Hijra are the third gender recognized predominantly in India, as well as some areas in Pakistan, Bangladesh, and Nepal. It is an encompassing term that includes eunuchs, intersex, and transgender people. Hijra, once seen as valued religious and spiritual healers, are now socially “untouchable” and marginalized people. Today they live in rundown areas called Gharanas.1 This group faces social, emotional, and…
Category: Beliefs and Sexuality
History of the Third Gender in Native American Tribes
Introduction Western cultures typically ascribe to the gender binary, or the gender system that is characterized by the existence of two genders based on sex: male and female. This is assumed to be ‘natural’ as it is based on an anatomical or biological basis, which is believed to be more ‘objective.’ However, numerous Native American…
Encouraging Orgasms: The Mangaian People’s Sexual Education
The orgasm is widely viewed as the ultimate goal of recreational sex, so why is it so hard to achieve for so many people? Though the road of discovery toward the orgasm can be a complicated and frustrating journey, it can also be one filled with sexual self-discovery. Additionally, if the orgasm is thought of as the ultimate…
Tantric Sexuality
Tantric traditions, which emerged around the 5th century CE, were born from Buddhist, Hindu, and Jain religious frameworks. Tantra encompasses a wide variety of practices which are united by their common sacred texts, the Tantras. Although it is difficult to pinpoint one comprehensive Tantric theme, Tantrism is often understood as a spiritual quest for salvation…
The Kama Sutra
The Kama Sutra is a classical Hindu text relating to the art of human sexual behavior and pleasure. The dense text was originally written in traditional Sanskrit by Vatsyayana, an Indian philosopher and sage who is believed to have lived between the first and sixth century of the Common Era.1 It has since been translated…
Overview of Virginity Pledges
Virginity pledges are typically taken by teenagers and young adults who promise to remain abstinent from sexual activity until marriage. Programs promoting virginity pledges began within fundamentalist Christian circles in the United States, but the idea has gained traction in the mainstream, and a number of nonreligious sources (including some public school sex education programs)…