Do Hindus accept ts/tg or do you have too?

[Bellaon7]

I know this is a very widely practiced belief, but have no idea as to how ts/tg's are viewed.

[Janet_Girl]

from things I have seen they are very open to TS/TG.  No proof just things I have seen.


Janet

[Bellaon7]

Thank you Janet, I would like to let all Hindu know that they are not only welcome here, but are anticipated with vigour. I am eager to learn & share.

[oceanblack]

I have actually been studying Hindu and Yoga lately, so this is what I can add to this topic, even if its getting a little stale

Shiva is considered a primary deity amongst Hindu teachings, and the largest sect of Hindu considers Shiva the Supreme God of Heaven. What is significant about this, is the fact that Shiva is very often depicted as a perfect hermaphrodite, sometimes even split evenly down the middle as one side male/one side female. Their belief is that the supreme power is both masculine and feminine, and that both masculine and feminine energies exist within us. Due to this, I would say that they are far more open to transgender concepts than in the west, where the common rule is that there is only one all knowing man-god.

Additionally, there are several third gender groups in southern asia, and India is no exception. There exists a group called Hijra. They dont have a clearly indicated parallel in our understanding of gender and sex, but the majority of them seem to be transwomen that only undergo partial surgery (effectively becoming eunuchs) or do not opt for surgery.

Just my little observations, anyway

[transnikki]

Every religion has its bigots, and Hinduism is no exception :-p.  Technically, Hinduism is as accepting as most religions, i.e. Jesus Christ said to love everyone and Muhammad the Prophet stopped a mob from killing a transwoman.  Hinduism's gotten more attention in the West though thanks to its more public acceptance of sexuality within religion, i.e. sexuality in the Western Abrahamic faiths is often seen as "dirty," while Lord Krsna had sex with thousands of maidens.  What is notable though is that both Pakistan (an Islamic republic) and India (secular) have legalized third sex on national documents (i.e. you check "male," "female," or "other").  Of an interesting note is that India actually legalized being third-sexed before repealing its old colonial laws against homosexuality, albeit by less than a month though.  My personal experience with Hindus in the USA is that they're as mixed a crowd as any other religion, so you shouldn't assume they're trans-friendly simply because their faith includes transgendered/mixed-gendered/third-gendered/other-gendered figures.
Post Merge: July 12, 2010, 05:58:32 AM
About hijras, hijras experience a lot of discrimination in India, perhaps not as bad as the USA, but still by no means acceptable, often driving many into poverty and prostitution.  Only recently has there been rising political pressure against this, one of the major reasons to legalize being third-sexed, i.e. to help thwart public discrimination.  Hijras themselves, being in their own category, often are in involved in discrimination from and against Indian crossdressers and transpeople.  You can see more info here: http://personal.frostburg.edu/nlsharp0/temp/hijra.pdf

[Protasekretis]

My personal experience with Hindus in the USA is that they're as mixed a crowd as any other religion, so you shouldn't assume they're trans-friendly simply because their faith includes transgendered/mixed-gendered/third-gendered/other-gendered figures.

Yes, this I feel to be very true. I told about my interest in hijra and transgender to a hindu friend. Usually she has been such kind, understanding...About hijras, she just said, they live outside the society, in their own communities. In a tone, that these people do not belong in to "us".  I sensed also her disappointment in me. Then she asked if i can give any quotes from the scriptures, and I quoted Mahabharata and Ramayana, in places where Rama and Arjuna touched the transsexual experience.

She went distant, and hasn't contacted me since. I guess it was too much a shock.
Spirituality and tradition, yes. Third sex issues, no. This is my experience.

[Rana]

Life is hell in INDIA for TG. Believe me, our own parents are not ready to undersatnd and accept. They find us as a mental disorder. Forget having a Gal friend or Boy friend openly. Even if you have you cant carry it all your life for many reasons such as family pressure from both the sides.

[yaka]

In South Asian countries, the bigotry doesn't stem from RELIGION but from CULTURE.
Even though religions such as Hinduism and Buddhism in theory are accepting of TG, those who practise them are typically not.
Discussion of sex in general, even "normal" heterosexual kind is considered taboo, let alone transsexuality or homosexuality.

[brenn]

Hinduism does not have the same sorts of moral absolutes as western religions (including Islam) so on the surface it appears more accepting when you think of concepts such as the half-male/half female Shiva, also known as Ardhnarishwar - literally "half woman god." The god Vishnu also has a half-woman form, but it is only found (as far as I know) in archaeological sites and not in modern temples. The hijras are actually more like eunichs as many of them have chemically castrated themselves. They are descended (not literally, but culturally) from the Mughal courts. In the context of S. Asian culture they are part of the unscheduled casted - or the bottom of the caste heap. On the other hand, due to blessings placed on them by Lord Rama as mentioned in the Ramayana, they are considered auspicious if they appear at a wedding or childbirth (and you pay them to go away).

S. Asians are much more accomodating of differences and most abide by the rule of live and let live, but will automatically put TG people into the lower caste status of the Hijras. In this context on would be discriminated against in the same way people of lower castes are discriminated against.

This is a far more complex issue than I have outlined here, but this should give the general idea.

[KittyLondon273]

I think it depends on the community and person, just as it varies from community and individual how Transgender people are viewed in Christianity and every other religion.  As far as I know, in India, Transgender people are revered by some and some others are prejudiced against them.

[Satya'sMind]

Hinduism is more philosophy than "religion" (in the way that religion is understood in Western/Abrahamic faiths). While the pantheon of Hindu deities is usually thought of as "gods" (with many revered as "Lord"), they are really presented as avatars of different facets of our own inner true selves. The 'gods' are really different aspects of each of us. It sees the physical body as just a "sheath" covering the truest essence of who we really are, and at it's core honors individual efforts to reveal the inner true self and bring it to the surface--and also sees everyone as both masculine and feminine, woman and man. Yoga grew out of this understanding as a way to make the body a more comfortable "vessel" for the true self, the consciousness, the spirit (whatever works for you), and to prepare you mentally for living that truth--gradually dismantling the complex intellectual constructs that prevent you from understanding yourself.

The Bhagavad Gita devotes an entire chapter to Krishna explaining to Arjuna on a battlefield that he is the collective energy of all things in the Universe...that Krishna is an avatar of everyone's combined collective true selves. And the entirety of the Bhagavad Gita is set in a battle at Kurukshetra, which is a metaphor for our own personal struggle between our inner self and the self we are forced to present to the world. When people "worship" deities in Hinduism, they are really calling that facet of themselves to the surface to help in a life situation.

This is why Hinduism is generally very accepting of transness.

[Abstract]

I have actually been studying Hindu and Yoga lately, so this is what I can add to this topic, even if its getting a little stale

Shiva is considered a primary deity amongst Hindu teachings, and the largest sect of Hindu considers Shiva the Supreme God of Heaven. What is significant about this, is the fact that Shiva is very often depicted as a perfect hermaphrodite, sometimes even split evenly down the middle as one side male/one side female. Their belief is that the supreme power is both masculine and feminine, and that both masculine and feminine energies exist within us. Due to this, I would say that they are far more open to transgender concepts than in the west, where the common rule is that there is only one all knowing man-god.

Additionally, there are several third gender groups in southern asia, and India is no exception. There exists a group called Hijra. They dont have a clearly indicated parallel in our understanding of gender and sex, but the majority of them seem to be transwomen that only undergo partial surgery (effectively becoming eunuchs) or do not opt for surgery.

Just my little observations, anyway

My avatar is of shiva...
He is typically seen as a he... he has a crescent moon on the top of his forehead which can be consider symbolism for either having a feminine mentality or having conquered that aspect of the mind as well...

But as most Gods he can have multiple manifestations some of which are female i believe.
Personally I think Kali is one of his manifestations... (its complicated)

[Mohini]

It really all depends on the temple and community that you are a part of. In the West, it is a hit and miss, but if you go to India, unless you pass very well, then it would be a complete miss.

Unfortunately, Indian culture can be quite rigid in terms of gender segregation and roles, and if you end up being gender-queer, or bigendered, or cross-dressing, you will be disrespected in the community and even shamed!

But Hinduism itself shouldn't be hateful towards all trans people, since we are part of the tritiya prakrti, or third sex. This would include gays, lesbians, trans, and bisexuals!