakistani Christians and Muslims (Shia and Sunni) put pressure on the landlords of Imamia Colony to evict any
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
residents. I. A. Rehman, the director of the
Human Rights Commission of Pakistan The Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP; ) is an independent, democratic non-profit organisation. Founded in 1987, it is one of the oldest human rights organisations in the country. HRCP is committed to monitoring, protecting and prom ...
, said, "Generally in Pakistan, Khwaja Sira are not under threat. But they are in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Province because of a 'new Islam' under way."


Healthcare

The social status of hijra in society plays a part in their difficulty accessing healthcare services as physicians will turn hijra clients away, saying their presence will disturb other clients. Hijra have to hide their identities or can not disclose illnesses such as STIs. Most medical practitioners are also not well educated and informed enough on hijra or sexuality, further contributing to this issue. Social exclusion of the ''hijra'' also has some severe consequences for their health. ''Hijra'' in Dhaka, Bangladesh were found to have the highest syphilis rates out of all at-risk groups in the city. In a study of Bangladeshi hijras, participants reported not being allowed to seek healthcare at the private chambers of doctors, and experiencing abuse if they go to government hospitals. In 2008,
HIV The human immunodeficiency viruses (HIV) are two species of '' Lentivirus'' (a subgroup of retrovirus) that infect humans. Over time, they cause acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (AIDS), a condition in which progressive failure of the im ...
prevalence was 27.6% amongst hijra sex workers in
Larkana Larkana (; ) is a city located in the Sindh province of Pakistan. It is the 15th largest city of Pakistan by population. It is home to the Indus Valley civilization site Mohenjo-daro. The historic Indus River flows in east and south of the ci ...
, Pakistan. The general prevalence of HIV among the adult Pakistani population is estimated at 0.1%. The aforementioned social inequalities and medical negligence also make hijra sex workers a more vulnerable population to HIV. Sex work increases the worker's vulnerability to violence, and protection is not usually used in coerced sex, increasing risk of direct exposure to HIV. 40% of the sample in a Pakistan study on HIV reported experiencing forced sex or abuse. Additionally, of this sample, 58% of participants had STI's, the most common being syphilis and gonorrhoea. An Indian study consisting of 68 transgender participants reported that respondents expressed having intense feelings of low self-worth, shame, depression and suicidal thoughts, internalizing the negative views the society around them holds. Many hijra experience a lack of a support system, facing rejection from family members or difficulties in terms of maintaining steady relationships with romantic partners. This rejection from society contributes to struggles with mental health as well as trans sex workers feeling obligated to accept the violence and stigmas they are subject to.


Criminalization of sexuality

After India's Supreme Court re-criminalized homosexual sex on 11 December 2013, there was a sharp increase in physical, psychological and sexual violence against the
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
community by the
Indian Police Service The Indian Police Service (IPS) is a civil service under the All India Services. It replaced the Indian Imperial Police in 1948, a year after India became Partition of India, independent from the British Empire. Along with the Indian Admini ...
, which often does not investigate reports of sexual assault against them. On 6 September 2018, the Supreme Court overturned India's
Section 377 Section 377 is a British colonial Penal Code provision that criminalized all sexual acts "against the order of nature". The law was used to prosecute people engaging in oral and anal sex along with homosexual activity. As per a Supreme Court of I ...
, which criminalized
anal Anal may refer to: Related to the anus *Related to the anus of animals: ** Anal fin, in fish anatomy ** Anal vein, in insect anatomy ** Anal scale, in reptile anatomy *Related to the human anus: ** Anal sex, a type of sexual activity involving ...
and
oral sex Oral sex, sometimes referred to as oral intercourse, is sexual activity involving the stimulation of the genitalia of a person by another person using the mouth (including the lips, tongue, or teeth). Cunnilingus is oral sex performed on the vu ...
.


Education and employment

In an ethnographic study on the ''hijra'' experience in Bangladesh, many ''hijra'' recounted childhood experiences of facing abuse and isolation from their peers for presenting as feminine males. Additionally, many ''hijra'' reported facing abuse and humiliation from their teachers as well, making school an unfriendly and uncomfortable environment for them. These experiences ultimately resulted in their reluctance to attend school or continue education. This lack of education ends up playing a role in unemployment rates of Hijra. Hijra in Bangladesh also experience sexual harassment and abuse at work, being removed from their jobs when outed as hijra or denied from jobs in general. They face accusations of disturbing the workplace environment. Being turned away from traditional careers, many hijra have become involved in sex work. However, this has its own problems as Hijras face harassment, forced unprotected sex and assault from clients but many are not able to report it due to fear of harassment from the police as well. In 2002, nearly 5,000 people attended the All India Eunuch Conference held in Varanasi; the conference's platform demanded that universities and government open more job opportunities to this population. On 15 April 2014, in '' National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India'', the
Supreme Court of India The Supreme Court of India is the supreme judiciary of India, judicial authority and the supreme court, highest court of the Republic of India. It is the final Appellate court, court of appeal for all civil and criminal cases in India. It also ...
ruled that transgender people should be treated as a third category of gender or as a socially and economically "backward" class entitled to proportional access and representation in education and jobs. Beginning in 2006, hijras were engaged to accompany
Patna Patna (; , ISO 15919, ISO: ''Paṭanā''), historically known as Pataliputra, Pāṭaliputra, is the List of state and union territory capitals in India, capital and largest city of the state of Bihar in India. According to the United Nations, ...
city revenue officials to collect unpaid taxes, receiving a 4-percent commission.


Language

The hijra community developed a secret language known as
Hijra Farsi Hijra Farsi is a secret language spoken by South-Asian Hijra and Kothi (also Koti) communities. Hijras are a marginalized transgender community that lives in sequestered groups in many cities of India and Pakistan. The language, also known as ' ...
. The language has a sentence structure loosely based on
Hindi Modern Standard Hindi (, ), commonly referred to as Hindi, is the Standard language, standardised variety of the Hindustani language written in the Devanagari script. It is an official language of India, official language of the Government ...
and a unique vocabulary of at least a thousand words. Some of the kinship terms and names for rituals used by the Hindi-speaking Hijra community are different in use from those used by people outside the Hijra community. For example, ''dādī'', the Standard Hindi for ''paternal grandmother'', is used in the Hijra community to address one's guru's guru. Beyond the Urdu-Hindi speaking areas of subcontinent the vocabulary is still used by the hijra community within their own native languages.


In politics of South Asia

The governments of both India (1994) and Pakistan (2009) have recognised hijras as a "third sex", thus granting them the basic civil rights of every citizen. In India, hijras now have the option to identify as a eunuch ("E") on passports and on certain government documents. They are not, however, fully accommodated; in order to vote, for example, citizens must identify as either male or female. There is also further discrimination from the government. In the 2009 general election, India's election committee denied three hijras candidature unless they identified themselves as either male or female. In 2013, transgender people in Pakistan were given their first opportunity to stand for election.
Sanam Fakir Sanam may refer to: Places * Sanam, Iran, a village in Iran * Sanam, Niger, a commune in Niger * Sanam, Sudan, a village in Sudan Entertainment * Sanam (1997 film), ''Sanam'' (1997 film), a 1997 Hindi drama film * Sanam (1951 film), ''Sanam'' ( ...
, a 32-year-old hijra, ran as an independent candidate for
Sukkur Sukkur is a city in the Pakistani province of Sindh along the western bank of the Indus River, directly across from the historic city of Rohri. Sukkur is the List of cities in Sindh by population, third largest city in Sindh after Karachi and H ...
, Pakistan's general election in May. In April 2014, Justice
K. S. Radhakrishnan Dr. K. S. Radhakrishnan is an Indian scholar, writer, philosopher, and politician. He is currently the state vice-president of the Bharatiya Janatha Party (BJP) in Kerala. In March 2024, he was announced as the BJP candidate from the Ernaku ...
declared
transgender A transgender (often shortened to trans) person has a gender identity different from that typically associated with the sex they were sex assignment, assigned at birth. The opposite of ''transgender'' is ''cisgender'', which describes perso ...
to be the third gender in Indian law in '' National Legal Services Authority v. Union of India''. The ruling said: Justice Radhakrishnan said that transgender people should be treated consistently with other minorities under the law, enabling them to access jobs, healthcare and education. He framed the issue as one of human rights, saying that, "These TGs, even though insignificant in numbers, are still human beings and therefore they have every right to enjoy their human rights", concluding by declaring that: A bill supported by all political parties was tabled in Indian parliament to ensure transgender people get benefits akin reserved communities like SC/STs and is taking steps to see that they get enrollment in schools and jobs in government besides protection from sexual harassment. In the 1990s, about 10,000 people belonged to a national organisation called Treetiya Panthi Sanghatana (TPS). As of 2003, the president was Kajal Nayak. A younger Kajal Nayak, who was 27 years old in 2019, is the president of
Jajpur Jajpur (also known as Jajapur) () is a town and a municipality in Jajpur district in the Indian state of Odisha. It was the capital of the Kesari dynasty, later supplanted by Cuttack. It is the headquarter of Jajpur district. Etymology a ...
's Transgender Association.


In religion

Many practise a form of
syncretism Syncretism () is the practice of combining different beliefs and various school of thought, schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or religious assimilation, assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the ...
that draws on multiple religions; seeing themselves to be neither men nor women, hijras practice rituals for both men and women. They are usually devotees of the mother goddess
Bahuchara Mata Bahuchara Mata (; ) is a Hindu goddess of chastity and fertility in her maiden aspect, of the incarnation of the Hinglaj. The goddess grants favours, especially to male children, and cures diseases. Like other divinities in Gujarat and Rajastha ...
,
Shiva Shiva (; , ), also known as Mahadeva (; , , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɐɦaːd̪eːʋɐh and Hara, is one of the Hindu deities, principal deities of Hinduism. He is the God in Hinduism, Supreme Being in Shaivism, one of the major traditions w ...
, or both.


Bahuchara Mata

Bahuchara Mata Bahuchara Mata (; ) is a Hindu goddess of chastity and fertility in her maiden aspect, of the incarnation of the Hinglaj. The goddess grants favours, especially to male children, and cures diseases. Like other divinities in Gujarat and Rajastha ...
is a Hindu goddess with two unrelated stories both associated with transgender behavior. One story is that she appeared in the avatar of a princess who castrated her husband because he would run in the woods and act like a woman rather than have sex with her. Another story is that a man tried to rape her, so she cursed him with
impotence Erectile dysfunction (ED), also referred to as impotence, is a form of sexual dysfunction in males characterized by the persistent or recurring inability to achieve or maintain a Human penis, penile erection with sufficient rigidity and durat ...
. When the man begged her forgiveness to have the curse removed, she relented only after he agreed to run in the woods and act like a woman. The primary temple to this goddess is located in
Gujarat Gujarat () is a States of India, state along the Western India, western coast of India. Its coastline of about is the longest in the country, most of which lies on the Kathiawar peninsula. Gujarat is the List of states and union territories ...
and it is a place of pilgrimage for hijras, who see Bahuchara Mata as a patroness.


Ardhanarishvara

One of the forms of Shiva is called
Ardhanari Ardhanarishvara () is a form of the Hindu deity Shiva combined with his consort Parvati. Ardhanarishvara is depicted as half-male and half-female, equally split down the middle. Ardhanarishvara represents the synthesis of masculine and feminin ...
shvara, a composite representation with one half of the form featuring
Parvati Parvati (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, pɑɾʋət̪iː/), also known as Uma (, , IPA: Sanskrit phonology, /ʊmɑː/) and Gauri (, , IPA: /Sanskrit phonology, gə͡ʊɾiː/), is one of the principal goddesses in Hinduism, revered as the Devi, ...
. Ardhanarishvara has special significance as a patron of hijras, who identify with the gender ambiguity. According to legend, the sage
Bhringi Bhringi () is a rishi in Hinduism, described to be a great devotee of Shiva, the Hindu destroyer deity. Legend According to the Shiva Purana and Tamil Sthala Puranas, all the rishis who paid homage to Shiva also offered their veneration to ...
wished to venerate only Shiva, and ignored Parvati, while worshipping and
circumambulating Circumambulation (from Latin ''circum'' around and ''ambulātus ''to walk) is the act of moving around a sacred object or idol. Circumambulation of temples or deity images is an integral part of Hindu and Buddhist devotional practice (known in ...
him. Agitated, Parvati cursed Bhringi to lose all his flesh and blood, reducing him to a skeleton. In this form Bhringi could not stand erect, so the compassionate ones who witnessed the scene blessed the sage with a third leg for support. As her attempt to humiliate the sage had failed, Parvati punished herself with austerities that pleased Shiva and led him to grant her the boon of uniting with him, thereby compelling Bhringi to worship the divine couple in the form of Ardhanarishvara, a combined form of the deities, believed to integrate the masculine and the feminine.


In the ''Ramayana''

In some versions of the ''
Ramayana The ''Ramayana'' (; ), also known as ''Valmiki Ramayana'', as traditionally attributed to Valmiki, is a smriti text (also described as a Sanskrit literature, Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epic) from ancient India, one of the two important epics ...
'',"Many, if not most, translations of Valmiki's Ramayana do not contain this reference." Joseph T. Bockrath,
Bhartia Hijro Ka Dharma
The Code of India's Hijra", ''Legal Studies Forum'' 83 (2003).
when
Rama Rama (; , , ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the seventh and one of the most popular avatars of Vishnu. In Rama-centric Hindu traditions, he is considered the Supreme Being. Also considered as the ideal man (''maryāda' ...
leaves
Ayodhya Ayodhya () is a city situated on the banks of the Sarayu river in the Indian state of Uttar Pradesh. It is the administrative headquarters of the Ayodhya district as well as the Ayodhya division of Uttar Pradesh, India. Ayodhya became th ...
for his 14-year exile, a crowd of his subjects follow him into the forest because of their devotion to him. Soon Rama notices this, and gathers them to tell them not to mourn, and that all the "men and women" of his kingdom should return to their places in Ayodhya. Rama then leaves for 14 years. When he returns to Ayodhya, he finds that the hijras, being neither men nor women, have not moved from the place where he gave his speech. Impressed with their devotion, Rama grants hijras the boon to confer blessings on people during auspicious inaugural occasions like childbirth and weddings. Specifically, hijras will perform and bestow their blessings when a son is born. This boon is the origin of ''badhai'' in which hijras sing, dance and give blessings.


In the ''Mahabharata''

The ''
Mahabharata The ''Mahābhārata'' ( ; , , ) is one of the two major Sanskrit Indian epic poetry, epics of ancient India revered as Smriti texts in Hinduism, the other being the ''Ramayana, Rāmāyaṇa''. It narrates the events and aftermath of the Kuru ...
'' includes an episode in which
Arjuna Arjuna (, , Help:IPA/Sanskrit, ɾd͡ʒun̪ə is one of the central characters of the ancient Hindu epic ''Mahabharata''. He is the third of the five Pandava brothers, and is widely regarded as the most important and renowned among them. ...
, a hero of the epic, is sent into exile. There he assumes an identity of a eunuch-transvestite and performs rituals during weddings and childbirths that are now performed by hijras. In another episode, before the
Kurukshetra War The Kurukshetra War (), also called the Mahabharata War, is a war described in the Hindu Indian epic poetry, epic poem ''Mahabharata'', arising from a dynastic struggle between two groups of cousins, the Kauravas and the Pandavas, for the thr ...
, Aravan offers his lifeblood to goddess Kali to ensure victory for the
Pandavas The Pandavas (Sanskrit: पाण्डव, aɳɖɐʋᵊ IAST: Pāṇḍava) is a group name referring to the five legendary brothers, Yudhishtira, Bhima, Arjuna, Nakula, and Sahadeva, who are central figures of the Hindu epic ''Mahabhara ...
, and Kali agrees. On the night before the battle, Aravan expresses a desire to get married before he dies. No woman was willing to marry a man doomed to die in a few hours, so Lord
Krishna Krishna (; Sanskrit language, Sanskrit: कृष्ण, ) is a major deity in Hinduism. He is worshipped as the eighth avatar of Vishnu and also as the Supreme God (Hinduism), Supreme God in his own right. He is the god of protection, c ...
(as
Mohini Mohini (Sanskrit: मोहिनी, ') is the Hindu goddess of enchantment. She is the only female avatar of the Hindu god Vishnu. She is portrayed as a ''femme fatale'', an enchantress, who maddens lovers and demons, sometimes leading them ...
) marries him. In South India, hijras claim Aravan as their progenitor and call themselves ''aravanis''. Each year in
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
, during April and May, hijras celebrate an eighteen-day religious festival at a temple located in the village Koovagam in the
Ulundurpet Ulundurpettai or Ulundurpet is a municipality in Ulundurpet taluka of Kallakurichi district of Tamil Nadu, India. It is at the intersection of NH 68 and NH 45 located 205 km from Chennai and 129 km from Tiruchirappalli. Ulundurpe ...
taluk A tehsil (, also known as tahsil, taluk, or taluka () is a local unit of administrative division in India and Pakistan. It is a subdistrict of the area within a district including the designated populated place that serves as its administrative ...
in
Villupuram Viluppuram, Villupuram, or Vizhuppuram () is a municipality and the administrative headquarters of Viluppuram district. Located south west of a Tiruvannamalai and north west of Cuddalore null The town serves as a major and largest railway ...
district. The temple is devoted to the deity Koothandavar, who is identified with Aravan. During the festival, the hijras reenact the wedding of Lord Krishna and Lord Aravan, followed by Aravan's subsequent sacrifice. They then mourn Aravan's death through ritualistic dances and by breaking their
bangle A bangle is a traditionally rigid bracelet which is usually made of metal, wood, glass or plastic. These ornaments are worn mostly by women in the Indian subcontinent, Southeastern Asia, the Arabian Peninsula, and Africa. It is common to see a ...
s. An annual beauty pageant is also held, as well as various health and HIV/AIDS focused seminars. Hijras from all over the country travel to this festival.
BBC Three BBC Three is a British free-to-air Public service broadcasting in the United Kingdom, public broadcast television channel owned and operated by the BBC. It was first launched on 9 February 2003 with programmes for a 16 to 34-year-old target aud ...
documentary ''India's Ladyboys'' as well as the
National Geographic Channel National Geographic (formerly National Geographic Channel; abbreviated and trademarked as Nat Geo or Nat Geo TV) is an American pay television network and flagship channel owned by the National Geographic Global Networks unit of Disney Enter ...
television series ''
Taboo A taboo is a social group's ban, prohibition or avoidance of something (usually an utterance or behavior) based on the group's sense that it is excessively repulsive, offensive, sacred or allowed only for certain people.''Encyclopædia Britannica ...
'' depict personal experiences of hijras attending this festival.


In Islam

There is evidence that Indian hijras identifying as Muslim also incorporate aspects of Hinduism. Still, despite this
syncretism Syncretism () is the practice of combining different beliefs and various school of thought, schools of thought. Syncretism involves the merging or religious assimilation, assimilation of several originally discrete traditions, especially in the ...
,
Gayatri Reddy Gayatri Reddy (b. 23 June 1982) is an Indian anthropologist who has also made contributions to queer and gender studies. Reddy received her PhD in Anthropology in 2000 from Emory University after M.A in Anthropology from Columbia University an ...
notes that hijra do not practise Islam differently from other Muslims and argues that their syncretism does not make them any less Muslim. Reddy also documents an example of how this syncretism manifests: in
Hyderabad Hyderabad is the capital and largest city of the Indian state of Telangana. It occupies on the Deccan Plateau along the banks of the Musi River (India), Musi River, in the northern part of Southern India. With an average altitude of , much ...
, India, a group of Muslim converts were
circumcised Circumcision is a procedure that removes the foreskin from the human penis. In the most common form of the operation, the foreskin is extended with forceps, then a circumcision device may be placed, after which the foreskin is excised. T ...
, something seen as the quintessential marker of male Muslim identity.


In films and literature


India

''Hijras'' have been portrayed on screen in
Indian cinema The cinema of India, consisting of motion pictures made by the Indian film industry, has had a large effect on world cinema since the second half of the 20th century. Indian cinema is made up of various film industries, each focused on p ...
since its inception, historically as
comic relief Comic Relief is a British charity, founded in 1986 by the comedy scriptwriter Richard Curtis and comedian Sir Lenny Henry in response to the 1983–1985 famine in Ethiopia. The concept of Comic Relief was to get British comedians to make t ...
. A notable turning point occurred in 1974 when real ''hijras'' appeared during a song-and-dance sequence in '' Kunwaara Baap'' ("The Unmarried Father"). The Hindi movie ''
Amar Akbar Anthony ''Amar Akbar Anthony'' is a 1977 Indian Hindi-language masala film directed and produced by Manmohan Desai and written by Kader Khan. Released in India on 27 May 1977, the film stars an ensemble cast of Vinod Khanna, Rishi Kapoor, Amitabh Bac ...
'' (1977) features ''hijras'' who accompany one of the heroes, Akbar (
Rishi Kapoor Rishi Kapoor (4 September 1952 – 30 April 2020) was an Indian actor, film director, and producer who worked in Hindi films. In a career spanning 50 years, he is regarded as one of the most successful and accomplished actors in Hindi cinema. ...
), in a song entitled "''Tayyab Ali Pyar Ka Dushman''" ("Tayyab Ali, the Enemy of Love"). * In ''
Soorma Bhopali ''Soorma Bhopali'' is a 1988 Indian Hindi-language drama film produced by Naved and directed by Jagdeep, who previously played ''Soorma Bhopali'' in the film ''Sholay''. Plot Soorma Bhopali is the owner of a Timber mart. He wants to distribute ...
'' (1988),
Jagdeep Syed Ishtiaq Ahmed Jaffrey (19 March 1939 – 8 July 2020), better known by his stage name Jagdeep, was an Indian actor and comedian who appeared in more than 400 films. He played Soorma Bhopali in ''Sholay'' (1975), Machchar in '' Purana Mandi ...
encounters a troupe of ''hijras'' on his arrival in Bombay. The leader of this pack is also played by Jagdeep himself. * One of the main characters in
Khushwant Singh Khushwant Singh FKC (born Khushal Singh, 2 February 1915 – 20 March 2014) was an Indian author, lawyer, diplomat, journalist and politician. His experience in the 1947 Partition of India inspired him to write '' Train to Pakistan'' in 1956 ( ...
's novel ''
Delhi Delhi, officially the National Capital Territory (NCT) of Delhi, is a city and a union territory of India containing New Delhi, the capital of India. Straddling the Yamuna river, but spread chiefly to the west, or beyond its Bank (geography ...
'' (1990), Bhagmati, is a ''hijra''. She makes a living as a semi-prostitute and is wanted in the diplomatic circles of the city. * One of the first sympathetic ''hijra'' portrayals was in Mani Ratnam's ''Bombay'' (1995). 1997's '' Tamanna'' starred male actor
Paresh Rawal Paresh Rawal (born 30 May 1955) is an Indian actor, comedian, film producer and politician known for his works primarily in Hindi cinema, Hindi films. He has Paresh Rawal filmography, appeared in over 240 films and is the recipient of various L ...
in a central role as "Tiku", a ''hijra'' who raises a young orphan.
Pooja Bhatt Pooja Bhatt (born 24 February 1972) is an Indian actress, director, and filmmaker who works in Hindi films. She established herself as one of the leading actresses of the 1990s and is the recipient of several accolades, including two National ...
produced and also starred in the movie, with her father
Mahesh Bhatt Mahesh Bhatt (born 20 September 1948) is an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter known for his works in Hindi cinema. He has received List of awards and nominations received by Mahesh Bhatt, a number of accolades, including four Nati ...
co-writing and directing. * The 1997 Hindi film '' Darmiyaan: In Between'', directed & co-written by
Kalpana Lajmi Kalpana Lajmi (1954–2018) was an Indian film director, producer and screenwriter. Lajmi was an independent filmmaker working more on realistic, low-budget films, which are known in India as parallel cinema. Her films were often woman-oriented ...
, is based on the subject of ''hijras'', with a fictitious story of an actress bearing a son that turns out to be neuter. * Kishor Shatabai Kale's novel ''Hijara Ek Mard'' (''Eunuch, a Man'') was adapted for the stage in 1998. The play was titled ''Andharyatra''. * In the 2000 Tamil film '' Appu'', directed by
Vasanth Vasanth is an Indian director well known in Tamil cinema, Tamil language films for directing films such as ''Keladi Kanmani'' (1990), ''Aasai'' (1995), ''Nerrukku Ner'' (1997), ''Rhythm (2000 film), Rhythm'' (2000) and ''Satham Podathey'' (200 ...
and a remake of the Hindi film ''Sadak'', the antagonist is a brothel-owning ''hijra'' played by
Prakash Raj Prakash Raj (born Prakash Rai; 26 March 1965) is an Indian actor, film director, producer, television presenter, and politician. Known for his works in Telugu language, Telugu, Tamil language, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam, English language, Engl ...
. (In ''Sadak'', the brothel-owning character was played by
Sadashiv Amrapurkar Sadashiv Dattaray Amrapurkar (11 May 1950 – 3 November 2014) was an Indian actor, best known for his performances in Marathi and Hindi films from 1983 to 2013. He acted in more than 300 movies in Hindi, Marathi, and other regional languages ...
under the name "Maharani".) * In
Anil Kapoor Anil Kapoor (born 24 December 1956) is an Indian actor and producer who works primarily in Hindi cinema, Hindi films, in addition to Indian television and international films. In a career spanning over 40 years as an actor and since 2005 as a ...
's '' Nayak'' (2001),
Johnny Lever John Prakash Rao Janumala, better known by his stage name Johnny Lever (born on 14 August 1957) is an Indian actor and comedian who is known for his works in Hindi cinema. He is one of the most recognised comedic actors in India and is widely ...
, who plays the role of the hero's assistant, gets beaten up by hijras, when he is caught calling them "hijra" (he is in habit of calling almost everyone who bothers him by this pejorative and no one cares much, except this once ironically, as the addressees are literally what he is calling them.) * In the 2004 film ''
Bride and Prejudice ''Bride and Prejudice'' (also known as ''Bride and Prejudice: The Bollywood Musical'') is a 2004 romantic comedy-drama film directed by Gurinder Chadha. The screenplay by Chadha and Paul Mayeda Berges is a Bollywood-style adaptation of Jane A ...
'', directed by
Gurinder Chadha Gurinder Kaur Chadha, (born 10 January 1960) is a Kenyan-born British film director of Indian origin. Most of her films explore the lives of Indians living in England. The common theme in her work showcases the trials of Indian women residing ...
, a group of hijras make an appearance during the "A Marriage Has Come to Town" number, in which they dance and sing the following lyrics: "Who can tell you more about Yin & Yang?/Sharing one spirit between woman and man/Marriage is the path taken by he and she/May your new life be kissed by harmony." * Deepa Mehta's controversial film ''
Water Water is an inorganic compound with the chemical formula . It is a transparent, tasteless, odorless, and Color of water, nearly colorless chemical substance. It is the main constituent of Earth's hydrosphere and the fluids of all known liv ...
'' (2005) features the ''hijra'' character "Gulabi" (played by
Raghubir Yadav Raghubir Yadav is an Indian actor, music composer, singer and set designer who works in Hindi films. He made his film debut with '' Massey Sahib'' (1985), in which he played the title role. He has won two International Awards as Best Actor for ...
), who has taken to introducing the downtrodden, outcast widows of
Varanasi Varanasi (, also Benares, Banaras ) or Kashi, is a city on the Ganges river in northern India that has a central place in the traditions of pilgrimage, death, and mourning in the Hindu world.* * * * The city has a syncretic tradition of I ...
to prostitution. *
Vijay TV Star Vijay is an Indian Tamil language general entertainment pay television channel owned by JioStar, a joint venture between Viacom18 and Disney India. The channel telecasts programmes such as serials, reality shows & Tamil films. History T ...
's '' Ippadikku Rose'' (2008), a Tamil show conducted by postgraduate educated transgender woman Rose, was a very successful program that discussed various issues faced by youth in Tamil Nadu, where she also gave her own experiences. * In addition to numerous other themes, the 2008 movie ''
Welcome to Sajjanpur ''Welcome to Sajjanpur'' is a 2008 Indian Hindi-language comedy film directed by Shyam Benegal, starring Shreyas Talpade and Amrita Rao. The film is inspired by the 1977 film '' Palkon Ki Chhaon Mein''. Plot Mahadev (Shreyas Talpade) is an u ...
'' by
Shyam Benegal Shyam Benegal (14 December 1934 – 23 December 2024) was an Indian film director, screenwriter and documentary filmmaker. Often regarded as the pioneer of parallel cinema, he is widely considered as one of the greatest filmmakers post 1970s. H ...
explores the role of ''hijras'' in Indian society. * ''
Jogwa ''Jogwa - The Awakening'' is a 2009 Marathi-language drama film directed by Rajiv Patil and produced under iDream Productions & Screenplay by Sanjay Krishnaji Patil. It stars Upendra Limaye and Mukta Barve while Priya Berde, Vinay Apte, Sha ...
'', a 2009 Marathi film, depicts the story of a man forced to be ''hijra'' under certain circumstances. The movie has received several accolades. * The 2011 film '' Queens! Destiny of Dance'' tells the story of an upmarket hijra community that is headed by their queen, Guru Amma, played by actress
Seema Biswas Seema Biswas (born 14 January 1965) is an Indian actress who works in Hindi films and the theatre. She gained prominence after playing the role of Phoolan Devi in Shekhar Kapur, Shekhar Kapur's film ''Bandit Queen'' (1994), for which she won the ...
. * The 2011 comedy-horror '' Kanchana'' features an unemployed man who is possessed by a transgender woman seeking revenge against her murderers. * The 2017 novel '' The Ministry of Utmost Happiness'' by
Arundhati Roy Suzanna Arundhati Roy (; born 24 November 1961) is an Indian author best known for her novel ''The God of Small Things'' (1997), which won the Booker Prize for Fiction in 1997 and became the best-selling book by a non-expatriate Indian author. ...
features a storyline involving a Muslim hijra character named Anjum. * The 2020 comedy-horror ''
Laxmii ''Laxmii'' is a 2020 Indian Hindi-language horror comedy film written and directed by Raghava Lawrence, marking his directorial debut in the Hindi film industry. A remake of his own Tamil film '' Kanchana'' (2011), it stars Akshay Kumar and Kia ...
'', based on ''Kanchana'', features the actor
Akshay Kumar Akshay Hari Om Bhatia (born Rajiv Hari Om Bhatia; 9 September 1967), known professionally as Akshay Kumar (), is an Indian actor and film producer working in Hindi cinema. Referred to in the media as "Khiladi Kumar", through his career span ...
, a
cisgender The word ''cisgender'' (often shortened to ''cis''; sometimes ''cissexual'') describes a person whose gender identity corresponds to their sex assigned at birth, i.e., someone who is not ''transgender''. The prefix '' cis-'' is Latin and ...
man who usually plays hypermasculine roles, in the role of a Muslim man who begins crossdressing because he is possessed by the ghost of a transgender woman. * The 2010 novel ''
Chanakya's Chant ''Chanakya's Chant'' (2010) is a novel written by Indian author Ashwin Sanghi. It was written two years after his first novel '' The Rozabal Line'' (2008) was released in India. ''Chanakya's Chant'' was released on 26 January 2011 and entered ...
'' by
Ashwin Sanghi Ashwin Sanghi (born 25 January 1969) is an Indian writer. His novels include '' The Rozabal Line'', '' Chanakya's Chant'', '' The Krishna Key'', ''The Sialkot Saga'', ''Keepers Of The Kalachakra'', ''The Vault of Vishnu'', and ''The Magicians o ...
features a storyline involving a hijra character. * The 2022 film ''
Gangubai Kathiawadi ''Gangubai Kathiawadi'' is a 2022 Indian Hindi-language biographical crime drama film directed by Sanjay Leela Bhansali and produced by Bhansali and Jayantilal Gada. Based on the book '' Mafia Queens of Mumbai'' by S. Hussain Zaidi, it tells ...
'' directed by
Sanjay Leela Bhansali Sanjay Leela Bhansali (born 24 February 1963) is an Indian film director, producer, screenwriter, editor and music composer, who works in Hindi cinema. He is the recipient of several awards, including seven National Film Awards and twelve Filmf ...
features a hijra sex-worker named Raziabai (played by
Vijay Raaz Vijay Raaz (born 5 June 1963) is an Indian actor, film director and narrator, who predominantly appears in Hindi films. He debuted with '' Bhopal Express'' (1999) and since worked in more than 90 films. His breakthrough came when he played the ...
), who rules with an iron-fist over the prostitutes of
Kamathipura Kamathipura (also spelled Kamthipura) is a neighbourhood in Mumbai, India known for prostitution. It was first settled after 1795 with the construction of causeways that connected the erstwhile seven islands of Mumbai. Initially known as Lal ...
, until her rule is challenged by the titular character in the annual presidential election held among brothel madames. * '' Monkey Man'' (2024) features a commune of hijras who aid the main character.


Malayalam

In the
Malayalam Malayalam (; , ) is a Dravidian languages, Dravidian language spoken in the Indian state of Kerala and the union territories of Lakshadweep and Puducherry (union territory), Puducherry (Mahé district) by the Malayali people. It is one of ...
movie '' Ardhanaari'', released on 23 November 2012, director Santhosh Sowparnika depicts the life of a transgender person.
Manoj K Jayan Manoj Kadampoothramadam Jayan, also known as Manoj K. Jayan is an Indian actor who acts in Malayalam films in addition to a few Tamil films. Manoj has won three Kerala State Film Award for Second Best Actor for his portrayals of Hariharan's "Ku ...
,
Thilakan Palappurathu Keshavan Surendranatha Thilakan (15 July 1935 – 24 September 2012) was an Indian film and stage actor who appeared in over 200 Malayalam films. Thilakan was known for his elaborate method acting, realistic and spontaneous appeara ...
,
Sukumari Sukumari Amma (6 October 1940 – 26 March 2013) was an Indian actress best known for her works in Malayalam and Tamil films. In a career spanning more than five decades, She has appeared in more than 2500 films predominantly in Malayalam, T ...
and Maniyanpilla Raju perform leading roles. Njan Marykutty is another Malayalam film about the troubles and challenges of a
trans woman A trans woman or transgender woman is a woman who was assigned male at birth. Trans women have a female gender identity and may experience gender dysphoria (distress brought upon by the discrepancy between a person's gender identity and their ...
in
Kerala Kerala ( , ) is a States and union territories of India, state on the Malabar Coast of India. It was formed on 1 November 1956, following the passage of the States Reorganisation Act, by combining Malayalam-speaking regions of the erstwhile ...
.


Tamil

''Vaadamalli'' by novelist Su. Samuthiram is the first
Tamil Tamil may refer to: People, culture and language * Tamils, an ethno-linguistic group native to India, Sri Lanka, and some other parts of Asia **Sri Lankan Tamils, Tamil people native to Sri Lanka ** Myanmar or Burmese Tamils, Tamil people of Ind ...
novel about the Aravaani community in
Tamil Nadu Tamil Nadu (; , TN) is the southernmost States and union territories of India, state of India. The List of states and union territories of India by area, tenth largest Indian state by area and the List of states and union territories of Indi ...
, published in 1994. Transgender activist A. Revathi became the first hijra to write about transgender issues and gender politics in Tamil. Her works have been translated into more than eight languages and act as primary resources on gender studies in Asia. Her book is part of a research project for more than 100 universities. She is the author of ''Unarvum Uruvamum'' (Feeling and Form), the first of its kind in English from a member of the hijra community. She acted and directed stage plays on gender and sexuality issues in Tamil and Kannada. ''The Truth about Me: A Hijra Life Story'' is part of the syllabus for final year students of
The American College in Madurai The American College, often referred to as American College, is one of the oldest colleges in India, located in Madurai, Tamil Nadu. It was founded in 1881 by American Christian missionaries. The red-brick buildings, in the Saracenic style, b ...
. "Naan Saravanan Alla" (2007) and Vidya's ''I Am Vidya'' (2008) were the first autobiographies of trans women.


Pakistan

The 1992 film ''
Immaculate Conception The Immaculate Conception is the doctrine that the Virgin Mary was free of original sin from the moment of her conception. It is one of the four Mariology, Marian dogmas of the Catholic Church. Debated by medieval theologians, it was not def ...
'' by
Jamil Dehlavi Jamil Dehlavi () (born 1944) is a London-based independent film director and producer of Pakistani-France, French origin. Since he became a filmmaker in the 1970s, his work has been widely screened internationally, notable films including ''Jinna ...
is based upon the culture-clash between a western Jewish couple seeking fertility at a
Karachi Karachi is the capital city of the Administrative units of Pakistan, province of Sindh, Pakistan. It is the List of cities in Pakistan by population, largest city in Pakistan and 12th List of largest cities, largest in the world, with a popul ...
shrine known to be blessed by a Sufi fakir called 'Gulab Shah' and the group of Pakistani eunuchs who guard it. ''
Murad Murad or Mourad () is an Arabic name. It is also common in Armenian, Azerbaijani, Bengali, Turkish, Persian, and Berber as a male given name or surname and is commonly used throughout the Muslim world and Middle East. Etymology It is derived ...
'' (, but the film's English title was ''Eunuch's Motherhood'') was an award-winning biographical
telefilm A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a terrestr ...
drama made by Evergreen Media Europe for Pakistan's television channel
Indus TV The Indus ( ) is a transboundary river of Asia and a trans- Himalayan river of South and Central Asia. The river rises in mountain springs northeast of Mount Kailash in the Western Tibet region of China, flows northwest through the dispu ...
that aired in 2003. It featured some of the country's top male television actors—Sohail Asghar, Nabeel,
Qazi Wajid Qazi Wajid () (26 May 1930 – 11 February 2018) was a Pakistani actor. His works include '' Shama'', ''Tanhaiyaan'', '' Dhoop Kinare'', ''Chand Grehan'', '' Zair, Zabar, Pesh'', '' Hawain'', ''Mehndi'', '' Afshan'', '' Kiran Kahani'', '' Khud ...
, and Kamran Jilani playing the roles of hijras. It was directed by
Kamran Qureshi Kamran Qureshi FHEA (born 3 October 1975) is a British film and television director, producer, and academic. Qureshi is known for his films, TV shows and drama series on women, children and intersex issues. He is a Fellow of the Higher Educatio ...
, written by
Zafar Mairaj Zafar Mairaj (Urdu, Balochi language, Balochi, Brahui language, Brahui: ; born 11 October 1968) is a Pakistani drama writer, lyricist and short story writer. He primarily writes in Urdu but has also written in Brahui language, Brahui and Baloch ...
and produced by
Iram Qureshi Iram Qureshi is a British film and TV producer, director and media academic. She is the recipient of 1st Indus Drama Awards and PTV Awards. Iram has also been an Assistant Examiner at the University of Cambridge since 2011 and a Senior Lectur ...
. It won both Best TeleFilm and Best Director awards at 2003 Indus Telefilm Festival. The story revolves around Saima, a transgender woman, who adopts a child named Murad. For the first time, influential male actors showed their support for hijra rights during interviews, pointing out that in
Pakistani English Pakistani English (Paklish, Pinglish, PakEng, en-PK) is a group of English-language varieties spoken in Pakistan and among the Pakistani diaspora. English is the primary language used by the government of Pakistan, alongside Urdu, on the na ...
at that time eunuch was the term to describe a transgender person, and ''khwaja sara'' had not yet replaced what is now considered a derogatory term due to decades of heckling and name calling. In 2004,
Kamran Qureshi Kamran Qureshi FHEA (born 3 October 1975) is a British film and television director, producer, and academic. Qureshi is known for his films, TV shows and drama series on women, children and intersex issues. He is a Fellow of the Higher Educatio ...
directed ''
Moorat ''Moorat'' () is a TV serial, the English title is Eunuch's Wedding which premiered on ARY Digital. The serial is directed by Kamran Qureshi, written by Seema Ghazal and produced by Humayun Saeed & Abdullah Kadwani's production house 7th Sky E ...
'' (, released in English under the title ''Eunuch's Wedding''). It a 33-episode series produced by
Humayun Saeed Humayun Saeed (born 27 July 1971) is a Pakistani actor and producer. Describing himself as a method actor, Saeed is primarily known for his work on Pakistani television and cinema and is the recipient of several accolades, including Lux Styl ...
and
Abdullah Kadwani Abdullah Kadwani (Urdu: ) is a Pakistani actor, producer, and director. As of 2019, he holds the position of group managing director at Geo Entertainment, a leading television network in Pakistan. He is currently responsible for "Geo Enterta ...
with more than a dozen cast members. It was nominated for Best Drama Serial, Abid Ali for Best Actor, and
Maria Wasti Maria Wasti (born 14 August 1980) is a Pakistani film and television actress and host. She currently hosts the game show ''Croron Mein Khel'' on the Pakistani television channel BOL Entertainment. Early life Early years Maria Wasti was bor ...
for Best Actress at the
Lux Style Awards The Lux Style Awards is an award ceremony which has been held annually in Pakistan since 2002. The ceremony celebrates "style" in the Pakistani entertainment industry, such as Cinema of Pakistan, cinema, television in Pakistan, television, Pa ...
2005. The show was credited with making people understand the pain and abuse that hijra constantly endure when people make fun of the way they look or dress. The story involves a young lady who is engaged to be married. It turns out her husband is transgender. The story unfolds the trans community and their deprived and isolated world. It portrays eloquently how they, too, are not far away from human emotions and feelings and their world is not much different from the heterosexual community. Even though they are in plain sight, they are taboo subjects and are not taken seriously. This makes them suffer endlessly in silence wrapped in slurs. The 33-episode series therefore touches on transgender abuse, abuse against women, poverty, the immorality of arranged marriages and child abuse. '' Bol'' (Urdu: بول meaning ''Speak'') is a 2011 Urdu-language Pakistani social drama film. It concerns a patriarch, Hakim, who is a misogynist, a domestic abuser, a bigot and a zealot who forces religion on his family. They face financial difficulties due to Hakim wanting a son. He rejects his intersex child Saifi, as he wanted an heir and she identifies as a girl. Saifi is deeply loved by the rest of her family. As she grows up, men want to take advantage of her and she does not understand at first. However, her oldest sister intervenes and teaches Saifi about what kind of touching is inappropriate. As Saifi grows older, she is not allowed to leave the house. She finds her sister's dresses compelling and tries them on, revealing her gender identity. A neighbour, played by famous South Asian singer
Atif Aslam Atif Aslam (; born 12 March 1983) is a Pakistani playback singer, songwriter, composer, and actor. He has recorded many songs in both Pakistan and India, and is known for his Belting (music), vocal belting technique. Born in Wazirabad, Waziraba ...
, who is in love with one of the sisters, gets Saifi a job at a place where they paint trucks, with the blessing of Saifi's sisters and mother. Saifi dresses like a boy; however, other boys sense her lack of self-esteem and eventually gang-rape her. She is saved when a transgender person, played by Almas Bobby (a transgender actor), finds her and takes her home. Hakim overhears Saifi telling her mother and Zainab what happened. When everybody is asleep, Hakim locks the room and suffocates Saifi for the "shame" he would have to bear if the story got out. It received several positive reviews from critics and went on to win the Best Hindi film award in IRDS Film awards 2011 by Institute for Research and Documentation in Social Sciences (IRDS).


Outside the Indian subcontinent

* In the graphic novel '' Habibi'' by Craig Thompson, the protagonist, Zam, is adopted by a group of hijras. * In the TV comedy '' Outsourced'' (2011), a hijra is hired by Charlie as a stripper for Rajiv's "bachelor party", much to Rajiv's utter horror. * Hijras feature prominently in
John Irving John Winslow Irving (born John Wallace Blunt Jr.; March 2, 1942) is an American and Canadian novelist, short story writer, and screenwriter. Irving achieved critical and popular acclaim after the international success of his fourth novel '' Th ...
's 1994 novel '' A Son of the Circus''. *
Dev Patel Dev Patel (; born 23 April 1990) is an English actor and filmmaker. List of awards and nominations received by Dev Patel, His accolades include a British Academy Film Award, in addition to nominations for an Academy Award and two Golden Globe A ...
's directorial debut '' Monkey Man'' features a community of hijras who provide aid and refuge to Patel's character.


Documentaries

* '' Middle Sexes'' (HBO documentary, includes segment on modern hijra) (2005) * ''Shabnam Mausi'' (2005) based on the life of politician Shabnam Mausi. * Showgirls of Pakistan (2020, documentary) includes segment on modern hijra


See also

*
Galli A ''gallus'' (pl. ''galli'') was a eunuch priest of the Phrygian goddess Cybele (Magna Mater in Rome) and her consort Attis, whose worship was incorporated into the state religious practices of ancient Rome. Origins Cybele's cult may have o ...
, the eunuch priests of the Phrygian goddess Cybele in antiquity *
Kathoey ''Kathoey'' or ''katoey'' (, ; , , ; ; , ), commonly translated as ''ladyboys'' in English, is a term used by some people in Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand, whose identities in English may be best translated as transgender women in some cas ...
, a distinct transgender group in Thailand * Lên đồng, transgender priest or medium in Vietnam * LGBT rights in Pakistan *
Muxe In Juchitán de Zaragoza, a Zapotec culture of Oaxaca (southeastern Mexico), a muxe (also spelled muxhe; ) is a person assigned male at birth who adopts aspects of feminine gender roles, including dress, behavior, and social standing. The ex ...
, an analogous Zapotec concept * Nullo *
Two-spirit ''Two-spirit'' (also known as ''two spirit'' or occasionally ''twospirited'', or abbreviated as ''2S'' or ''2E'', especially in Canada) is a umbrella term used by some Indigenous North Americans to describe Native people who fulfill a trad ...
*
Gender identities in Thailand In Thailand, one can find several different gender roles, identities and diverse visual markers of masculinity and femininity. Beyond the traditional male and female roles, there are categories for individuals who are Gender variance, gender non-c ...
*
Homosexuality in India Homosexuality in India has shown its presence in most of the traditional native philosophies of the nation, and legal rights continue to be advanced in mainstream politics and regional politics. Homosexual cohabitation is also legally permitt ...
* Transgender rights in Tamil Nadu


Notes


References


Citations


General and cited references

* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *


Further reading

* Ahmed, Mona and Dayanita Singh (photographer). ''Myself Mona Ahmed''. Scalo Publishers, 15 September 2001. * Bakshi, Sandeep. "A Comparative Analysis of Hijras and Drag Queens: The Subversive Possibilities and Limits of Parading Effeminacy and Negotiating Masculinity." Ed. Stephen Hunt, Religions of the East. Surrey: Ashgate, 2010. * Gannon, Shane Patrick. ''Translating the hijra: The symbolic reconstruction of the British Empire in India''. PhD Thesis.
University of Alberta The University of Alberta (also known as U of A or UAlberta, ) is a public research university located in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada. It was founded in 1908 by Alexander Cameron Rutherford, the first premier of Alberta, and Henry Marshall Tory, t ...
, 2009. * Jaffrey, Zia. "The Invisibles: A Tale of the Eunuchs of India." Vintage, 1998. * Jami, Humaira.
Condition and Status of Hijras (Transgender, Transvestites etc.) in Pakistan
, National Institute of Psychology,
Quaid-i-Azam University Quaid-i-Azam University (QAU), founded as the University of Islamabad, is a public research university in Islamabad, Pakistan. Founded as the University of Islamabad in 1967, it was initially dedicated to postgraduate study, but later expande ...
(nd, 2005?) * * Khan, Faris A. (2014). "Khwajasara: 'Transgender' Activism and Transnationality in Pakistan." In ''South Asia in the World: An Introduction'', edited by Susan Wadley, 170–184. New York: Routledge. * Kugle, Scott. ''Sufis & Saints' Bodies: Mysticism, Corporeality & Sacred Power in Islam.'' University of North Carolina Press, 2007. * Malloy, Ruth Lor, Meen Balaji and others. ''Hijras: Who We Are''. Toronto: Think Asia, 1997. *
Money, John John William Money (8 July 1921 – 7 July 2006) was a New Zealand American psychologist, sexologist Sexology is the scientific study of human sexuality, including human sexual interests, behaviors, and functions. The term ''sexology'' d ...
. ''Lovemaps''. Irvington Publishers, 1988. Page 106. * * Patel, Geeta. ''Home, Homo, Hybrid: Translating Gender.'' In '' A Companion to Postcolonial Studies''. Malden Massachusetts: Blackwell, 2000. 410–27. * Zipfel, Isabell ' 'Hijras, the third sex' ' eBook with 34 photographs https://www.amazon.com/Hijras-the-third-sex-ebook/dp/B009ETN58C


External links


Human Rights Violations against the Transgender Community
, summary of a 2003 report by the Peoples' Union for Civil Liberties, Karnataka

* ttps://web.archive.org/web/20140829060300/http://www.thewe.cc/contents/more/archive/aruvani.html Collected BBC articles on Hijras
India's eunuchs demand rights
BBC News, 4 September 2003
The Works on Hijra in Indian Sub-Continent – Photographs
''(Link to most recent archived version at Archive.org.)''
Why are Indian eunuchs warned about unsafe sex?

World Press: Pakistan's Hijras

Sangama
– Leading Hijra Human Rights Organisation in India
Eunuch MP takes seat – BBC world news
News on Shabnam Mausi, Hijra MP {{Authority control Gender systems Transgender topics in India Third gender Gender and Hinduism Transgender topics and religion