Long before contemporary labels existed, various cultures recognized and often revered people who lived outside the binary of "man" or "woman."
: For over 2,000 years, the Hijra have been recognized in Hindu society as a "third gender," often believed to possess the power to bless others.
: In a time when strict gender dress codes were legally enforced, many individuals "cross-dressed" to gain economic freedom or serve in the military, with some living their entire adult lives in a gender different from the one assigned at birth. The Fight for Liberation