MYTHS AS PREDICTORS OF ATTITUDES TOWARD HIJRAS: A COMPARATIVE STUDY OF ACADEMICIANS AND STUDENTS IN PAKISTAN
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.63878/jalt1976Keywords:
myths, attitudes, hijras, transgender, academicians, students, Pakistan, social inclusion.Abstract
In Pakistan the hijra population is subjected to serious social marginalization but little studies have been done to determine how cultural myths influence attitudes toward this group of people especially the educated sections of the population. The study was a cross-sectional, correlational study that examined the relationship between myths beliefs and attitudes toward hijras among academicians and students at Lahore and Sheikhupura, Pakistan. The sample size of 350 people (200 students, 150 academicians; 55.4% women) was used to conduct the Myths toward Hijras Scale (Jami and Kamal, 2017) and the Attitude toward Hijras Scale (Jami, 2012). It was established through multiple linear regression that myths had a strong correlation with attitudes towards hijras in students (t=.36, p =.001), which explained 28% of the variation. Independent samples t-tests showed that the differences between students and academicians in both myths (t = 4.96, p < .001) and attitudes (t = 3.11, p < .001) were significant with more negative myths and less positive attitudes supported by students. Gender differences were observed as male students expressed more positive attitudes as compared to female students (t = 4.12, p <.001). These results emphasize the essential influence of the cultural myths on the development of the attitude to the discriminated gender groups and indicate the necessity of specific educational interventions to eliminate the prejudices and encourage social integration.
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