Hijra

Non-binary gender communities have existed on the South Asian subcontinent for centuries. Historically, the Hijra played an important role in the Hindu community as highly-regarded religious figures, but with the introduction of British colonialism and the Western gender binary, the Hijra and Hijra practices became criminalized under the 1871 Criminal Tribes Act. Hijra are often referred to as the “Third Gender,” but this doesn’t necessarily mean that Hijra constitute a third alternate gender, but rather a community of non-binary and trans people. Additionally, Hijra have historically been tolerant of religious diversity within the community, having both Hindu and religiously syncretic beliefs.

Today, the Hijra are still fighting for their lives in South Asia: the status of genderqueer individuals at large is unprotected. While some nations such as India and Bangladesh have taken steps toward protecting gender minorities, mechanisms of the state have been overall insufficient to undo years of both imperialist power dynamics and the conservative forces.

- Genderqueer South Asia: The Hijras and Reflections on South Asian Notions of Gender

Transgender and gender diverse communities across South Asia, by Shamayeta Bhattacharya