A Comparison of the Hijra Transgender’s Social Status Between the Mughal Empire and the Post-colonial Era

Research Article
Open access

A Comparison of the Hijra Transgender’s Social Status Between the Mughal Empire and the Post-colonial Era

Hanxue Chu 1*
  • 1 Beijing NO.4 High School    
  • *corresponding author chuhanxue@outlook.com
Published on 14 September 2023 | https://doi.org/10.54254/2753-7048/9/20230292
LNEP Vol.9
ISSN (Print): 2753-7056
ISSN (Online): 2753-7048
ISBN (Print): 978-1-915371-99-7
ISBN (Online): 978-1-83558-000-4

Abstract

The Hijra population has been suppressed and discriminated against in India on multiple levels of social life. However, this stigmatization toward hijras only begins quite recently. In fact, hijras used to serve a very prominent role in ancient times, especially in the Mughal era. It was not until the British colonization that public attitudes toward hijras start to morph. This paper attempts to illustrate the social status differences of transgender group in Hijra between the Mughal Empire and the post-colonial era. The changes in their social status can be seen in four aspects: main occupations, social exclusion, health and safety condition and regulations that target hijras. This paper finds that the social status of hijras experienced a downturn during the post-colonial era. They are forced into prostitution and begging, which are low-paid and frowned-upon. These jobs put them at high risk of getting infected with venereal diseases and exposed them to sadistic customers that jeopardize their safety. A large number of legislations that deprived hijras of their fundamental rights emerged and gained public acceptance. Additionally, social exclusion in schools and work settings are prevalent. This study enriches people’s understanding of the hijra community, and provides a more holistic view on the shift in social status of hijras. Moreover, it calls on progressive improvements on legislation and social acceptance to protect the human rights of hijras.

Keywords:

Hijras, transgender, Mhugal Empire, post-colonial era

Chu,H. (2023). A Comparison of the Hijra Transgender’s Social Status Between the Mughal Empire and the Post-colonial Era. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,9,404-408.
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References

[1]. Hazarika, Pratishi. (2020). The Quest to Reclaim the Lost Status of Hijras in India: A Reading of Living Smile Vidya’s I Am Vidya: A Transgender’s Journey and A. Revathi’s The Truth About Me: A Hijra Life Story. New Literaria. 1. 230-239. 10.48189/nl.2020.v01i2.019.

[2]. Hinchy, Jessica. (2019). Governing Gender and Sexuality in Colonial India: The Hijra , c.1850–1900. 10.1017/9781108592208.

[3]. Pal, S., Sinha, N. (2022). Employability Issues of Transgender Individuals in Gujarat, India: An Analysis of the Origin. In: Vakoch, D.A. (eds) Transgender India. Springer, Cham. https://doi-org-443--bjmu.hknsspj.cn/10.1007/978-3-030-96386-610

[4]. Khan, Mohammad Asif & Habiba, Umme. (2021). Exploring the Social Status with Psychoactive and Physical Impacts of HIJRA Community: An Evidence Based Study on Khulna City, Bangladesh. Asian Journal of Social Sciences and Legal Studies. 3. 1-9. 10.34104/ajssls.021.0109.

[5]. Sadiq, Shahida & Bashir, Aneeza. (2015). Relationship between perceived discrimination and depression: Moderating role of belief in just world among Transgender in Punjab. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology. 41. 203-211.

[6]. Pattanaik D. (2014) Shikhandi: And Other Tales They Don't Tell You, Penguin Books Ltd.

[7]. Aggarwal, Aayushi. (2017). Hijras and their rights: in mythology and socio-cultural practises of India.

[8]. Piliavsky, Anastasia. (2015). The “Criminal Tribe” in India before the British. Comparative Studies in Society and History. 57. 323-354. 10.1017/S0010417515000055.

[9]. Al-Mamun, Md & Hossain, Md. Jamal & Alam, Morshed & Parvez, Md. Shahin & Dhar, Bablu & Islam, Md. (2022). Discrimination and social exclusion of third-gender population (Hijra) in Bangladesh: A brief review. Heliyon. 8. e10840. 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10840.

[10]. Khan, Sharful & Hussain, et al. (2009). Living on the Extreme Margin: Social Exclusion of the Transgender Population (Hijra) in Bangladesh. Journal of health, population, and nutrition, (27):441-51. 10.3329/jhpn.v27i4.3388.

[11]. Goel, Ina. (2021) Understanding caste and kinship within hijras, a “third” gender community in India.

[12]. Chatterjee, I. (2002) “Alienation, Intimacy, and Gender: Problems for a History of Love in South Asia.” Queering India: Same-Sex Love and Eroticism in Indian Culture and Society, edited by Ruth Vanita, New York: Routledge, pp.61–76.

[13]. Islam, Sunjida. (2019). A Theoretical Analysis of the Legal Status of Transgender: Bangladesh Perspective.

Cite this article

Chu,H. (2023). A Comparison of the Hijra Transgender’s Social Status Between the Mughal Empire and the Post-colonial Era. Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media,9,404-408.

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About volume

Volume title: Proceedings of the International Conference on Social Psychology and Humanity Studies

ISBN：978-1-915371-99-7(Print) / 978-1-83558-000-4(Online)
Editor：Faisalabad Matilde Lafuente-Lechuga, Muhammad Idrees
Conference website: https://www.icsphs.org/
Conference date: 24 April 2023
Series: Lecture Notes in Education Psychology and Public Media
Volume number: Vol.9
ISSN：2753-7048(Print) / 2753-7056(Online)

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References

[1]. Hazarika, Pratishi. (2020). The Quest to Reclaim the Lost Status of Hijras in India: A Reading of Living Smile Vidya’s I Am Vidya: A Transgender’s Journey and A. Revathi’s The Truth About Me: A Hijra Life Story. New Literaria. 1. 230-239. 10.48189/nl.2020.v01i2.019.

[2]. Hinchy, Jessica. (2019). Governing Gender and Sexuality in Colonial India: The Hijra , c.1850–1900. 10.1017/9781108592208.

[3]. Pal, S., Sinha, N. (2022). Employability Issues of Transgender Individuals in Gujarat, India: An Analysis of the Origin. In: Vakoch, D.A. (eds) Transgender India. Springer, Cham. https://doi-org-443--bjmu.hknsspj.cn/10.1007/978-3-030-96386-610

[4]. Khan, Mohammad Asif & Habiba, Umme. (2021). Exploring the Social Status with Psychoactive and Physical Impacts of HIJRA Community: An Evidence Based Study on Khulna City, Bangladesh. Asian Journal of Social Sciences and Legal Studies. 3. 1-9. 10.34104/ajssls.021.0109.

[5]. Sadiq, Shahida & Bashir, Aneeza. (2015). Relationship between perceived discrimination and depression: Moderating role of belief in just world among Transgender in Punjab. Journal of the Indian Academy of Applied Psychology. 41. 203-211.

[6]. Pattanaik D. (2014) Shikhandi: And Other Tales They Don't Tell You, Penguin Books Ltd.

[7]. Aggarwal, Aayushi. (2017). Hijras and their rights: in mythology and socio-cultural practises of India.

[8]. Piliavsky, Anastasia. (2015). The “Criminal Tribe” in India before the British. Comparative Studies in Society and History. 57. 323-354. 10.1017/S0010417515000055.

[9]. Al-Mamun, Md & Hossain, Md. Jamal & Alam, Morshed & Parvez, Md. Shahin & Dhar, Bablu & Islam, Md. (2022). Discrimination and social exclusion of third-gender population (Hijra) in Bangladesh: A brief review. Heliyon. 8. e10840. 10.1016/j.heliyon.2022.e10840.

[10]. Khan, Sharful & Hussain, et al. (2009). Living on the Extreme Margin: Social Exclusion of the Transgender Population (Hijra) in Bangladesh. Journal of health, population, and nutrition, (27):441-51. 10.3329/jhpn.v27i4.3388.

[11]. Goel, Ina. (2021) Understanding caste and kinship within hijras, a “third” gender community in India.

[12]. Chatterjee, I. (2002) “Alienation, Intimacy, and Gender: Problems for a History of Love in South Asia.” Queering India: Same-Sex Love and Eroticism in Indian Culture and Society, edited by Ruth Vanita, New York: Routledge, pp.61–76.

[13]. Islam, Sunjida. (2019). A Theoretical Analysis of the Legal Status of Transgender: Bangladesh Perspective.

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