1. Alternate Genders Around the World

2. What is an alternate gender?
• Refers to gender identity, not sex.
• Someone who is neither male nor female, even if they were
born with male or female genitalia.
• Typically males who take on female gender roles, although
there are some exceptions (ex. Amazons).
• In many cases are not viewed as homosexual even if they
have sexual relations with same sex partners.
• May be people who were assigned a gender at birth because
of malformed sexual organs.
• Third genders have been recognized throughout the world
and history.

3. Alternate Genders Around the World

4. Chuckchi (Siberia)
•Group of Shamanic people that identify a 3rd
gender
•3rd gender people are typically born as males but
take on female roles and characteristics
•They generally marry males
•May accompany men on hunt and may also stay
home and care for the family.

5. Mahu (Hawaii)
•Can be biologically male or female.
•Gender role is either somewhere between male
and female or both male and female.
•Were considered sacred in ancient times but
face discrimination today.

6. Fa'afafine (Samoa)
•Biologically male but take on female gender
roles and appearance.
•Parents typically decide very early on to raise
their male child as a Fa’afafine.
•It is considered socially acceptable for males to
have sex with Fa’afafine and not be considered
homosexual.
•Fa’afafine typically take on
family care roles.

7. Fakaleiti (Tonga)
• Very similar to Fa’afafine.
• Born biologically male but dress like females and take
on female gender roles and mannerisms.
• Are not considered homosexual.

8. Whakawahine & Wakatane (Maori, New
Zealand)
• Whakawahine are biological males who prefer
the company of females.
• Usually take on jobs that are typically female,
such as weaving.
• Wakatane are biological females who take on
jobs that are typically
male such as manual labor
or warriors.

9. Ninauposkitzipxpe (Blackfoot)
• Part of the North Peigan tribe of the Blackfoot
Confederacy located in Montana and Alberta,
Canada.
• Ninauposkitzipxpe means “manly hearted
woman.”
• Biological females who did
not have to follow the
social constraints of other
females.

10. Winkte (Lakota)
• Winkte means “two-spirited.”
• Born as males but take on traditional female
gender roles.
• They typically cook and take care of the tribe’s
children.
• Take on traditionally female
roles during rituals.

11. Lhamana (Zuni)
• Another Native American “two-spirit” gender.
• Person takes on both male and female roles at
the same time.
• Perform both traditionally male and female work.
• Also take on the role of
priests, mediators, and artists.

12. Nadleehi and Dilbaa (Navajo)
• Another type of Native American “two-spirit”
gender.
• Nadleehi are born biologically male but
possess both male and female spirits.
• Dilbaa are biological females with masculine
spirits.
• Both are considered both
male and female gendered.

13. Alyha and Hwame (Mohave)
• The Mohave Indians identify four genders:
male, female, alyha, and hwame.
• Alyha are males that live as females.
• Hwame are females that live as males.

14. Muxe (Zapotec of Oaxaca)
• Muxe are males who dress as females or dress
in male clothing but wear makeup.
• Typically take on female social roles and
occupations.
• This term is often used to describe
homosexual males, although not
all muxe identify as gay.

15. Guevedoche (Dominican Republic)
• One of the only cases where a recognized 3rd gender
is because of pseudo-hermaphroditic trait.
• Have genitals that are undifferentiated between male
and female.
• Typically raised as female.
• Those who develop male traits as they go through
puberty do not change to male, instead
they lives as a 3rd gender,
Guevedoche.

16. Quariwarmi (Inca, Peru)
• The Quariwarmi were 3rd gender people who
were ritual attendants or shamans.
• Wore androgynous clothing.
• Worshiped a two-gendered god, “chuqui
chinchay.”

17. Travesti (South America)
• Person who is born male but identifies as a
female gendered person.
• Usually dress and act typically female.
• While they identify themselves with the
female gender, they do not consider
themselves female.
• Many describe themselves as gay.

18. Skoptsy (Russia)
• An alternate gender born out of a religious
sect who believed that Adam and Eve had the
forbidden fruit embedded in their bodies as
testicles and breasts.
• Made it part of the religious practice to cut off
testicles and breasts to return themselves to a
body free from parts that
represented the forbidden fruit and
the negative connotations
associated with it.

19. Femminiello (Italy)
• Biological males who take on female gender
roles and dress as females.
• Translated to English, Femminiello means
“little man-woman.”
• Highly regarded in society as privileged
citizens through the 19th century.

20. Burrnesha (Albania)
• Also known as “sworn virgins.”
• Biological females who dress as males and
take a vow of chastity.
• Albanian society places high value in males;
Burrnesha become sworn virgins to become
highly regarded members of society.

21. köçek (Ottoman Empire)
• Men who dressed and acted like females.
• Joined together to form dance troupes that
travelled around and performed sexually
suggestive dances.
• Were not gay but were often auctioned off as
partners to the highest male
bidder.

22. Mamluk (Egypt)
• Young girls with masculine traits who were
raised as boys.
• Were awarded all of the legal and social
advantages that girls were not allowed, but
boys were.
• This practice died out in the
1700’s.

23. Mino (Benin)
• Women with masculine traits or who were
thought to be aggressive.
• Formed an all female regiment of warriors.
• Mino were never married and never had
children.

24. Bangala (DR Congo)
• Shamans who dressed in women’s clothing.
• The people believed that women had animist
spirits that allowed them to solve crimes such
as murders.

25. Ankole (Uganda)
• Women who were elected by the people to
dress and act as men.
• Doing this allowed them to be an oracle to
their god, Mukasa.

26. Ashtime (Maale, Ethiopia)
• Ashtime were eunuchs who lived in the homes
of political and spiritual leaders of the
community.
• They typically performed the household duties
of biological females, who were forbidden
from entering the homes of these important
leaders.
• Were given special privileges in
return for their services.

27. Mashoga (Kenya, Tanzania)
• Biological males who take on a female gender
identity.
• Usually wear both male and female clothing,
but in a very distinct way that is only done by
Mashoga.
• Usually adopt typically female roles in
society.

28. Sekrata (Madagascar)
• Boys who were thought to have feminine
characteristics were raised as girls.
• Were taught to dress, act, and talk as women.
Many forgot they were born male
• The Sakalava people considered Sekrata
sacred and believed they had
supernatural protection.

29. Transsexuality in Iran
• Homosexuality in Iran is to this day punishable
by death.
• Homosexual people and transgendered males
are allowed to live as straight females in order
to avoid being killed.
• Many undergo reassignment surgery in order
to be officially recognized as
females.

30. Xanith (Oman)
• Biological males who adopt traditional female
roles, mannerisms, and dress.
• Though they live as females, they maintain
their given male name and maintain their
rights as males, even those rights not afforded
to females such as voting and having a paying
job.

31. Metis (Nepal)
• Biological males who dress and live as
females, assuming typical female roles.
• Do not consider themselves as homosexuals
even though most of them typically make a
living through prostituting themselves to
males.
• Have recently won the right to identify
themselves as a 3rd gender with the
Nepal government.

32. Hijra (South Asia)
• Hijra are biological males who identify themselves
with the female gender by dressing as females and
taking on female roles.
• Represent the half-male, half-female image of the
god Shiva.
• Consider themselves a 3rd gender, not male or
female.
• They are fairly integrated into and
accepted by society.

33. Aravani (Tamil Nadu)
• A subset of Hijra named after the mythical
deity Aravan.
• Biological males who adopt female gender
identities and roles.

34. Acault (Myanmar)
• Biological males who take on the roles and
characteristics of females.
• Some identify themselves as gay, but many do
not.
• Are respected as mediums and seers in an
animistic society.

35. Kathoey (Thailand)
• Kathoey means “ladyboy” in English.
• Biological males who identify themselves as
neither male nor female, but a 3rd gender all
together.
• They are thought to be males who have
womanly hearts.
• Usually dress and act female and hold
typically female jobs.

36. Waria (Indonesia)
• Born as males but typically identify as female.
• Waria includes a wide range of males who
identify as females, from those who only
occasionally dress and act female but still
define themselves as male, to those who live
their lives as females.

37. Bakla (Philippines)
• Biological males who assume the role of
females.
• They dress, act, and adopt social roles and
jobs that are typical of females.
• Have developed their own language that is a
mixture of Filipino, English, and Spanish and is
spoken with an over-
exaggerated feminine intonation.

38. Calabai, Calalai, and Bissu (Indonesia)
• Calabai are biological males who identify and live as
females, but do not desire to become females.
• Calalai are biological females who identify and live as
males.
• Bissu are both male and female but at the same time
neither male nor female. They may be
born as hermaphrodites. They dress
in attire that only Bissu are
allowed to wear.

39. References
A Map of Gender Diverse Cultures. (2011).
Retrieved from
http://www.pbs.org/independentlens/two-spirits/
.