User:Mikann1218/Eunuchs: India's Third Gender

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Eunuchs: India's Third Gender is a 1991 ethnographic film documenting the lives of Eunuchs; the established third gender of India. Following ancient mythology claiming to be derived from Gods, eunuchs live lavishly. The eunuchs lifestyle encompasses divinity in motion, navigating daily life through a spiritual lens. In other instances, the long lines of a lineage that exist over centuries also exploit belittling and discrimination within society. The film follows the couple Kiran and Dinesh; a male and eunuch couple who face trials and tribulations along with other Indian males who share their experience undergoing castration. The film covers several topics such as gender and sexuality, homophobia, discrimination, and cultural anthropology.

Synopsis
The ethnographic film illustrates three themes; love, history, and exclusion within the society of India. It follows two presentation structures. As far as the information presented, the film follows a linear narrative. The information presented is chronological however, all the eunuchs and eunuch communities presented are simultaneous with one another. The scenes and sequences are presented as a collage narrative structure meaning events seen are arranged out of order. Presentation in this film follows the three themes, comparing and contrasting different lifestyles of eunuchs.

Starting with Kiran and Dinesh the two forbidden lovers, creating and maintaining an accepting relationship with a eunuch is a difficult task. Being together with one another is easy and the two love each other very much. Their love is so strong that once Dinesh leaves for work as a driver, Kiran cannot function without him. Kiran doesn't eat without Dinesh and is only happy when they're together. A public romantic relationship with a eunuch does present discrimination which is a difficult task. Although the two Kiran and Dinesh accept one another, the opinion from the Indian society is unbearable most of the time. However, that doesn't stop them from being in love.

Kiran has gone through castration to live fully as a eunuch. Eunuch castration serves high importance and symbolism, and the act of surgically removing male genitalia is prominent in eunuch gender and community. Castration is usually operated after several years in the eunuch community. Although the community creates high praise, marginalization and discrimination still occur for those who are castrated. However, many do not go through with the process, feminizing surgery or hormone medication along with growing out their hair and wearing female garments are other aspects of living as a eunuch.

Kiran lives in Kathiawad where she isn't welcomed because eunuchs are perceived as bad. At Kiran's home, Hirash an aspiring eunuch frequents and is taken under the wing of Kiran. Harish keeps his eunuch desires a secret from his wife and kids. He does so because he fears of losing his family and relationship if he confronts himself. Harish's family is disgusted with eunuch's and aren't accepting of his wishes from the little they do know. Eight months prior, HIrash's wife left him with their kids to live with her parents. Once she came back, Hirash almost went through the process of castration. Hirash's wife is at a crossroads. She knows her husband will never stop living as a eunuch but the negative stigma around the gender is something she cannot fully accept.

In the state of Rajasthan, a eunuch community exists overlooked by Sharada Bai the guru and head of over one-hundred eunuchs. She lives in a mansion with eight disciples, and holds the power herself to appoint another one-hundred eunuchs in neighboring territories. Eunuchs posses strong family ties and being a disciple in Sharada Bai's family means she becomes a parent. The mansion in which the eunuchs live is lavish and historically rich one that cannot be sold or destroyed. Looking over the mansion is a sign to honor the past and the history of a eunuchs purpose. Tradition of greeting the guru in the morning by bowing and touch their feet is a sign of respect, alongside castration which is a sign of loyalty. The guru of the eunuch mansion contains healing properties for the family members and look to the guru for guidance, and giving the eunuchs hope.

Cities in modern India outside of Rajasthan's demeanor aren't as accepting. In Bombay, the guru Regamath lives with fourteen disciple eunuchs. Expenses are more difficult compared to Rajasthan and the eunuchs only source of income is prostitution. Every evening the eunuchs head to the red light district sell themselves. Along with prostitution, eunuchs also ask for money. They use a clapping method on the street to intimidate the public into giving them money. They also lift up their garments to show their genitalia as another form of intimidation. This obnoxious behavior and occupation is one that causes more divide and discrimination with modern eunuchs and modern Indian society.

Production
Eunuchs: India's Third Gender was produced by assistant producers Surinder Puri and Aruna Har Parsad. Parsad also does the narration for the film. BBC Elstree is the production company behind the film. They are a television production company located in the United Kingdom. Other participants of the film was Michael Yorke an anthropologist who directed and originated the concept for the documentary.

Yorke had done a separate screen from the original 1991 debut thirty years later at Lamaakan's open theater.

Background
Director, Dr. Michael Yorke was always fascinated with Indian culture. In 1962 he spent time hitchhiking in India and he became interested with the culture, society, and the people of India. Yorke's main goal in all of his ethnographies is for the audience to explore the "other" in society, those who are deemed not normal. The success of Eunuchs: India's Third Gender derived from Yorke's ongoing fascination and excitement which is evident in the ethnography. Eunuch subjects are intelligent and analytical according to Yorke. Whenever he visited India for his fieldwork, they are the most fascinating, welcoming, and informative. A western observer like Yorke is always treated kindly from the eunuch community which is became a huge satisfaction in creating the film.

Film review conducted by anthropologist Pauline Kolenda discuss Yorke's film along with Jareena: Portrait of a Hijda. Both films display the eunuch or hijra community in South Asia. Eunuchs: India's Third Gender along with Jareena: Portrait of a Hijda broadened discussion on sexuality and gender.

Release
The film debut was in 1991 and televised on the BBC Network. The film was also released to DVD and can be found on various University resource engines.

Reception
Eunuchs: India's Third Gender was Michael Yorke's biggest success. Although, not much is said of whether audiences liked or disliked the film that doesn't mean it didn't reach the masses. Yorke explains that their is a balance between being an anthropologist and filmmaker. Yorke's primary goal in his ethnographies is to showcase indigenous perspective in hopes to make indigenous people proud of their heritage and culture.