We cannot seek equality identifying with a discriminatory term

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Many times, we have found that transgender, and sometimes including intersex people are labeled as third gender. I don’t understand what it means to be a “third” gender. The word itself is discriminatory and deteriorating.  In a patriarchal society, gender has been seen with a class division, where women are seen as “second sex” that means inferior to men. But when transgender people are identifying themselves as third gender, we ourselves are trying to comfort the patriarchal and sexist norms of the society. There is no first gender, second gender and third gender. We all are equal genders. What could be more sexist than classifying genders into grading categories? But the whole Nepalese laws and even people, have used this term to address transgenders. This is offensive. The word we have chose for our identification, itself is biased.The reason people assert behind using the term third gender is Hindu culture. The terminology is taken from a Hindu book named Kama Sutra where it defines three sexual natures of human beings, namely: male nature, female nature and the third nature. But we cannot solely base a religious book for making decisions on identification, despite of the word itself being discriminatory. How could we agree to a word that has created classes in matter of gender?  If any idea based on a religious book is irrational,not progressive or discriminatory, how can it be suitable for being applied in present context. Decisions should be based on correct principles and facts, not solely a book. Using the term third gender is another example of sexist philosophy. People even claim that transgender  is a Western terminology, and third gender is an Eastern term. Gosh! Even words and identification; even liability of discrimination has been categorized Eastern and Western. Transgender  is not a Western term. It is simply a term. A term that does not categorize gender into classes, like the term third gender does. If it is a case than, I think the clothes we wear, medicines we eat, and all lost of things are so called Western! And who says that the word transgender cannot be translated into Nepali languages? In Khas language, we can translate the prefix -trans  as पार, that could make a literal translation of transgender  as पारलिङ्गी. In the similar way we can make such translation in other Nepali languages. We should appeal linguists to make such translations of LGBTI terminologies in respective Nepali languages.  When we have a word that does not have discriminatory values, why should we stick upon a discriminating terminology? If we start to call ourselves, the “third sex” than we will be treated as one. Despite of its offence or discriminating nature, the term third gender  has been deep rooted in our society as well as the laws, legal paper and legal gender identification term. It is good that Nepal is a progressive country in matters of transgender( and LGBTI) people, but we cannot achieve true equality until we are identifying or being identified with a discriminatory phrase. Therefore we have started a Facebook movement: Not the third sex

Rukshana Newa · Jun 21, 2016 5:53 AM · 13,699 views

10 Replies

Interesting !! Never thought that way. We should use "colors" for genders instead labeling 1st, 2nd, and 3rd. Green for Males, Yellow for Females, and Red for Transgender.

ujl · Jun 21, 2016 10:03 AM

रुक्शनाजी, सिक्के बाला लेख ! झी त् असाध्यै मन परे जुल ! "Green for Males, Yellow for Females, and Red for Transgender" उज्ल ब्रो, केटिहरुले महिनाको एक चोटी आफ्नो पेन्टी रातै बनाउने हुनाले, उहाहरुलाइ चै रेड कलर प्रदान गरे कसो होला ?

Nas · Jun 21, 2016 10:54 AM

Nas bro you logic makes sense Off-white (cream) for boys, by same logic. :) TG lai chai kunai neutral color like grey rakhnu parla :)

seeker77 · Jun 21, 2016 11:11 AM

@ ruksana, could u tell how is kamasutra a religious book? and how is third gender equal to third class gender?with your logic a third child is a third class child. its just a way the society has consciously acknowledged the 3 physical forms of human self. nothing else.

shiva_linga · Jun 21, 2016 4:03 PM

I don't get your point. Where is such thing mentioned in my post?

Rukshana Newa · Jun 23, 2016 12:29 AM

I don't get your point. Where is such thing mentioned in my post?

Rukshana Newa · Jun 23, 2016 12:29 AM

Rukshana Newa · Jun 23, 2016 12:32 AM

I was about to like you from your साझा पोस्ट , facebook page and your daring ideas but once i scroll down your blog I start hating you again ! म नेपाल मा भएका सबै भाषा को सम्मान गर्छु तर नेपाली सब लाइ एक धागो मा जोड्ने नेपाली भाषा हो . जसलाई यो लोक तन्त्र नाम को किरा ले देस धोस्त हुन अगाडी सम्म रास्त्रिये भाषा को नाम मा लियिन्थो . तिम्रो उमेर लेख हेर्दा तिमि यो सब हुन भन्दा धेरै पैले नै जन्मेको झैँ लाग्छ ! नेपाली भाषा लाइ खस भाषा भनेर सम्भोधन किन ? तिम्रो नेपाल भाषा नेपाल भाषा हाम्रो भाषा चै खस भासा , are you Fa*king kidding me ! (खस भनेको नेवारी , भोटे भाषा मा बाहुन छेत्री लाइ गालि गर्ने सब्द नि हो, तिम्रो हरेक खस लेख ले नि तेइ कुरा जनाउछ ) अब येहा बिदेस मा कोइ नेपाली भेट्यो भने कुन भाषा मा बोल्ने ? म नेवार हैन , मलाई नेवारी आउदैन , मलाई तामांग भाषा आउदैन , मलाई केवल नेपाली भाषा आउछ र म तेस्ले सबै संग जोड मेल गर्छु ! अनि के रे Black Prithivi Jayanti रे फेसबुक पेज . तेइ प्रिथिवी नारायण शाह नभएको भए देस आइले सम्म ब्रिटिस को हात मा परेर कुन चै भारत को प्रान्त भै सक्ठो , आइले तेइ प्रिथिवी को जन्म दिन कालो भो ? give me example of one national unification of any country which is not based on war ? that is what prithivi did , whats wrong on that ? अनि सी के राउत को त् खुब गुण गान गरेको छौ , त्यो पनि तिमि जस्तै तेस्रो लिंगी हो ? सी के राउत को उद्द्स्ये भनेको नेपाल टुक्राउनु हो , त्यो कुन angle बाट जायज छ ? घर मा झगडा कसको हुदैन ? त्यो भनेर के घर ३ टुक्रा पर्ने हो कि , आपस मा मिलाउने हो ? जब भारत जस्तो छिमेकी हुन्छ , तर सी के राउत जस्तो दलाल जन्मन्छ , सी के राउत को प्रचार को कागज हेरेको छौ ? नेपाल आमा आमा हैन रन्डी हो रे , and you support that bastard ? तिम्रो कुनै पनि कुरा बाट तिमि open minded छ जस्तो लाग्दैन ! तिमि तेस्रो लिंगी नभएको भए मलाई लाग्छ तिमि यो कुरा मा पनि सहमत हुदैन ठेउ होला ! तिमि लाइ अरु ले छक्का भन्यो भनेर के दुख मान्छौ जब कि तिमि अरु को केइ कुरा को नि सम्मान गर्न जान्दैनौ !!

instagram · Jun 23, 2016 2:26 AM

ok u take wikipedia as your source of information. what great research!!! bye Last edited: 29-Jun-16 06:26 AM

shiva_linga · Jun 23, 2016 5:32 PM

balla du rukshana ji

malokharke · Jun 24, 2016 10:21 AM

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