So in Sikhism, God is considered to be without form or gender and can't be described.
Genderless - Waheguru is neither male nor female. Self-revealing and necessary (does not need a creator) - Waheguru is Sargun, which means having shape or form, being immanent or within the world, and therefore able to have a personal relationship with creation.
Guru Nanak insisted that women deserve the same treatment as men. The holy scriptures of Sikhism state that women are entitled to the same rights and privileges as men, and women are allowed to lead congregations, as well as serve as spiritual leaders in the Sikh faith.
Sikhs are thus not allowed to eat any food prepared through a ritualistic process. Sikhs are not meant to eat Kosher (Jewish food prepared by a special ritual/process), or Halaal (Muslim meat prepared with a special ritual). Sikhs are also not supposed to drink alcohol or consume any other intoxicants.
Joura, this rule means that Sikh believers, women included, should refrain from “chopping, trimming, shaving, waxing or even tweezing their hair.” While there are no penalties as such, doing otherwise is “considered disrespectful to the religion,” says Mr.
Eating the meat of an animal slaughtered the Muslim or Jewish way (Kutha meat). This is the absolute minimum required by all initiated Sikhs.
Sikhs are obligated to treat women as equals, and gender discrimination in Sikh society has no religious basis. However, gender equality has been difficult to achieve in practice due to heavy social, cultural, and caste-related pressure.
In Sikhism, Waheguru is genderless, and the soul is also genderless.
Theoretically, as a religion, Sikhism has always advocated gender equality between men and women in all aspects of their economic and social life. Guru Nanak and Sikh Gurus actively encouraged women's participation as equals in worship, society and the battleground (Singh, 2022).
In Hinduism, god is conceptualized in different ways with respect to gender. For many, their focus is upon an impersonal Absolute (Brahman) which is genderless. Some Hindu traditions see god as being androgynous, having both female and male aspects.
Sikh given names are gender neutral, generally formed of a prefix and a suffix (ex. Har/jeet/).
Ardhanarishvara, (Sanskrit: “Lord Who Is Half Woman”) composite male-female figure of the Hindu god Shiva together with his consort Parvati. As seen in many Indian and Southeast Asian sculptures, the right (male) half of the figure is adorned with the traditional ornaments of Shiva.
Just as all men use the Sikh name Singh, all Sikh women are named Kaur. Simply put, it means Prince (not Princess), but there are other translations as well. Some understand it to mean “Lioness,” stressing equality with male Lions/Singhs.
Marrying people of other faiths is acceptable, they say, but conducting that marriage in a Sikh temple is not. Non-Sikhs can only be involved if they accept the Sikh faith and change their name to include Singh or Kaur, the council insists.
Some Sikh women also wear turbans (photo c); however, many wear a cloth called a chunni to cover their head (photo d). Produced by the Department of Homeland Security, Office for Civil Rights and Civil Liberties in conjunction with the Department of Justice, Civil Rights Division, 2005.
Since people of many faiths with varying dietary taboos, and since Sikhs accept these restrictions and accommodate people regardless of their faith or culture, the Sikh Gurus adopt vegetarian food for Langar. Meat was included in langar at the time of Guru Angad, but was discontinued to accommodate Vashnavites.
Since 1699, about two centuries after the founding of the religion, Sikh leaders have prohibited their members from cutting their hair, saying long hair is a symbol of Sikh pride. The turban was conceived to manage the long hair and intended to make Sikhs easily identifiable in a crowd.
This includes regular maintenance of hair which includes but is not limited to combing at least twice daily, washing regularly and not allowing for public touching.
In Sikhism, there is no place for polygamy and polyandry. Sikh Gurus advocated the institution of monogamous marriage. Marriage in Sikhism is not a social contract. It is blissful and sacred union of two human beings.
As such, it was mandated that all Sikhs initiated into the faith cover our heads with a turban, thereby signifying the equal status among the faith's followers. Because it's considered respectful for Sikhs to keep our heads covered when in public and in our religious spaces, the turban provides that function as well.
Traditional Sikh dress is an ordinary kurtah and cotton trousers, covered by a long hanging coat (choghah). The male Sikh is recognized especially by his practice of wearing his hair and beard uncut, the former being covered by a particularly large turban and the latter often restrained by a net.
Sikhs who are not vegetarian may choose to abstain from eating pork or beef. However, all Sikhs are prohibited from eating any meat that has been ritually slaughtered including halal or kosher meats4.
“Religious symbols and Gurbani verses ought to be respected, not flaunted in such disrespectful manner. We appeal to the masses to refrain from engraving the Sikh religious symbols on their body,” said SGPC chief Harjinder Singh Dhami.
Generally Sikhs do not eat beef because Sikhism originated in Punjab and most Sikhs came from agrarian background so they valued cows and buffaloes. Most Sikh converts came from Hindu families so they had no tradition of eating beef. Cow slaughter was banned in Sikh empire of Maharaja Ranjit Singh.
You can show your hair as a Sikh
"In the Sikh tradition there is no prohibition of showing your hair. It's not that hair cannot be seen. It's an identity, as opposed to having to cover your hair."