The Death Song

Eunuchs, Hijras, India’s Third Gender

When people think of sexuality most think of it in black and white. But there are many grey areas in sexuality. One of the most unheard of are the hijras in India. They are not male or female, not heterosexual or homosexual. Hijras are India’s third gender. They are outcasts in society living in ghettos with other hijras. Their male genitals are cut off and they take hormones to give them a woman’s figure, their rebirth. They dress in woman’s clothing and wear makeup to hide the masculine look of their face. They live in a society where they can not be who they are, women born in a man’s body. With no true place in society and not accepted by many, one wonders why anyone would choose such a life.

Not many people in America or other western states have even heard of a hijra or no what it means to be one. In America we are allowed to choose the life we want and be the people we want to be. We can be a woman one day, a man the next and no one will stop us. Our government does not restrict us from being heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, metro sexual, transsexual, trisexual, or auto sexual.

In India people do not have such freedom. There are laws set in place by the government making homosexuality illegal because of the countries problems with HIV/AIDS. As stated in the India Penal Code (IPC), “Whoever voluntarily has carnal intercourse against the order of nature with any man, woman or animal shall be punished with imprisonment for life, or with imprisonment of either description for a term which may extend to ten years, and shall also be liable to fine.” It is not common for people to be convicted, though, as the subject is very rarely openly expressed and is a very taboo subject. Over the last six or so years things have begun to change for homosexuals in India. While there is no legal recognition of gays in India, and more then likely won’t be of a long time, they are no long harassed by police and people are beginning to demand changes. (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Homosexuality_in_India)

While there are the beginnings of glimmers of hope for homosexuals, there is even less hope for the Hijras. They live in ghettos together on the outskirts of cities in tight knit families. With gurus that run the households and manage the money that the other Hijras, mostly chelas, or younger hijras, bring in from performing blessings, begging and prostitution. Many times they will harass young men into giving them money by embarrassing them in public with suggestive language, rude gestures and sexual advances. These are the only options available to them because employers will not hire them simply because they are Hijras.

With so much negativity placed on being a Hijra, it’s a wonder there are even Hijras still today. It would seem to be easier to remain a man, live a man’s life and be accepted by society. Every hijra has a different reason for making the choice in life. Some are simply born eunuchs but most feel there is no other option. “From childhood you can tell what the child’s bent is…. If he is a boy, he acts like one. But if he has a feminine bent, he will play among the girls. Parents feel the pulse of the boy through his character…. if the soul is feminine, they become that….,” says Shameem Baksh, a hijra. (http://www.columbia.edu/~blw2102/)

Sexuality is not always as it seems and in its many fuzzy areas there are always exceptions to the norm. Hijras are just one exception but until ideas change they will always be outcasts and looked down upon. They will always be taboo.