Hidden voices of hermaphrodites

Vol.2  No.2

Year: 2012

Issue: May-Jul

Title: Hidden voices of hermaphrodites 

Author Name: Zohra Asif Jetha, Nasreen Sulaiman Lalani 

Synopsis: 

Gender is a psychological component which is given by the society to a person, while sex is a biological component which is awarded by the God. However, there are certain conditions in which the biological aspects are put to challenge with the social and psychological aspects of gender. Hermaphrodites are a third gender role, who is neither male or female man nor woman but contains the element of both. One may question that if they are neither male nor female then who they are and whether they are equally treated in our society. Looking at the challenges faced by hermaphrodites, one need to question what choices these hermaphrodites have in our society. We being a responsible citizen of the society, how can we make their lives less miserable and make them respectable or functional members of our society. This paper raises several questions to us: do these neglected and deprived community has means of education or employment; what possible choices can be offered to them other than begging, prostitution or dancing at weddings or baby showers. It is our responsibility as a society to treat them as humans and provide them social and legal rights so that they can also become an acceptable member of the society and can benefit the society with more sense of security and less burden.