Final answer:
A third gender indicates gender identities that are not strictly male or female, and many cultures have recognized such variations historically. Hawaiian Māhū, Thai kathoey, Indian Hijra, and Dominican Guevedoces are some examples. There is a growing recognition and advocacy for more inclusive gender categories inspired by these global practices.
Step-by-step explanation:
What constitutes a legitimate third gender, and can you provide actual historical examples? A third gender refers to identities that exist outside of the traditional binary gender framework of male and female. Cultures around the world have recognized more than two gender categories throughout history, acknowledging the complexities of human gender and sexuality.
For instance, in pre-colonization Hawaii, Māhū was respected as a third gender. Similarly, the Thailand culture recognizes kathoey, a term that encompasses aspects of intersex and transgender identities. In India, Hijra is a well-known third-gender category with a long history. The Guevedoces of the Dominican Republic present an interesting case where children are often raised as girls until puberty when some develop male genitalia and are then recognized as male.
Cultural anthropologists such as Serena Nanda have studied variant-gender categories extensively. These studies reveal that many non-European cultures accommodate multiple gender expressions, often in contrast to rigid Western gender binaries. Efforts by activists to increase recognition of gender diversity are inspired by the historical examples of alternative gender expressions around the world.
Complex legal and cultural issues concerning gender identity continue to be a topic of debate and progress. Discussions within gender and sexuality studies often consider the power dynamics and implications of maintaining strict gender categories or the potential benefits of more fluid understandings of gender.