Hijra gender identity
Many of these individuals were assigned male at birth but identified themselves as females; they also eventually adopt feminine gender roles.
Some of them undergo an initiation rite into the hijra community called nirvaan involving the removal of all the external male genitalia - the penis, testicles, and scrotum. Some others prefer a more civilized and less painful way to transition - hormone treatment often followed by sex reassignment surgery or multiple surgeries to feminize their bodies.
Hijras’ gender expression is also usually feminine - they wear makeup and feminine clothing (mostly saris).
The basics and some history
Hijras have a recorded history since ancient times. They were mentioned in the Kama Sutra that dates to 400 BCE - 200 CE.
Hijras are officially recognized as people of the third gender in several South Asian countries. For instance, in India, the Supreme Court officially recognized hijras, as well as trans people, intersex individuals, and eunuchs as the third gender in 2014.
Hijra individuals now can obtain documents that match their gender identity in this country. The situation in Pakistan, India’s immediate neighbor, is similar - in 2009, the country’s Supreme Court ruled that hijras could get national identity cards as a “third gender”.
In Bangladesh, national ID cards now include a "Hijra" option in addition to "female" and "male", while some official government forms include a "third gender" option, too.
Where does the term "hijra" come from?
"Hijra" is a Hindustani word. It is translated into English as "hermaphrodite", essentially, someone with ambiguous genitalia. However, most hijras are AMAB (assigned male at birth) since only a minority of them are born with intersex combinations of chromosomes and/or external genitals that do not fall into the typical female or male categories.
In Pakistan, hijras are also called "Khawaja Sira", which translates into English from Urdu as "transgender".
In India, hijras are also referred to as "aruvani", "aravani", or "jogappa". However, they call themselves kinnar or kinner, which is a mythological creature in Hinduism and Buddhism, half-human and half-bird, who excels in singing and dancing. And it comes as no surprise - Hijras have long made a living by performing rituals at Hindu births, marriages, and death ceremonies. They offer such services as singing devotional songs, playing drums, dancing.
Some hijras are Hindu; some others are Muslims. There are also Christian Hijras. However, culturally and historically, they are based on Hinduism. Many hijras call themselves "children of God" and consider themselves physical incarnations of the divine.
How is hijra different from intersex and transgender?
Intersex is a term used to describe individuals who were born with any of sex characteristics that do not fit typical binary notions of women’s or men’s bodies; transgender people are individuals who have a gender identity that is different from their sex assigned at birth.
Hijras, as mentioned above, may be intersex or transgender women. However, hijra is not just a gender identity but also a cultural, religious, and social phenomenon that exists in the Indian subcontinent.
What pronouns should be used?
Some hijras, especially those whose gender identity is transgender woman, use the traditional feminine she/her/hers pronouns. Some others prefer the gender-neutral they/them/theirs set of pronouns.
There are also hijras who prefer neopronouns. The best way to find out what set of pronouns your hijra interlocutor uses is to ask them this question respectfully.
Flag
The hijra flag was created in 2018. It consists of five horizontal stripes of different widths. From top to bottom, their colors are: pink, white, red, white, light blue.
The pink and the blue stand for hijras who belong to binary genders (female and male) as transgender individuals. The white color represents non-binary hijras. The red color symbolizes the divine power hijras were blessed with by the Hindu deity Rama.
How can I support my hijra friends or relatives?
Although huge progress has been made by hijra activists and non-governmental organizations in fighting for hijra rights, there is still a long way to go. For example, in Bangladesh, hijras are eligible for priority in education and specific jobs, but unfortunately, these jobs are, for the most part, low-paid. In Pakistan, hijras technically enjoy better rights than in many other countries, but in practice, they still face inequalities and discrimination in education, healthcare, jobs. They are often stigmatized, bullied, sexually abused.
Many hijras are being rejected by their families; they live in reclusive communities in extreme poverty. Because their incomes from singing and dancing at various ceremonies are irregular, some of them have to work as sex workers to survive.
That is why our support is crucial to achieving the goal of hijra equality. Here is what you can do to show your support to your hijra relatives, coworkers, or friends:
- Create a calendar of local hijra events and encourage people around you to attend them;
- Work to pass hijra-inclusive non-discrimination policies at your workplace;
- Start a blog or an online community that deals with issues hijras face;
- Volunteer for the hijra community and/or donate to an organization that fights for hijra rights.