\n
![\"MUXES1\"](\"http:\/\/student-activity.binus.ac.id\/aiesec\/wp-content\/uploads\/sites\/53\/2016\/06\/MUXES1.jpg\")
<\/a><\/p>\nIn the small town of Juchit\u00e1n de Zaragoza in southern Oaxaca State, Mexico, live the muxes \u2014 people born in a male\u2019s body but who identify as neither female nor male. Muxes are part of ancient culture and are well-known in the town and culture.<\/p>\n
Traditionally muxes would be admired for their talent in embroidery, hairstyling, cooking, and craftiwork. However, Naomy Mendez Romero, who shared photograph and her story with the New York Times, is an industrial engineer \u2014 challenging limits on muxes by entering a career path more often viewed as male. The bathroom controversy has disrupted life for muxes only slightly, causing a taunting from men in the community.<\/p>\n
\u201cMe use a boy\u2019s bathroom? No.\u201d Naomy said, shrugging off the idea of switching stalls after years as a woman.<\/p>\n
2. Two-spirit in Native North American Navajo culture<\/strong> For many native North American cultures, transgender individuals are known as \u201ctwo-spirit.\u201d<\/p>\n For Zuni, a Native American tribe, the term for a two-spirited person is lhamana. We\u2019wha \u2014 the most famous lhamana was born in male body \u2014 wore a mixture of men\u2019s and women\u2019s clothing.<\/p>\n We\u2019wha spent time performing women\u2019s tasks, cooking, gathering foods, and serving as a mediator in the Zuni tribe in what is now New Mexico. We\u2019wha was not even close to the only \u201ctwo-spirit\u201d native North American. Many other tribes have their own terms for a tribe member living in one body but who has the spirit of more than one person. Check out a full list here.<\/p>\n 3. Fa\u2019Afafines in Samoa<\/strong> In traditional Samoan culture, boys born into male bodies who identify as female as known as Fa\u2019Afafines. They are fully accepted into Samoan culture while in Western culture the concept may be hard to grasp.<\/p>\n \u201cGender roles, even sexual desire, is shaped to suit society. That means gender identity is often hugely shaped by culture. Being a woman in Samoa is quite different from being a woman in Western society,\u201d says a woman in the video above.<\/p>\n Gender identity in Samoan culture is as simple as being accepted by society if you say and feel you are male or female. This is a social norm the rest of the world could learn from.<\/p>\n Check out this video<\/a> on Sexual Identity in Samoan culture from National Geographic.<\/p>\n 4. Hijras in South Asia<\/strong> Sadly, the Hijras are less accepted by society in Pakistan, India, and Bangladesh. Hijras identify as women born in male bodies.<\/p>\n Hijras have their own ancient language \u2014 Hijras Farsi and served monarchs in South Asian regions for centuries. Today, they are primarily outsiders in their communities, excluded from many economic opportunities.<\/p>\n In spite of marginalization from the rest of the world, whom they refer to as \u201cdunya daar\u201d the Hijras preserve their own language and culture where gender knows no boundaries.<\/p>\n 5. Sekrata in Madagascar<\/strong> In Madagascar, for the Sakalava people recognized a third gender called Sekrata. Boys in Sakalava communities who exhibit traditionally feminine behavior or personalities are raised by parents as girls from a young age.<\/p>\n Instead of labeling these boys as gay, they are seen as having a male body and identifying as a female. Sexual preference is not a factor for the Sakalava and raising a child in this third gender is natural and accepted in the community\u2019s social fabric.<\/p>\n Imagine if the world is like the five places above, where everybody is seen as equal human and has equal right to be treated the same. Gender inequality would never be an issue.<\/p>\n Read the full and original article here!<\/a><\/em><\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\nAnthropologists, authors, and even US President Grover Cleveland were \u201cutterly charmed\u201d by We\u2019wha\u2019s intelligence and understanding of the world.<\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\n
\n<\/a><\/p>\n