Bangladesh Transgenders holds first year anniversary of their being recognised officially as a third gender

A thousand transgenders marched with pride throughout the streets to mark their first year of being officially recognised as a third gender in the country.

The Hijras as they are known in Bangladesh, who all wore colourful saris brought the streets to a standstill dancing and singing that the days of stigma, discrimination and fear were over.

 

The Hijras have been part of life in South Asia going back to antiquity.  They are mentioned in the Kama Sutre and live in communities across Bangladesh, India and Pakistan.

 

 

 Their communities have been sustained over generation by adopting young boys who ran away from home or have being rejected by families.

 

They suffered a lot of discrimination especially during the era of the British Raj when they tried to eradicate them.  But last year Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina passed the law to recognise the hijras as a third gender, allowing them to identify themselves as a separate gender in passports and other state papers.