Third Gender: An Enigma
Third gender or third sex describes individuals who are considered to be neither man nor woman. This could be either because of any genetic abnormality, self-will or by social accord. Third gender is usually referred to mean ‘other’ gender as well. Some sociologists and anthropologists have described fourth, fifth and even some gender. Genetically, a human’s biological sex can be male, female or intersex. However, a person is identified by himself/herself or the society as belonging to the third gender based on the individual’s gender identity, sexual orientation and gender role in the society.
To different cultures and individuals, third gender represents different phenomenon. It is considered as an intermediate state …show more content…
This state is called intersex. According to evolutionary biologist Joan Roughgarden, more than two genders exist outside the male-female binary system in hundreds of species in the animal kingdom. For example, red deer has one female and two male genders with one male gender having antlers and the other without. Another example is the fish species bluegills which has four distinct gender classes each with different size, colour, social and reproductive behaviour. Such gender classes are also called morphs. The highest number of gender classes is found within the species called side-blotched lizard which has five morphs altogether- three males and two …show more content…
The significant development during this period was the emergence of a novel subculture which comprised of molly houses (early form of gay bars mostly frequented by gay men and cross-dressing men in eighteenth century England) and effeminate males. There was also a significant increase in the antagonism towards gay and effeminate males.A few writers who described themselves to be of the “intermediate” sex expressed their stand on the matter through their writings. They include John Addington Symonds (England, 1840-1893), Magnus Hirschfeld (Germany, 1868-1935), Edward Carpenter (England, 1844-1929) and Karl Heinrich Ulrichs (Germany, 1825-1895). Karl Heinrich Ulrichs is considered these days as one of the earliest forerunners of modern gay rights movement. They all strived for acceptance from the society and cited earlier works from Sanskrit and Greek literature.
In Germany, terms related to third gender were used by the adversaries of feminists and sometimes even the activists themselves. In the German novel Das dritte Geschlecht(The Third Sex)in 1899 depicted these female activists as castrates with female physical characteristics and suppressed male
Third gender or third sex describes individuals who are considered to be neither man nor woman. This could be either because of any genetic abnormality, self-will or by social accord. Third gender is usually referred to mean ‘other’ gender as well. Some sociologists and anthropologists have described fourth, fifth and even some gender. Genetically, a human’s biological sex can be male, female or intersex. However, a person is identified by himself/herself or the society as belonging to the third gender based on the individual’s gender identity, sexual orientation and gender role in the society.
To different cultures and individuals, third gender represents different phenomenon. It is considered as an intermediate state …show more content…
This state is called intersex. According to evolutionary biologist Joan Roughgarden, more than two genders exist outside the male-female binary system in hundreds of species in the animal kingdom. For example, red deer has one female and two male genders with one male gender having antlers and the other without. Another example is the fish species bluegills which has four distinct gender classes each with different size, colour, social and reproductive behaviour. Such gender classes are also called morphs. The highest number of gender classes is found within the species called side-blotched lizard which has five morphs altogether- three males and two …show more content…
The significant development during this period was the emergence of a novel subculture which comprised of molly houses (early form of gay bars mostly frequented by gay men and cross-dressing men in eighteenth century England) and effeminate males. There was also a significant increase in the antagonism towards gay and effeminate males.A few writers who described themselves to be of the “intermediate” sex expressed their stand on the matter through their writings. They include John Addington Symonds (England, 1840-1893), Magnus Hirschfeld (Germany, 1868-1935), Edward Carpenter (England, 1844-1929) and Karl Heinrich Ulrichs (Germany, 1825-1895). Karl Heinrich Ulrichs is considered these days as one of the earliest forerunners of modern gay rights movement. They all strived for acceptance from the society and cited earlier works from Sanskrit and Greek literature.
In Germany, terms related to third gender were used by the adversaries of feminists and sometimes even the activists themselves. In the German novel Das dritte Geschlecht(The Third Sex)in 1899 depicted these female activists as castrates with female physical characteristics and suppressed male