Are They Not Humans? Eunuchs: Citizens Without Right

10 Pages Posted: 23 Jan 2012

See all articles by Abhishek Kumar Jha

Abhishek Kumar Jha

National University of Study and Research in Law

Date Written: December 30, 2011

Abstract

Most of us, at some point or the other, have encountered eunuchs, or Hijras or Kinnars as they are called, in trains, crowded streets or subways clapping loudly, singing, dancing and taking baksheesh in exchange for blessings. Unfortunately, that is only how far our knowledge goes about them. What is even more deplorable is that we refuse to see beyond those ridiculed faces and notice that there is more to them than this stereotyped image.

Eunuchs, or hijras as we Indians call them, are of course victims of social narrow-mindedness. Cast out for a fault not of their own, they are the hated beings of our society.

Currently, there are approximately 50,000 to 1.2 million hijras in India. Ostracized since birth, they are forced to create a marginalized community of their own, to live at the fringes of society. This marginalization does not ’just happen’. It is done by all of us ‘normal’ people, daily.

As the adage goes ‘There’s always light at the end of the tunnel’, even for this community signs of changing times have begun to appear. Up until recently, transgender community had no legal rights, no ration cards and no voter identity. Although gradually, but their status in the society is undergoing an improvement.

Keywords: Citizens without Rights, Hijras, Transgenderism, Third Sex, Eunuchs, Justice, Human Rights

Suggested Citation

Jha, Abhishek Kumar, Are They Not Humans? Eunuchs: Citizens Without Right (December 30, 2011). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=1990256 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.1990256

Abhishek Kumar Jha (Contact Author)

National University of Study and Research in Law ( email )

AT- Nagri, P.O.- Bukru, Kanke-Pithoria Road
Kanke
Ranchi, 834006
India

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