Question

Hijras are transgender individuals and followers of the Hindu Mother Goddess Bahuchara Mata, who is often depicted as transgender. Identify whether or not these are experiences of hijras in Southeast Asia.

Answer 1

• Hijras support themselves through begging, performances, and sex work.
• Hijras are revered as powerful religious figures.
• Hijras face discrimination in access to housing, health care, and education.

Explanation:

Transgender denotes the gender identity or expression of the person that does not fit or differs with the sex assigned at birth.

The transgender individuals are referred by the term hijra. Due to gender stratification, Hijras were not given equal access to housing, education and health care in India.

In Southeast Asia, Hijras are respected as powerful religious figures. Hijras beg and do sex work for their survival.

Bahuchara Mata- a Hindu goddess was commonly worshipped by Hijras.