Between Two Worlds: Gender Non-Conforming Deities

March 27, 2019 by Brianne Raven Wolf

"As a transwoman, I have often wondered if there were others like me in Ancient Mythology. Were there ancient deities who were trans, non-binary, or gender non-conforming? Turns out there were. Ancient Greece had a prominent culture of gender fluidity, as did many other ancient societies.

"#Aphroditus was sometimes referred to as the male form of Aphrodite. Statues of him showed him with a female figure, breasts, narrow waist, long hair, women’s clothing, but also with a penis and testes. He is said to have originated on the island of Cyprus, and arrived in Athens in the 4th century BCE. He was sometimes celebrated there in #transvestite rites. It is said the festivals allowed 'women to act the part of men, and men to put on woman’s clothing and play the part of women' (from Wikipedia). He was definitely gender #NonConforming.

"Hermaphroditus was the son of Hermes, messenger of the gods, and Aphrodite, Goddess of love. His name is a combination of both of his parents. From Wikipedia: 'According to Ovid, he was born a remarkably handsome boy with whom the water nymph Salmacis fell in love with and prayed to be united forever. The gods granted the request, so that he and the nymph became united in such a manner that the two could not be called a man or a woman, but were both' (Metamorphoses IV, pp. 274-388 , 8 AD). Hermaphroditus is the god of hermaphrodites and effeminates. I believe in today’s society, Hermaphroditus would be a modern day pre-operative transwoman.

"#Loki, a Norse god, also called the trickster god, would many times disguise himself as a woman. Some myths said that Loki was bisexual. Loki was an accomplished shape-shifter and according to legend has also appeared as a salmon, a mare, a fly, and of course a woman.

"Ovid’s Metamorphoses (Met. 9, pp. 666-797) mentions #Iphis and #Ianthe. Iphis was born a girl, but her mother passed her off as a boy so that she wouldn’t be killed. The name was fitting for a boy and a girl, so that wasn’t too much of a problem. According to the myth, Iphis as a 15 year old boy, fell in love with another girl, Ianthe. Iphis’s mother appealed to the Goddess Isis for help. Isis transformed Iphis into a male before Iphis and Ianthe got married. I believe this may have been the first sex change. At least they ended up happily ever after according to the myth.

"#Ikapati was a #GreatMother Goddess of the Tagalog society in the #Philippines. She was a protector of crops, animals that were domesticated and, according to myth, gave mankind agriculture. It was said that she appeared many times dressed in male clothes. This would have made sense as she was frequently seen in the fields. In many indigenous cultures, including in the Americas, it was accepted that more than two genders were socially and spiritually accepted. These gender non-conforming individuals were seen as people who were very spiritual, and many became leaders and healers in their societies. In Native American culture, many who were called #TwoSpirit became shamans.

"#Ometeotl was an Aztec God of duality. He was considered both male and female, using the names Ometecuhtli and Omecihuatl. He had an equivalent god in Mayan mythology, #Itzamna, who identified with #HunabKu, an invisible god. Both gods could be considered self-created gods according to myth. Ometeotl was to the Aztecs the idea that their Universe consisted of dark and light, night and day, order and war, and things like that.

"I’m of the opinion that if more people would understand that there are more than binary people in this world, it would be a better and safer place for all. I think the ancients got it right in their beliefs. People were just human beings, and not judged only on their biological sex. A good book to consider reading is this excellent book by Gerald N. Callahan, PhD., Between XX and XY: Intersexuality and the Myth of Two Sexes. From the book: 'On October 10, 1970, the day she was born, she was named Dorothy Maree Alaniz–a baby girl. Curiously, though, no one filled out a birth certificate that day. When the certificate was finally filed on November 5, the name on it was Rudolph Andrew Alaniz. Within less than one month after her birth, this girl became a boy.' The book is available from Amazon and other book sources."

https://www.patheos.com/blogs/agora/2019/03/between-two-worlds-gender-non-conforming-deities/
#WorldHistory #Histodon #WeExist #Fascism #GenderFascists #GenderFluid #TwoSpirit #NonBinary #TransRightsAreHumanRights #TransPeople #AncientHistory #TransAndNonBinaryRightsAreHumanRights

LGBTQ+ in the Ancient World

by Joshua J. Mark
published on 25 June 2021

"What is today referred to as '#NonBinary' gender was recognized over three thousand years ago as a #ThirdGender created by the #DivineWill."

Read more:
https://www.worldhistory.org/article/1790/lgbtq-in-the-ancient-world/
#WorldHistory #Histodon #WeExist #Fascism #GenderFascists #GenderFluid #TwoSpirit #NonBinary #TransRightsAreHumanRights #TransPeople

Trans and Gender-Nonconforming Histories

There are rich histories of people crossing gender throughout English history that resonate for trans and #genderqueer identities today. Gender-crossing people appear in court records, popular broadsheet ballads and newspapers. In most cases they were tried and punished for crimes such as theft and fraud, rather than for cross-dressing. Men arrested for passing as women were often assumed to be prostitutes."

Read more:
https://historicengland.org.uk/research/inclusive-heritage/lgbtq-heritage-project/trans-and-gender-nonconforming-histories/
#WeExist #Fascism #GenderFascists #GenderFluid #TwoSpirit #NonBinary #TransRightsAreHumanRights #TransPeople

"Non-binary people in history have always been around. They are people who identify as neither male nor female. In this article, we explore the various cases of historical figures who may have been non-binary.

"They may have been somewhere in the middle of the gender spectrum, have had a fluid identity, or not have had a gender at all. In fact, non-binary doesn’t describe a single gender identity. The term describes a vast range of identities that don’t fit into a binary gender structure of male or female."

https://www.gendergp.com/non-binary-people-in-history/
#WeExist #Fascism #GenderFascists #GenderFluid #TwoSpirit #NonBinary

[Thread] Just because #TrumptyDumpty says we don't exist doesn't mean we don't exist!

A Brief History of #Nonbinary Gender: From Ancient Times to the Early Modern Period

By Ahmed Kamran
July 8, 2021

"Despite some claiming the contrary, the concepts of a tertiary gender identity or an identity outside of the gender binary is not new. While it is certain that people on average have become much more aware of the existence of these identities, they have been recorded for millennia. In fact, they are mentioned in some of the earliest written records of human civilization. To understand gender as we know it today, it is important to see how it was viewed yesterday and beyond, as it shows that a variance in identities is a part of humanity.

"Mesopotamian myths, which contain religious beliefs of the earliest human civilization, featured many references to individuals that were neither male nor female or were not what we would know today to be cisgender. One of the most powerful deities was known as Inanna (and later on as Ishtar) and had a particularly strong relationship with gender. Inanna was the goddess of sex, war, and justice as well as the queen of heaven. It was believed that she had the power to change a person’s gender, something noted by a follower as early as the 23rd century BCE. Thus, individuals with nonbinary identities were often involved in religious practices surrounding her, with 'her cult members and priests were known for their androgyny and blurring or destroying the gender binary' (Academus).

"One such group referred to its members as pilipili, or individuals who played roles in celebratory festivals honoring Inanna. The pilipili were originally raised in society as women (ki-sikil) but were then blessed by Inanna, who handed them a spear 'as if she were a man' and renamed them (Academus). It is debated whether the handing of a spear is literal, with the pilipili becoming warriors and as a result defying traditional binary roles or if the spear refers to a physical transformation of the individual.

"Another segment of Inanna’s followers was the gala or her priests. Priests were recorded to have been cisgender women, married or unwed, or women with children, but there were gala that were biologically male as well. In these cases, these individuals adopted women’s names and became women 'for all intents and purposes' (Academus). They even sang in a Sumerian dialect known as eme-sal, a pattern of speech solely reserved for women to deliver the words of goddesses.

"Other relics have been found showing the existence of individuals who were outside the gender binary, suggesting that it is possible that ancient Sumer recognized these identities in ordinary society and not in just religious spheres. Of course, this is speculative because the Sumerian language did not use gendered pronouns, but it is a common interpretation of these ancient texts and remaining art.

"Another gender variant recorded all of the way back to before the common era (BCE) was that of hijras in the Indian subcontinent. These individuals were noted in the Kama Sutra and other ancient Hindu texts, and the term included eunuchs, #intersex people, and transgender people. Despite attempts to wipe out this identity by the British following their passing of the Criminal Tribes Act in India in 1871, #hijras are still present today and are legally recognized as a part of a third gender category by the state. Sadly, the efforts of the British during #colonization have had an impact on society’s view of hijras, being the beginning 'of a mainstream discomfort… [with] transgender people and hijras' (New York Times).

"Around the same time of the Kama Sutra, approximately 385-380 BCE, Aristophanes detailed a creation myth revolving three sexes or genders. Males were believed to be 'born of the sun', while females were 'born of the earth' (Diogenes). A tertiary category, androgynos (now translated to androgynous), was believed to have been born from the moon and androgynos individuals had combined male and female traits. Aristophanes claimed that androgynos no longer existed. Today, it is often suggested that Aristophanes was solely referring to intersex individuals, explaining the different physical and biological traits of males and females existing in one person, but it is interesting to speculate on the potential for the features to represent the individual’s understanding of the gender expression as well.

"Finally, it is necessary to highlight the history of the #TwoSpirit identity in different Native cultures. More than 150 Native American tribes recognized third genders in their communities prior to colonization, with many of these identities having unique names and cultural significance. Most tribes considered two-spirit individuals a third gender, being neither men nor women, and the same terminology was used in reference to them. Other tribes, however, had a distinct word for two-spirit females, making them a fourth gender variant. What is apparent, however, is that the concept of gender had much more fluidity in Native American society than its European counterpart.

"Two-spirit people in some tribes held special roles in their communities, sometimes as healers or religious leaders. Unfortunately, many traditions in Native communities have been lost due to colonization, and 'two-spirit roles, in particular, were singled out for condemnation, interference, and many times violence' (U.S. Department of Health and Human Services). Much of what is known has survived by being passed down orally through generations.

"All of these examples scratch the surface of what is known in regard to gender expression prior to the early modern period. It is difficult to truly measure the scale because the further back one goes, the harder it is to find a wide array of text and relics from the period. What can be said for certain, however, is that individuals who identified outside of the gender binary have been a part of civilization since its infancy and have played valuable roles in a wide array of societies. This knowledge should help bring understanding that overall, human gender is quite fluid, and being aware and accepting this is part of long-practiced human traditions."

https://clouddancers.org/a-brief-history-of-nonbinary-gender-from-ancient-times-to-the-early-modern-period/
#GenderFluid #GenderFascists #USPol #Colonialism #Fascism #Androgyny #WeExist

My very first digital #zine after making black & white//cut & paste xerox style all my life. I made it for kids and I think these stories deserve to be in full color 🌈

I say I made it for them, but I learned so, so much and had so many realizations while making this zine. A small, bright act of resistance.

#QueerYouth #LGBTQyouth #GenderIdentity #Florida #LGBTQ #nonbinary #transgender #colonization #TwoSpirit #ShotgunSeamstress #ZinesByOsa

https://heyzine.com/flip-book/339e5fe862.html

🏳️‍🌈 If You’re LGBTQ+ Like Me, Read This! 🌈

As a gender-fluid person, I recently created an Instagram account to explore how the algorithm works. I wanted to see what kind of content it would show me if I actively engaged with LGBTQ+ creators and hashtags.

Over the past few weeks, I intentionally liked and followed LGBTQ+ posts to get into that part of the algorithm. What I saw was deeply upsetting, but let me be clear: this was my experience, and yours might be different.

If you’re curious about what’s out there, here’s what I did:

1. Open Instagram.
2. Search for any post about transgender issues or LGBTQ+ topics.
3. Scroll through the comments.

For me, the comments were filled with hateful, harmful, and cruel rhetoric directed at people like us. It was heartbreaking to see so much ignorance and bigotry. 🤮

That said, your experience might not be the same, you may see supportive and uplifting content instead. But for me, it was a stark reminder of how much hate now exists on Instagram.

If you’ve had enough of Instagram after seeing this (trust me, I get it), here’s how you can delete your account:

1. Open the Instagram app and go to your profile.
2. Tap the three horizontal lines (menu) in the top-right corner.
3. Select Accounts Center > Personal Details.
4. Tap Account Ownership and Control > Deactivation or Deletion.
5. Choose the account you want to delete and select Delete Account.
6. Follow the steps, confirm with your password, and tap Continue.

Instagram gives you 30 days to change your mind before it permanently deletes your account.

#Disgusting #Harmful #LGBTQ #LGBTQIA #LGBT #Pride #LoveIsLove #Equality #Queer #Gay #Lesbian #Bisexual #Transgender #Asexual #Pansexual #NonBinary #TwoSpirit #GenderFluidity #GenderFluid #Intersex #Progress #Community #ChosenFamily #LoveWins #CelebratePride #LGBTQRights #QueerVisibility #OutAndProud #Acceptance

[Thread] From Chapter 8 of #KleeBenally's book, #NoSpiritualSurrender - #IndgenousAnarchy, #InDefenseOfTheSacred:

The AIM Song of Anguish

"Though my family was skeptical of, and kept AIM at a distance, I grew up singing the AIM song. I've sung it at actions throughout the world, my grandma Roberta would always want to sing it, her barely audible voice at the drum belying her fierce power, I've sung it with both #RussellMeans (confronting the racist #ColumbusDay parade in Denver) and with #DennisBanks (too many times to recall) and faceless and nameless warriors on many frontlines. Though its provenance is not known, the story I recall that it was spiritual gift to rally AIM warrior during the liberation of #WoundedKnee.

"In analyzing #IndigenousPower and #DirectAction, it's vital to examine the context of strategies, tactics, and State repression that comprises the ongoing legality of #IndigenousResistance, particularly with the historically vital force of the American Indian Movement (AIM).

"Though there are many examples, #LeonardPeltier's false imprisonment for the alleged murder of two #FBI agents in 1975 and the clouded assassination of #AnnaMaePictouAquash are important markers.

"Anna Mae Pictou-Aquash, a strong #Mikmaq warrior with AIM, was found murderd in 1974 in Wanblee on the #PineRidge reservation in 'South Dakota'. Pictou-Aquash is also a symbol of the Missing and Murdered Indigenous Women [#MMIW], Girls, Trans, and #TwoSpirit movement today.

"Accusations of her murder first pointed to the FBI and later, as AIM members revealed how paranoia of infiltrators had gripped the leadership intensely, rumors surfaced that AIM had her killed. This was a time when bad-jacking (making someone look like a snitch or informant even though they aren't) tactics by feds as part of #COINTELPRO was proving to be an effective tactic against revelutionary groups."

Pages 179-180, #KleeBenally, #NoSpiritualSurrender

#IndigenousAnarchy
#Ecosystem
#DefendTheSacred
#CorporateColonialism #FreeLeonardPeltier #AnnaMaePictouAquash #AnnaMaeAquash #ACAB

Native Warrior Women

Indian women have always been written out of history, but their bravery is being rediscovered in archives and Native oral traditions.

May 11, 2023

“#Cheyenne warrior #BuffaloCalfRoadWoman had fought a number of battles in leadership roles. At the Battle of the #LittleBigHorn, it is told she charged #Custer, grabbed his saber and stabbed him, knocking him off his horse, killing him. Afterward, Cheyenne and #Arapaho women stabbed their awls in Custer’s ears, chanting ‘you will listen to our people in the next world.’ They were avenged.'

"She wasn’t the only female warrior at the Little Big Horn. The Arapaho Chief, #PrettyNose, fought there, too. She lived to be 101 years old and her grandson served in the Korean War as a U.S. Marine and later an Arapaho chief, just like his grandmother.

"Lozen (c. 1840-June 17, 1889) was a female warrior and prophet of the Chihenne Chiricahua #Apache who fought beside #Geronimo. She was the sister of Victorio, a prominent chief. Born into the #Chihenne band during the 1840s, Lozen was, according to legends, able to use her powers in battle to learn the movements of the enemy. The Apache tribesman, scholar and author, James Kaywaykla, was a child during the fighting days of Geronimo, Lozen and Victorio. Kaywaykla wrote, as a child:

"'I saw a magnificent woman on a beautiful horse—Lozen, sister of Victorio. Lozen the woman warrior! High above her head she held her rifle. 'She could ride, shoot, and fight like a man, and I think she had more ability in planning military strategy than did Victorio.'

"He added that Chief Victorio honored his sister as a great warrior: "Lozen is my right hand ... strong as a man, braver than most, and cunning in strategy. Lozen is a shield to her people."

Lozen fought beside Geronimo after his breakout from the San Carlos reservation in 1885, in the last campaign of the Apache wars. The band was pursued relentlessly by both the U.S. and Mexican cavalries. According to Alexander B. Adams in his book Geronimo, Lozen would try to ascertain where the enemy was by standing 'with her arms outstretched, chant a prayer to Ussen, the Apaches' supreme deity, and slowly turn around.' The band often relied on her strategic prowess.

"In 1885, Geronimo and about 140 of his followers, including Lozen, fled the reservation when they heard rumors that they were to be imprisoned on Alcatraz Island. Lozen and another female warrior, Dahteste, were designated to try to negotiate a peace treaty. Ultimately, after Geronimo's final surrender, Lozen traveled as a prisoner of war to the barracks in Mount Vernon, Alabama. There, along with many of her fellow warriors, Lozen died in confinement of tuberculosis in 1889.

"#Dahteste was a #Mescalero Apache warrior who rode with Lozen. Dahteste was fluent in English and often acted as a translator for the Apache people and was designated to lead in treaty negotiations with the American and Mexican armies. When Geronimo surrendered, she was arrested alongside Geronimo and Lozen, but was shipped to St. Augustine, Florida, rather than the barracks in Alabama. Nevertheless, like other prisoners in Florida, she contracted tuberculosis and pneumonia, but managed to survive both. Some scholars believe that #Lozen and Dahteste were #TwoSpirits and lovers."

https://www.notesfromthefrontier.com/post/native-warrior-women

#NativeAmericans #WarriorWomen #TwoSpirit

In other news, I've managed to confirm my connection to the White Crane Clan of the #Ojibwe / #Anishinaabe both genealogically and through DNA, and I might also be connected with the Bear Clan. I'll be sending my genealogical materials to #Métis of #Maine soon. I hope to become a member before 2025 #PowWow season begins.

#MétisOfMaine #MétisPowow #TwoSpirit

Custom #Pride dangles with clip-on hoop findings

#Trans #Lesbian #LGBTQ #Queer #TwoSpirit #Earrings #Beadwork #IndigenousArt #Indigenous #Native #Mvskoke

#Pride minis!

Non-Binary Pride Arrow (Minis) Fringe Earrings--
https://cvkvlv.com/products/non-binary-pride-arrow-minis-brick-stitch-fringe-beaded-earrings

Lesbian Pride Arrow (Minis) Fringe Earrings--
https://cvkvlv.com/products/lesbian-pride-arrow-minis-brick-stitch-fringe-beaded-earrings

Rainbow Pride Arrow (Minis) Fringe Earrings--
https://cvkvlv.com/products/rainbow-pride-arrow-minis-brick-stitch-fringe-beaded-earrings

#LGBTQ #Gay #Lesbian #Trans #Nonbinary #TwoSpirit #2S #Rainbow