"Rigid gender roles often inspire creative solutions. Families in Afghanistan, for example, when they have all girls, often pick a daughter to pretend to be a boy until puberty. The child can then run errands, get a job, and chaperone “his” sisters in public (all things girls aren’t allowed to do). The transition is sudden and doesn’t involve relocation, so the entire community knows that the child is a girl. They just pretend nothing at all strange is going on. In fact, it’s not strange. It happens quite routinely."
In preparing for a presentation on sex, gender and our transgender history in the US, I stumbled upon this article, which is discussing the “sworn virgins” of Albania. I loved reading this article because I literally just re-watched the National Geographic Channel’s documentary “Third Sex” which is part of their taboo series. You can watch the feature length program here. (Just keep in mind, this program was filmed several years ago and so language and terminology is a bit dated).
The “Sworn Virgins” of Albania: Social Rules and Accommodations » Sociological Images
(via ryansallans)
(via azaadi)
