When looking at intersex and individuals of other genders, one must take into account both the culturally ascribed gender, and the gender the individual identifies with. Examples include Sulawesi and its’ five genders. “The Bugis acknowledge three sexes (female, male, hermaphrodite), four genders (women, men, calabai, and calalai), and a fifth meta-gender group, the bissu” (Graham 2001). The bissu have their own style of dress and are considered to be born the way they are. “Strictly speaking, calalai means 'false man ' and calabai 'false woman '. However, people are not harassed for identifying as either of these gender categories” (Graham 2001). The existence and open tolerance for these gender roles is fascinating to an outsider. One can only imagine how people would react to a change in the binary system in which the United States labels children. How fewer children would have to hide what they feel inside due to fear of violence or humiliation? Not only does Sulawesi have multiple genders and gender roles, so does India. In certain locales in India a third gender and gender role exists: that of the Hijra. “The Hijras are a religious community of men, who dress and act like women” (Nanda 1999). The difference between the Hijras and the calalai and calabia, is that the hijras undergo an operation on their genitals,
When looking at intersex and individuals of other genders, one must take into account both the culturally ascribed gender, and the gender the individual identifies with. Examples include Sulawesi and its’ five genders. “The Bugis acknowledge three sexes (female, male, hermaphrodite), four genders (women, men, calabai, and calalai), and a fifth meta-gender group, the bissu” (Graham 2001). The bissu have their own style of dress and are considered to be born the way they are. “Strictly speaking, calalai means 'false man ' and calabai 'false woman '. However, people are not harassed for identifying as either of these gender categories” (Graham 2001). The existence and open tolerance for these gender roles is fascinating to an outsider. One can only imagine how people would react to a change in the binary system in which the United States labels children. How fewer children would have to hide what they feel inside due to fear of violence or humiliation? Not only does Sulawesi have multiple genders and gender roles, so does India. In certain locales in India a third gender and gender role exists: that of the Hijra. “The Hijras are a religious community of men, who dress and act like women” (Nanda 1999). The difference between the Hijras and the calalai and calabia, is that the hijras undergo an operation on their genitals,