Gender Spectrums

Gender

The social and cultural components of being male and female.

Bem Androgeny Scale

Masculine Index Feminine Index

Male Median Score: 23 21

Female Median Score: 22 25

High Male, Low Female……………Masculine

High Female, Low Male……………Feminine

High Male, High Female…………...Androgenous

Low Male, Low Female ……………Undifferentiated

Gender-Crossing Behaviors and Traditions

• Cross-dressing rituals

• Female Warriors

• Same Sex Marriages

• Inter-gendered religious practitioners

• Entertainers

Alternative Gender Systems

Berdache Native AmericaIhamana ZuniAmazon Native America

Hijras India & Pakistan

Bissu, Calalai & Calabai Sulawesi (Indonesia)

Waria Java & Bali

Fa’afafine SamoaFakaleiti TongaRae Rae/Maju Tahiti

Waria from Java

This alternative gender role exists in Java, Indonesia. It is a native custom that is deeply ingrained in the culture, and Muslim scholars have found that it does not violate Islamic principles.

Sulawesi IndonesiaFive Genders

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K9VmLJ3niVo

Berdache North America

Among many North American tribes, male children who display feminine characteristics at an early age are raised as Berdache, a person with both male and female characteristics who has been sent as a go-between to mediate between males and females. Berdaches were typically apprenticed to a shaman or healer. They learned to perform the work of both men and women and dressed as women.

Berdache

Berdache also included females choosing to live as males. Sioux women could choose to become warriors and became female husbands to female wives. Among the Kaska, families always raised one of their daughters to become a hunter and warrior. Such a women had sexual relations with other women, and sexual contact with men caused bad luck.

Fa’afahine, Samoa

In the Pacific, when families have too many sons, sons may be raised as girls to insure enough hands to accomplish all the women’s tasks in the household. Traditionally, as adults these individuals would continue to perform female tasks but would marry a woman. Today, fa’afahine ae frequently gay and usually choose to live as women. Families today allow such sons to choose which gender role fits them personally. Fa’afahine are valuable members of society because they combine the skills of women with the strength of men.

Fa’afafina in SamoaVideo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GV_g6X2PEvs

Hijras Hijras are a tradition

in India and Pakistan. They play a very important role in society as they provide entertainment that is required at many ritual occasions. They are men who dress and act as females. They are either born as hermaphrodites, or choose to become hijra. Many who choose to become hijra undergo castration. This was required in the past in order to work as a guard for harems, and continues today as a powerful symbol of membership in the hijra community.

Hijra in India & PakistanVideos

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yDoVLDHSQYQ&feature=related

• http://www.encyclopedia.com/video/wBs4r-uf3bw-my-big-fat-punjabi-weddinghijras.aspx

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mC-k27Kvtrw&feature=relmfu

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uYxx7zeLwDk

• http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uzOK4tkGreg