Umair

umair
  * Introduction
  * Hijras in Pakistan
  * Portrayal of Hijras/transgender identity
  * Reason for Becoming   a Hijra/transvestites
  * Cultural Perspective
  * Religious Perspective
  * Legal Perspective
  * General attitude towards Hijras Community
  * Recommendations and Suggestions
  * Conclusion

Introduction

“Gender is an anchor and once people decide what you are they interpret everything you do in light of that” While sex is the biological component gender is the social and psychological component. However they are certain conditions in which the biological aspects are in contradiction with the social and Psychological aspects of gender.   These conditions override the biology in determining gender identity and influencing gender role.
Anybody who deviates from the normative beliefs about sex/gender is considered to be a deviant. A person who is labeled as a deviant starts finding outlets for expressing deviant behavior, desires, and impulses as family, friends and society try ways to forcibly culminate that. This may lead in forming small organized support groups where he/she find acceptance and appreciation for deviant behavior/ identities. Such groups exist all over the world under different titles. In some cultures they are considered as neither men nor women and not necessarily be considered as deviant as they occupy reasonable social positions. While in some cultures people believe they are blessed with divine powers.

In Indo Pak Sub continent Hijras is an example of one such closely knitted and a unique group. Hijras is an umbrella term used for those men who are transgender eunuch, transvestites, and hermaphrodites or intersexed, bisexuals or homosexuals. According to Nanda, “He (hijra) is a third gender role who is neither man nor woman but contains the element of both. He is an intersexed impotent man, who undergoes emasculation in which all parts of genders are removed.” Sinha defines as “Normal male, physically... [continues]

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