Ofcourse we have gay people in the Netherlands. And we have transgenders too. But not in the numbers in which I see them in the streets of India and not manifesting themselves in the way they do over there.
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| Transgender at Indian temple. |
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| Group of transgenders (seen on the back) at temple festival. |
I was surprised and puzzled to encounter them so often; men dressed like women, but not making any effort at all to hide that they are men.
After seeing them again in the parade of the elephants, I decided to do some small research on the internet, to find out more about this phenomena.
This is what I found:
This very interesting article by Nabiha Meher clarifies a lot.
It tells us that there are no reliable statistics, which make the estimations about the numbers go from 50.000 to over a million of these eunuchs or third sex persons in India.
Amongst them we find homosexuals (gay men), real born eunuchs, transgenders and man-made eunuchs (more about that further on on this post).
So although their background and physique may be different, they are the same as in ‘not being/feeling a functioning, heterosexual man’.
Life as a Third Sex Person is the only way they seem fit to have a life at all. It is like an identity and even almost a profession that they ‘choose’.
They usually live in groups with other eunuch’s, which gives them a community, a family and protection.
The eunuch’s are considered to have special powers, that they could use in an evil way, if you make them angry. They use this fear to make people give them money, in fact the only way they CAN make money. Besides begging and prostitution.
To understand the above better, you can read the first article that I mentioned.
The following article by Nabanita Dutt is very informative too.
She explains the ‘making’ of eunuch’s. Meaning, that many of them are not born as eunuch’s at all. They are born with all the normal male ‘tools’, like penis and balls. To be accepted as hijras or eunuchs, they are expected to have those body parts removed. Usually done amongst and by their group, in quite gruesome and medically dangerous ways. Unbelievable and horrible.
This article from the Volkskrant, - unfortunately for my english speaking readers it is written in dutch- talks about how they protested against being discriminated, e.g. being excluded from normal health care. The fact that one of them made it into politics was emancipating and very meaningful for the transgenders.
These people must have such tough lives; amazing! So be kind, people, whenever you meet one who asks for money. They need it!
I read your article and the one by Nabiha Meher.
Indeed a true sad story. Makes you realize all the more what a paradise The Netherlands are (although not perfect).
I totally agree with that!