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There is a widespread belief in Pakistani society that hijras or khusras
1 are the people
born with ambiguous genitals medically termed as hermaphrodites. Most people think
that born as hijra refers to an organic condition; but contrary to this myth, in most
cases, becoming a hijra is one’s own conscious attempt driving out of psychological
and organic etiology. In this regard, we conducted an interesting anthropological study
in Dera Ghazi Khan, Punjab. We selected ninety-one different types of transgender for
in-depth interviews and case studies from six deras
2
from Ghanta Ghur Gol Bagh and
its surroundings. We discovered several factors that persuade one to join the hijra
community; they include a passion, a desire to express their feminine identity more
explicitly, poor economic conditions and, above all, to live a carefree life. The hijras
who are born intersexed have the highest status as this condition is rare in humans.
Interestingly, in a sample of 91, only three were real hijras or khawaja sira, 57 were
zenanas
3
in the guise of hijras and 31 were nirban
4
. The study reveals that becoming a
hijra entails many material and psychological advantages. As a career, it provides them
opportunity to earn easy money through vadhai
5
, dance performance at disco bands,
circus and prostitution. On the other hand it gives them personal autonomy and
provides them excuse to win public sympathy. Their traditional role depends upon their
individual talent, ability to face hostility and ridicule. In short, Pakistani hijras do
possess contradicting virtues of masculinity and femininity and Pakistani mainstream
culture does have room for them to survive under the shadow of sexual variance.
Aneela Sultana, Muhammad Khan Kalyani. (2012) Femaling Males: Anthropological Analysis of the Transgender Community in Pakistan , The Journal of Humanities & Social Sciences, Volume-20, Issue-1.
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