Some people are not just boys or girls.
They are a third kind. This is true in many places. Some groups have special jobs. They help their people. It is a big and interesting world. Do you see how many ways there are to be you?
Most people are seen as men or women.
But some people are a third kind. This is true in many lands.
In some places, these people have special jobs. They may help with spirit work. Some help their people in ceremonies.
Some groups have names for this. The hijras live in South Asia. The fa'afafine live in Polynesia.
In the West, new ideas are growing. Some people now use new labels. They want to be themselves.
It is a big and interesting world. There are many ways to be you.
Most cultures use a gender binary. This means they see two genders: men and women.
But many societies recognize a third gender. This means people are neither men nor women. Some places even have a fourth or fifth gender.
In some lands, these people have special roles. In North America, some Indigenous groups have Two-Spirit people. These people may have roles in ceremonies. In South Asia, there are the hijras. In Polynesia, there are the fa'afafine.
In some cultures, being a third gender is a gift. It may help people talk to spirits. In others, people may face hard times. Some cultures see it as a middle state between man and woman.
In Western lands, new ideas are growing. Some people use labels like non-binary. In 2016, a court in Oregon helped a person change their legal gender. People want the right to be themselves. There are many ways to live in this world.
Many societies around the world use a gender binary. This means they divide people into two groups: men and women.
However, many other cultures recognize a third gender. This is an identity for people who are neither men nor women. Some societies even include a fourth or fifth gender. A third gender can mean many different things depending on the culture. It is often tied to how a person acts or how they see themselves.
In many traditions, these people hold very special roles. For example, some Indigenous North American groups have Two-Spirit people. These individuals often have important roles in ceremonies. In South Asia, there are groups known as hijras. In Polynesia, you may find the fa'afafine.
Some cultures see this as a middle state between being a man or a woman. In Hawaii, this is called gender liminality. In the Balkans, there are people known as sworn virgins. Even in parts of Africa, a woman might be recognized as a female husband.
History shows that these roles have existed for a very long time. In the 1860s, the term "third sex" began to appear in English. A man named Karl Heinrich Ulrichs used the word "Urning" in his writings. He was a pioneer who believed these identities were natural.
He wanted people to be treated fairly instead of being punished. In the 1970s, anthropologists began to study these groups more closely. They realized that a simple two-gender system could not explain everything. They saw that gender is organized differently in many non-Western lands.
Different cultures have very different views on these identities. In some places, being a third gender is seen as a spiritual gift. These people might act as a bridge between humans and spirits.
In a study by Ingrid M. Sell, many people in the United States who felt they were a third gender were healers or artists. She found that 93% of them reported having "paranormal" type abilities. However, being different can also lead to hard times. In some Western history, people who did not fit in were often treated as if they were sick. This changed in 2013 when medical manuals updated their rules to focus on the distress a person feels instead.
Today, many Western societies are beginning to recognize these ideas. Some people use new terms like non-binary or genderqueer.
In 2016, a court in Oregon allowed a person to legally change their gender to non-binary. This shows how laws are changing to help people be themselves. Some scholars argue that Western ideas sometimes misinterpret ancient traditions. For instance, they say Western views might focus too much on sexual orientation. They want to make sure the true meaning of cultures like the Samoan fa'afafine is respected. The world is full of many different ways to live.
A third gender is a social identity for people who are neither men nor women. Most modern Western cultures use a gender binary. This system divides people into two categories based on biological sex assigned at birth. However, many societies recognize three or more genders. The term "third" usually means "other," but some cultures recognize fourth or even fifth genders.
This identity is often defined by a person's gender identity and their specific role within their culture.
Gender roles function differently depending on the social system. In some non-Western cultures, gender is not a strict binary. People might move freely between male and female roles. Others might exist in an intermediate state.
In Hawaii, this intermediate state is called "gender liminality." This concept is part of a wider spectrum. In the Southwestern United States, the traditional Dineh people recognize a spectrum of four genders. These include feminine women, masculine women, feminine men, and masculine men.
Many third gender identities are tied to spiritual or ceremonial duties. In some Indigenous North American traditions, these people are called Two-Spirit. This term reflects their specific spiritual and Indigenous contexts. In other places, being a third gender is seen as a gift. These individuals might mediate between the human world and the spirit world.
In South Asia, the hijras are a well-known third gender group. In Polynesia, the fa'afafine hold a distinct role. In the Balkans, there are people known as sworn virgins. Some African communities recognize a "female husband" who holds the privileges of a man.
History shows how these concepts have been studied and debated. Since the 1970s, anthropologists have used these terms to describe cultures that a two-gender framework could not explain. In the 1860s, the term "third sex" began appearing in English. An activist named Karl Heinrich Ulrichs used the German word "Urning." He was a pioneer who argued that same-sex attraction was natural.
He believed these identities should not be criminalized. Later, in 1969, the word "homosexual" appeared in an anonymous pamphlet.
Western views on gender have shifted significantly over time. For many years, Western medical systems labeled people who did not conform to traditional roles as "disordered." However, a major change occurred in 2013. The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders updated its rules. It replaced the label of being "disordered" with a new diagnosis called "gender dysphoria." This term focuses on the distress a person feels rather than labeling their identity as a sickness.
Research has found interesting patterns in how people experience these identities. In a study by Ingrid M. Sell, she looked at people in the United States who identified as a third gender. She found that many felt different from the age of five. Nearly half of those interviewed worked as healers or in medical professions. Many were also artists.
Sell also noted that 93% of her interviewees reported "paranormal" type abilities. This mirrored patterns seen in Eastern third gender groups.
Modern legal systems are also beginning to change. Some Western societies now recognize non-binary or genderqueer identities. In 2016, an Oregon court ruled that a resident could legally change their gender to non-binary.
Organizations like the Open Society Foundations have documented progressive laws globally. These laws help people change their gender identity on official documents. However, scholars warn against misinterpreting ancient traditions. They argue that Westerners sometimes try to force ancient identities into modern ideas of sexual orientation. This can change the original meaning of cultures like the Samoan fa'afafine.
Where will your curiosity go next?
🖼️ Images & Media (10)
More to explore
✨ What else?
Related topics you might enjoy
What is Nepedia?
A free, ad-free encyclopedia for children. Every article is written at five reading levels, so the same page works for a five-year-old and a fifteen-year-old — use the level switcher above to see this one change. No account needed to read.