The Third Sex (PRIME ONLY)
Around the world, customs differ, but almost every society shares one thing the concept of gender. Many believe that there are only two: man and woman. But in India, transgender men who cut off their genitals live as women and form a third gender. In Indonesia, hermaphrodite priests lead a society that recognizes five genders. And in rural Albania, women swap one gender for another to gain equality. Sometimes even the most conservative cultures must make room for those who challenge convention. But for many, embracing additional genders is still taboo.
Bizarre Bodies , What a Waist! , This subculture of corset-wearers takes tying the knot to a new level.
![Bloodsports , Bullfighting , A father teaches his son the traditional sport of bullfighting.]()
Bloodsports , Bullfighting , A father teaches his son the traditional sport of bullfighting.
Body Extremes , The Kidney Trade , The government of the Philippines briefly made the sale of human organs legal and raised many ethical questions.
Drugs , Hallucinations and Stinging Ants , To become a shaman, this man must undergo many rites including inhaling hallucinogens and the painful sting of ants.
Extreme Eats , What You Need to Know About Hot Pot , A top-dollar restaurant in China serves a traditional dish known as "hot pot" believed to imbue the eater with sexual virility.
![Extreme Healing , Spiritual Healing , A woman undergoes spiritual healing with a religious leader.]()
Extreme Healing , Spiritual Healing , A woman undergoes spiritual healing with a religious leader.
![Extreme Kids , Extreme Kids , In New Delhi, people take part in the Muhurram festival where men and boys whip themselves into a frenzy.]()
Extreme Kids , Extreme Kids , In New Delhi, people take part in the Muhurram festival where men and boys whip themselves into a frenzy.
Extreme Rituals , Tattoo by Thorn , To become a woman, a girl's face is tattooed with a mixture of blood and ash.
Gross Work , Gross Work , Pigeon droppings are used to tan animal skins.
Initiation , Initiation , To become a woman, a girl gets a facial tattoo.
Initiation Rituals , Initiation Rituals , A man is suspended with hooks in the skin.
Jobs , Sulphur Miners , Extracting sulphur all day is a brutal occupation.
Mating , Blood Buzz , A vampire gets a buzz out of sucking blood.
Nudity (PRIME ONLY) , Catholic Nudists , Catholics in a Vermont town worship in the nude.
Outcasts , Outcasts , Could you live your life apart as an outcast?
Outsiders , One Man's Trash... , For Freegans, a society built on consumption and waste offers an entire life of commodities free for the taking -- so dig in!
Proving Ground , Proving Ground , Men risk peril for fame in a spear-throwing contest.
Rites of Manhood , Manhood Rites , Some cultures' coming of age include trials.
Sex (10PM OR LATER) , Walking Marriage , The unusual relationship practices in this village have led outsiders to exploit the reputation for free sex.
Sexual Identity (PRIME ONLY) , Sexual Identity , Fa'Afafines' sex is male, but gender is female.
Signs of Identity , Cow Jumping , Tribal boys must jump and run across cows' backs.
Skin Deep , Crocodile Cuts , Boys' skin is cut to resemble crocodile skin.
Spilling Blood , Whale Slaughter , A deeply held tradition involves the mass killing of nearly a thousand pilot whales to feed the inhabitants of this island.
Supreme Devotion , Temple of Rats , In India, a temple holds rats as sacred creatures.
Taboo: Marked for Life , Neck Rings , These Thai women believe that stretching their necks with neck rings will make them more beautiful.
The Third Sex (PRIME ONLY) , Engendering Peace , Through many options for gender expression, this Indonesian community finds balance and peace.
Touching Death , Inside Medical Examiner's Office , To find out how people died, medical examiners examine bodies.
Trial by Fire , Brothers Versus Bulls , Young men's rite of passage requires wrangling bulls selected for their aggressive nature.
Trials of Faith , Spiritual Impaling , Thai worshippers put themselves through pain.
Bizarre Bodies,Quille De Sade is a chef who has had a fascination with tattoos and piercing since he was 17-years-old. Quille has chosen to be the first person in the world to have the white of one of his eyeball tattooed black.
Body Extremes,Children standing along the shore near a shack of the shores of Baseco Island slums.
Body Modification,Manang with Muko, both wearing neck rings, sit on a table.
Body Perfect,A man has his teeth chiseled in a ceremony to make him a man in the local village.
Child Rearing,In China, many children are raised in gymnastics training as the Olympics are a great source of pride throughout China.
Drugs,Sadhu applying body paint.
Extreme Childhood,Kajol and other eunuchs celebrate during the fashion show.
Extreme Eats,Close-up curled up penis meat on plate with chopsticks.
Extreme Healing,Woman lies flat on the ground surrounded by candles, fruit and alcohol with amulet on her chest and a leaf across her face and covered in white powder.
Extreme Kids,Three young girls leaning against a concrete wall.
Extreme Living,Extreme living can take many forms; this woman lives a nudist lifestyle.
Extreme Performers,Miss USA backstage at the Miss International Queen Beauty Pageant.
Extreme Rituals,At Peggy Rose's initiation ceremony, Korafe men in colorful dress attended the ceremony.
Gross Food,Whole fugu sitting on chopping block before being prepared by the chef.
Initiation Rituals,Row of hooks being threaded through the skin of a woman's back with rope.
Jobs,Worker bending over into billowing smoke in East Java, Indonesia.
Marriage,Children await their marriage ceremony in India, part of an arranged marriage by their parents.
Mating,Close up of a girl with vampire fangs.
Nudity (PRIME ONLY),In Sydney, Australia, Brad, Rachel, and Kael stand around a table laden with Wicca implements.
Outsiders,A man, young girl, and woman sit around a fire. The man holds a dead rat on a skewer into the flames.
Pets,Tiny spider monkey being fed with an eye dropper.
Proving Ground,Two young girls in colorful dress, with face paint and 'Joo-ro' tattoos.
Sex (10PM OR LATER),Katuduma Aya, 78 year old, is the matriarch of her extended family and she delegates jobs and handles the family finances.
Sexual Identity (PRIME ONLY),Toom at the markets with stalls in background.
Signs of Identity,In Tokyo, Japan, five men display their Yakuza body tattoos.
Skin Deep,Boys from the Yamok Village in Papua New Guinea stand in a row showing fresh scars on their back.
Spilling Blood,Dakshin Kali Temple's chief priest Prakash Karmacharya (center with white shirt) is bring offerings of "prasad" - offerings of rice, coconut, fruit, and flowers to the temple.
Supreme Devotion,Thaipusam participant with orange turban covered in hook Kavadis pirecing skin carrying apples and limes.
Tattoo,A man has colorful tattoos on his arm.
The Third Sex (PRIME ONLY),Three Bissu sit together in a blue walled room. They wear brightly coloured clothing and headdresses.
Touching Death,Two men pull coffin from open tomb.
Trial by Fire,Male space cowboy performing on stage.
Trials of Faith,Three men pray, light candles, and burn incense during a ceremony in Phuket, Thailand.
Taboo Interactive Launcher
How Taboo Are You?
Would you rather get a full-body tattoo or eat a spider? Journey beyond your comfort zone to see how taboo you really are.
Play the Game »
WARNING: The "How Taboo Are You?" game contains graphic and intense images that some may find shocking.
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