ANP 220 Lecture 7: 1/29-"Hijra Lives and Experiences"
Document Summary
Relationship between sexual orientation and alternative gender status varies across cultures. Bless and curse families in regards to fertility. Allows us to see how other societies organize sex/gender difference. 2 spirit people in native american cultures. Opens eyes to other ways of organizing gender difference. Power to deactivate the western sex/gender system of binary opposites. No, more spectrum (not a set category), fitting in binary in way different from birth. Open interest vs. hostility from natives, good intentions (lack of judgement), not knowing stereotypes. Generalization, can be true, usually biological males. Can be true, generalization, overlooks their traditional importance and jobs, reductive. Cultural and religious need at birth and weddings. Polytheistic, each deity can take on different forms/roles. Mother goddess, beneficent and destructive, violent act/death and rebirth. Lives as biological male end, reborn as hijra. Challenging western binary, taboo and divine at the same time. Religious group (cult) and economic group (caste)
