Hijras

Hijras are a South Asian Transgender identity that refers to male-to-female individuals. They live in many places in South Asia such as Pakistan and Bangladesh but are particularly known in India. They are identified as third gender and have a history of over 4000 years in the region. They are also sometimes known by the words Aravani, or Jagappa.

The Hijra identity is very spiritually connected to different forms of Hinduism and they are known for their spiritual communities they have built together in order to support each other. Their practices often involve castration and sometimes the renouncement of sexual activity While their history is deep rooted in religion, they’ve had a complicated relationship with outsiders to their group.

Early Hijra Identity and Religion

Hijra type figures were often depicted in early Indian sacred texts such as the Kama Sutra. They appear typically since recorded history began in South Asia. They were often revered for their sacred powers and involved in ceremonies revolving around birth and marriage. Some practice both rituals intended for men and women as they see themselves as a part of a third identity. They are often connected and devoted to the goddesses Bahuchara Mata and Renuka, or Shiva. Many religious stories about some of these goddess revolve around third genders, castration, or transformation. Most Hijras undergo castration as part of their own transformation away from their assigned birth sex. These transformations are 40 day rituals where the individual will renounce their previous identity and fully realize their new third gender identity.

Mukhannathun

           Also known as ‘effeminate ones’ or ‘men who resemble women’ these men have long been a part of Islamic history.  There is a famous hadith about the prophet Mohammed sparing a Mukhannathun. His followers ask why he has the right to be spared and he responds with, “I have been prohibited from killing people who pray”. This is very beautiful and shows that these men were socially and morally acceptable.  

Early Indian Laws Favoring 3ed Genders

The Hijras not only held a divine spirituality in early Indian history, but they also were accounted for in early Indian law. Hijras were granted rights under the law of the “princely states”. They were granted the rights to inherit land and collect food and money from the surrounding areas. These laws indicated an intent to protect all citizens and shows that Indian government was not always against queer identities. In fact, these laws show that India valued their citizens who held this identity. For future generations hijras would reference these laws as proof of validity in Indian society.

Mukhannathun

The Mukhannathun are a historical group of people who would be considered transgender or third-gender today and represent the long history of LGBT identities in Middle East culture. They are prevalent in many Islamic texts and are firmly rooted in the Middle Eastern region, and have associations outside of religion in song and dance

India Laws Imposed Under British Rule

Under British Colonial Rule, several laws were imposed which criminalized Hijras as individuals and criminalized their actions.

Among those, the three major laws against Hijras were:

1. The Criminal Tribes Act

2. Sodomy Laws and Public Decency Laws

3. Anti-Castration Laws

What is gender?

To continue discussing the two sprits two genders we must first note that the idea of gender itself is a English, French, and Latin grammatical tool. It has nothing to do with your sexual orientation or biological sex.

Mukhannathun

The Mukhannathun were motioned several times in the important Hadiths of Islam. They were said to be men who resemble women and act like women and are generally treated as women. The typically had sexual relations with men and were closely involved as companions of heterosexual women.

The Criminal Tribes Act

This legislation was enacted in 1871 under British Rule. It encompasses several laws intended to criminalize certain individuals in Indian society. Under these laws many Indians were born criminals. They would be forced to register with the police and faced heavy restrictions by the government. Among the tribes deemed criminal were the hijras. Because of these laws, persecution against hijras increased, and the government refused to give any legal protection to these people