The Third Gender The Hijra Sociology Essay

The Third Gender The Hijra Sociology Essay In western culture, gender and sex have been described under two distinct realms-male and female. These identities to some are determined solely biologically, and many are oblivious to the fact that in many cultures, different genders are present. One of the most prominent third genders is based in South Asia, specifically India. Known as the hijra, they have grown to become a prominent and well-known member of Indian society, but have suffered from discrimination and have struggled for their basic fundamental rights. Based in India, the hijra are physiological males who identify themselves as females at an early age, wearing womens clothing and performing stereotypical female gender roles. Indian society refers to the hijra as a third gender. They are not female nor male, but a separate entity who carries their own culture, values and traditions. In relation to the western world, the closest form to the hijra would be known as a transgender. The hijras trace their origins back to the religious era of the deity Ram. As told in the Ramayana epic, just before his sojourn into the wilderness, Ram instructed all men and women who had come to see him off to return to their village. The hijras, being neither men nor women stayed at Rams point of departure until his return years later. Upon seeing their devotion, Ram blessed them and promised them the right to rule during the final age of mankind (Amisha_2010:835). As religion is a major aspect of Indian culture, much of the hijras history is based off the Indian polytheistic religious era. As religion is of great importance to the hijra, this event historically marked their first interaction with the Indian gods. Many hijra undergo a painful castration process known as nirvan to officially identify as a hijra. This process of the upmost importance as it ends with the new hijra embracing the femininity he has identified himself with his entire life. The process has been documented: His transformation is nearly complete as he prostrates his naked body before the murti of Bahuchara Mata, praying for her blessings. When he stands, his chela (guru) will complete the ceremony with two swift slices of the long blade, permanently severing his manhood. The remaining blood that gushes from the cut is considered the last of the male part. Hot sesame seed oil will be poured over the open wound, which will later be prodded repeatedly to ensure that the urethra remains open. No anesthesia or surgical tools are available, for it is believed that medically performed castration would diminish the spiritual experience of the ritual. (Patel_2010:835) Once the castration process is completed, the hijras both physically and spiritually feel as though they have transformed themselves. As the hijra undergo a physical transformation, they also follow a strict household structure. Members of the gharana, the communal hijra household, ardently support the hijra code. The hijras maintain the basic family hierarchy. The GWU report states, An elder naik oversees the basic running of the household, and chelas initiate hijras and turn over a portion of their earnings for household expenses. In addition, all hijras pay a fee to the jamat, or congregation of hijra house leaders recognized within the larger community. (Patel_2010:836) Many houses are situated relatively close together. As much of Indian society and culture rejects the hijra, the hijra feel it is necessary to isolate themselves from the mainstream culture. Not only does this give the hijra a sense of community, but it also preserves their security and safety. Despite these protective measures, hijras remain a marginalized group in a country that continues to ostracize them. India is two-sided in its social perception of the hijra lifestyle. As a community, Indian society treats hijras with a combination of fascination, revulsion, and fear (Patel_2010:836). As a means of survival, hijras predominantly participate in begging and prostitution. For a small fee, they also perform badhai-local families sometimes welcome them into their homes to bless auspicious births or weddings (Patel_2010:836). For the most part, however, sex work is the most profitable option for the hijra. As a result, Indias hijras struggle as an ostracized social class, subject to gender violence and various other human rights violations. There are very few domestic policies protecting hijras. Although there have been recent pushes for their rights, few have been successful. The hijra have struggled to enjoy the basic human rights many Indians enjoy. Most importantly, Indian law does not recognize them as a third gender. This denies them the right to vote, the right to own property, the right to marry and the right to claim formal identity through any official documents such as a passport or driving license. Accessing healthcare, employment or education becomes almost impossible. In the face of such odds they are forced to earn money any way they can (Harvey_2008:html1). Hijras are regularly robbed and sexually assaulted on the street at the hands of gangs and other local thugs. A hijra who served as chairperson of a human rights organization said, We have no constitutional rights. That is the problem. We dont have voting rights; often we cannot get housing. This is not allowing us to have an identity of our own (Harvey_2008:html1). Reports show however, that attitudes are gradually beginning to change. An initial difficulty in addressing the rights of sexual minorities is in recognizing the differences between the concepts of sex and gender. Sex, by definition, operates within the classic binary biological model, in which the human species is clearly divided into neat categories of either male or female (Patel_2010:836). Gender, however, is a more inclusive term, which includes social constructs of personal belief and sexuality that have deeper meaning than the traditional biological sex distinction (Patel_2010:836). In addition, the classic Western binary models of sex-male and female-and sexuality-homosexual and heterosexual-do not fit neatly into Indias traditional concepts of gender and identity. As a result, hijras are the unknown-the intersex gender between male and female in India. Although the hijra have been ostracized for many years, conditions are slowly starting to improve. As technology and media communication have vastly improved in India, more people are beginning to not only notice the presence of the Hijra, but also appreciate it. The Hijra have formed unions to organize protests for their human rights and will continue to fight for legislation until they are satisfied. India has taken many steps toward recognizing transgender rights. In recent years, hijras have become increasingly visible in the political arena. After gaining the right to vote in 1994, a few have held political office in various states in India, and often have the support of religiously affiliated majority parties as safe candidates. In 2000, Kamla Jaan, a hijra in the state of Madhya Pradesh, was elected mayor of Katni after running as an indepen- dent. Indian society perceives hijras as un-entrenched political candidates-secular, casteless, and asexual-simultaneously able to understand the plight of the downtrodden and able to gather the support of outsiders. Furthermore, mainstream society has recast these candidates as embodiments of respect and morality, above traditional corruption that permeates Indian politics. As a result of their improved prominence, India has taken some effective measures in acknowledging the legal status of hijras. For example, there are three distinct gender classification choices available on the Indian Passport-ma le, female, and others' (Patel_2010:836). In addition, the prominence of hijras in the media has fostered increased social acceptance of transgendered individuals. Thus far, the state of Tamil Nadu seems the most accepting. There, a transsexual hosts a local talk show called Ippadikku Rose. The state also hosts an annual transgender festival to facilitate accept- ance of hijras into mainstream society. In addition, hijras are making appearances in the fashion industry, and recent Bollywood films portray them in a positive light. In 1994, the South Indian film Tamanna portrayed the life of a hijra who saves a young girl from life on the streets and later adopts her. In 2008, a hijra was cast as the first transgender in the country with a lead role in a mainstream Tamil movie. Despite receiving some recognition and social acceptance, hijras remain an ostracized and differentiated social class. Hijras struggle to reconcile their physical visibility with the invisibility of their community as a whole. In the end, however, community invisibility makes hijras susceptible to gender violence and other human rights abuses. By creating and recognizing transgender rights, India has the capacity to battle its current HIV/AIDS epidemic in a meaningful way, give real effect to the human rights of sexual minorities, and serve as a model for other nations to recognize gender-based rights. In order to accomplish these goals, however, India must repeal current discriminatory laws and enact equal opportunity legislation on the basis of gender and sexuality. In order for there to be meaningful change, formal legislation must be passed, and with the help of the human rights activists and unions, the legislation could very well happen. Works Consulted Amisha, R. P. (2010). INDIAS HIJRAS: THE CASE FOR TRANSGENDER RIGHTS[dagger]. The George Washington International Law Review, 42(4), 835-863. Nick Harvey http://www.newstatesman.com/world-affairs/2008/05/hijras-indian-changing-rights (Hijras Indian Changing Rights) The Hijras of India http://lisa.cs.duke.edu/~john/finalproject/ Khan, S. I., Hussain, M. I., Parveen, S., Bhuiyan, M. I., Gourab, G., Sarker, G. F., . . . Sikder, J. (2009). Living on the extreme margin: Social exclusion of the transgender population (hijra) in bangladesh. Journal of Health, Population and Nutrition, 27(4), 441-51. Retrieved from http://search.proquest.com.proxy.library.vanderbilt.edu/docview/202996682?accountid=14816

Analysis of I Sit and Look Out by Walt Whitman Essay

I sit and look out† by Walt Whitman echoes all miseries and atrocities of life that rose to the surface in the wake of capitalism. 19th century witnessed a sea change in the lives of people as rat race for materialistic possession became more prominent and principles were relegated, concerns and emotions were sidelined from inside of human beings. The poet pen pictures such a sad tale of human life by attempting to pose as onlooker who watches everything but does nothing to alter situations. In this analysis of â€Å"I Sit and look out â€Å"by Walt Whitman, the capitalization of the verb â€Å"sit†denotes the action of an onlooker. It is also symbolic of the speaker who sits idle and shows no sign to do anything. His constant position is also indicative of his complacent confinement which is miles away from suffering multitudes. On the other hand, the idea of â€Å"I Sit and look out† is expressed through the term ‘look out’ that speaks of his own position which is safe and secure, away from the sufferings of the mundane world. In ‘I sit and look out† by Walt Whitman, the usage of free verses is abundant which serves to denote a never changing situation. All throughout the poem, the poet keeps an undermined toned of pessimism and paints an apocalyptic imagery that hits the readers as they progress in the poem. â€Å"I Sit and look out â€Å"by Walt Whitman is also a fine instance of the author’s disillusionment with the world that is evident through the first two lines of the poem and it continues to the point where he exclaims; â€Å"I SIT and look out upon all the sorrows of the world, and upon all oppression and shame; I hear secret convulsive sobs from young men, at anguish with themselves, remorseful after deeds done; I see, in low life, the mother misused by her children, dying, neglected, gaunt, desperate; I see the wife misused by her husband-I see the treacherous seducer of young women; The poem is more of a study of this dystopian world where oppression and shame rule the roost of the society. The theme of â€Å"I Sit and look out â€Å"draws upon an image of seclusion as the poet feels that he is located and placed at an altitude that is way higher and away from the episodes of sufferings and misery. The paroxysmal sobs of youth stifled in World War, having an albatross around their neck is an imagery that speaks of their remorseful actions. Walt Whitman talks about children who have taken advantage of their own mothers and now she lies all alone distressed, her solitude beckons her children every moment. The poet speaks of a distressed time where wives are put to misuse by their husbands,  cheated, abused and tortured. The husbands are pen pictured as â€Å"callous lovers’ who picks up young women and deceives them without a shade of remorse or guilt. The theme of â€Å"I sit and look out†points at the jealousy of the human race among themselves, unrequited love that is seemingly impossible to hide. The angst and the anxiety of the poet, the fear and the tension that rumbles up the poet’s mind while he sits comfortably in his place is an awakening call for the readers to rise up and take a step in altering the situation. Walt Whitman’s agony and meanness are justly defined in the lines; â€Å"I observe a famine at sea, I observe the sailors casting lots who shall be kill’d to preserve the lives of the rest, I observe the slights and degradations cast by arrogant persons upon laborers, the poor, and upon Negroes, and the likes; All these–all the meanness and agony without end I sitting look out upon,See, hear, and am silent.â€Å" The poet seeks to demarcate emotions in his poemby introducing camouflage to pertain jealousy and unrequited love behind the mask of smiles and affability. The ego is hosted and the sufferings are subdued and the speaker is never at rest although he doesn’t move from his position. Perhaps, the process of being an onlooker is more painful than being the victim. In other words, the poet calls one and all to rise and do what is right to free themselves from the shackles of pain and liberation and pacify their ego. It is the onlooker who sits silent through the dangerous aftermaths of war, the deaths of millions and autocracy that causes dents within the state. He has to bear the pain as he beholds the sight of prisoners-tortured and tormented-the most terrible byproduct of wars and battles fought. The pen picturisation is horrific, where sailors are thrown into the sea to fight the waves and survive to the shores. The poor workers, the Negros are subjected to slavery in the hands of the capitalist world where nothing prevails but oppression and penury. â€Å"I Sit and look out ‘transforms itself to be a worthy satire of troubled times where agony and not beauty lies in the eyes of the beholder. It’s good to know: †¢Walt Whitman has been claimed as America’s first â€Å"poet of democracy†, a title meant to reflect his ability to write in a singularly American character †¢Whitman’s poetry has been set to music by a large number of composers; indeed it has been suggested his poetry has been set to music more than any other American poet except for Emily Dickinson and Henry Wadsworth Longfellow

Literacy Narrative Essay

Due Date: Friday night, September 6th by midnight in the digital dropbox on Angel Desired Learning Outcomes: 1.Understand our personal development as readers and writers or persons 2.Explore writing as a means of self-discovery 3.Choose the appropriate voice, diction, and audience for a personal literacy narrative 4.Use various invention, drafting and revising/editing strategies as needed 5.Demonstrate appropriate conventions of grammar and style of written English 6.Use technology effectively and correctly to complete the assignment READINGS FOR PAPER: 1.Norton, Chapter 7: Writing a Literacy Narrative, Chapter 40: Narrating, and Chapter 57: additional examples of literacy narratives to be selected by the instructor 2.Quick Access Concise, Chapter 1: Understanding College and Other Writing Situations and Chapter 7a & c: Strategies for Writing Typical Kinds of College Papers ASSIGNMENT: After completing the readings for this assignment, follow the guidelines in Chapter 7 of your Norton Field Guide, particularly pages 43-46. Additional tips on the writing process itself appear in the chapter, as well as samples from professional writers. As your text advises, follow these steps. 1.Choose a topic. A single event that you recall vividly would be a good choice. See the suggestions on page 43. 2.Consider the rhetorical situation, particularly your audience and stance. Your instructor will discuss conventions in more detail, but this type of writing does not require a formal tone and may use the first person (â€Å"I†). Grammar and  format, however, need to be correct. 3.Be sure you understand the nature of narrating (Chapter 40) and have the kinds of details and stance that motivate and excite your readers. A good narrative always has an element of conflict. 4.Apply the information in your Field Guide on generating ideas, drafting, and revising under the direction of your instructor.

Soundtrack of My Life - 912 Words

Soundtrack of my Life Throughout my life I have heard many songs and many of them have remained with me in my memories. I think the main artists I remember from my childhood are Bruce Springsteen, Tom Petty and Michael Jackson. â€Å"Born in the USA† from Bruce Springsteen is the main one because this was the only song that my dad and I could agree on. His favorite song was Tom Petty’s â€Å"Free Fallin’† which at that time I highly disliked; I have learned to like it with time now. And then for Michael Jackson, he had many songs that I remember, but I think â€Å"Bad† sticks out the most to me. Everytime I think of these songs I just think of being a child, and how I had no worries then, it seemed like such a peaceful world. As I got older I†¦show more content†¦I really can’t say that I associate any certain songs with happiness. Kind of like I said above, I like fast paced upbeat songs, they keep me in a good mood. I don’t mind slow son gs, a lot of them are very good songs, but can make me cry. Especially now that I am pregnant, some sad songs or slow songs are just automatic tear jerkers and hey really shouldn’t be. I like songs that have good messages behind them. A lot of newer music hese days have good beats, but have very poor messages behind them. I think this is one thing I always liked about Eminem; he always seemed to rap about things that have a good message, instead of talking about getting wasted at the club or sleeping around. I don’t think this is the type of stuff our kids these days should be hearing about. I guess all they have to do is turn on the TV and they’ll see this too, but I think it is something we should be discouraging, not encouraging. 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