Question

How is having a third or alternative gender such as the Mahu gender different from cultural understanding of binary male or female?

Answer 1

Mahu or the third gender in between the traditional male and female gender is practiced in the Hawaiian culture which is reinforced by the songs and music that do not confirm to the Western binary gender norms. Third gender is accepted and practised by people from various cultures all over the world for a very long time. Just as the conflict theory suggests that the society is in a perpetual conflict for the limited resources available where social order is maintained not through consensus but through domination, it’s because of the binary gender domination all the social norms are reinforced in the society which makes it difficult for people who wish not to be considered as male or female. This would mean a third gender or any gender other than the traditional binary system would threaten the belief system of those who practice it. They reinforce their own system out of fear of the unknown and out of the religious and cultural reasons that were again built by the same people. However, people have achieved more equality and are able to practice the gender of their choice in many countries with the legal support although there is social rejection.

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