@ all my trans friends out there
SO BEFORE I START I NEED TO TELL YOU I’M WHITE AF SO IF YOU’RE FROM ONE OF THESE CULTURES PLEASE CORRECT ME IF I’M WRONG, THIS IS BASED OFF MY ANTHRO CLASS
I am taking cultural anthropology and I just read some really cool stuff about the berdache, which varies from culture to culture, but for a lot of them are actually treated very well and in some cases essential to Native American life. These do not include all Native American tribes, but include many scattered throughout the Northwest, Southwest, Prairie, Great Plains, the western Great Lakes, and I think the southern part of the East. I think the Navajo have a good example of this idea!
So, the basic thing goes like this: the spirit of a person is more inherent of a person’s gender than their genitalia, which, in our terms, would be more the character of a person. If, for example, a boy’s actions seem to be more feminine, their parents will begin to notice it and plan a ceremony. In some, the boy is given the option of picking between something traditionally considered masculine or feminine, and if he chooses something feminine, he enters the role of a berdache.
A berdache is separate from both female and male, but a sort of mix of both, a mediator between the two and in some cases life itself. Each thing has a polar opposite, but it also has something in between that can keep it together. Many peoples believe that a berdache is essential in order to keep things from falling too far apart.
Berdaches are even included in the Navajo origin myth: in the first world, there is man and woman, and in the second world, they meet twins that “change,” White Shell Girl and Turquoise Boy. Turquoise Boy remains with the people, carrying on traditionally feminine activities, while White Shell Girl becomes the moon.
I thought it would be really cool to share stuff I learned from class relating to LGBT for pride month! Happy pride and show off your colors friends!! Because in a lot of these cultures, you’re valid!!
(If someone can tell me the born female equivalents, please do!!)
EDIT: here’s the thing i read!! source