Despite cultural recognition, members of the third gender community are identified as marginalised groups with limited representation in various sectors including the Media. This paper reviews the existing literature to explore the representation in Indian Advertising, also highlighting the challenges and opportunities for greater inclusivity and characterisation. Advertising and the portrayal of Third Gender in a similar vein are often depicted in a sick and disgusting way, either as a comic relief or the object of pity. Such rendition often perpetuates negative stereotyping and sensationalism. Tokenistic representation of the Third Gender in advertising campaigns, without proper engagement with the community or recognition of their lived experiences, further exacerbate this issue. Notwithstanding these challenges, this paper focuses on few examples of positive and inclusive Third Gender representation in Indian advertising such as the Brooke Bond Red Label “6 pack bond” campaign and the fashion brand Aunok’s “Bold is Beautiful” campaign. These campaigns are notable for their efforts to challenge traditional gender norms, promote inclusivity and raise awareness about the Third Gender community. To address the issue of limited and stereotypical representation this paper suggests, advertising agencies and brands to work collaboratively with the Third Gender community to create more authentic and inclusive representation in advertising. Such efforts must also involve recognising and addressing the societal stigma and discrimination faced by the Third Gender community, and promoting gender understanding and acceptance of the community’s diverse expectations, experiences and identities. Meanwhile, this paper calls for more authentic and nuanced representations and contributes to raise awareness, understanding and acceptance of the third gender community.
