How Ancient Mythologies Defy the Gender Binary | Fate & Fabled
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 26 ก.ย. 2024
- Creation, transformation, and the quest for self-knowledge - these are universal themes that appear across world mythology. But there’s another common thread within these tales: gender fluidity. It’s not only commonplace in many mythologies, but an essential aspect of some important mythical figures: from androgynous creators and fertility deities to warriors and prophets that defy the gender binary.
Hosted by Dr. Moiya McTier & Dr. Emily Zarka, FATE & FABLED explores the stories and characters of mythologies from all around the world - why they came to be and how they impact us still today.
Hosts: Emily Zarka, PhD & Moiya McTier, PhD
Writer: Iseult Gillespie
Director: David Schulte
Executive Producer: Amanda Fox
Producer: Thomas Fernandes
Editor / Animator: P.W. Shelton
Assistant Editor: Jordyn Buckland
Illustrator: Sophie Calhoun
Script Consultants: Curran Nault, PhD & PJ Raval
Script Editors: Emily Zarka, PhD & Moiya McTier, PhD
Fact Checker: Yvonne McGreevy
Additional Footage: Shutterstock
Music: APM Music
Executive in Charge (PBS): Maribel Lopez
Director of Programming (PBS): Gabrielle Ewing
Fate & Fabled is produced by Spotzen for PBS Digital Studios.
As a history teacher, I say again and again that there is nothing new under the sun. We are all human and experience the same issues. Just as soon as we learn the lessons and let people live and love who they want, we forget those lessons and have to learn them all over again. Love this series and light it sheds!! 😁
As a history teacher you should know that many things are new under the sun. In fact all things are at each new increment in the passage of time. Nothing is what it was nor will it be again...also known as history.
you two knows that there is no under side or top side of a sphere like the sun right
@@matthewabln6989 history doesn't repeat but it does rhyme. Not fully the same but not entirely new.
@@matthewabln6989 The fact you refer to societal change as cult activity just goes to show you really don’t have enough grasp on the topic to be debating it
@@LadyViscera I never said societal change was a cult. I said the newfangled gender ideology was. It suggests a man can be a woman or vice versa. To accept the absurd in the face of reality is cult-like behavior. For you to dismiss debating me on it says more of you than me. It appears you are the one grasping...
I was worried that I would look down to the comments section of this video and find it an ugly place, but it is so very heartening to see it is largely filled with positivity.
There is indeed nothing new under the Sun (deities), but the history we learn about is shaped by the narrative of the ones telling it. Decolonizing history is a long and difficult process, but important work to do. Thanks for helping tackle a piece of it.
yeah, that might be because they delete them most likely
I think its quite ironic to consider post-modern intepretations and understandings of gender as to be “decolonization” when understanding ancient myths. Seriously go ask all those many cultures that are claimed to have “third genders” about the actual meanings and implications, and you will discover it doesnt have much to do with the new gender movements, most other cultures view trans people as being unnatural. Ofcourse ancient people recognized that everybody has a mix of masculine and feminine traits, but trying to correlate it with gender is just a very weird and modern intepretation.
Oh nah its ugly, trust.
@@giovanni4470 or maybe it is because most cultures got influenced by "western" sensibilities that now modern descendent now have a less favourable view of trans/lgbt+ people, when their ancestors had neutral or even positive views of it.
@@emperium108 do you seriously believe that traditional cultures would be more welcoming towards lgbtq people than modern western culture. Very naive, most cultures dont even think of woman and even men as people deserving to make their own decisions. Dont take this wrong i absolutely adore more traditional cultures. I have travelled quite a lot, seen and met a lot of people who lived in their older ways almost untouched by the disgusting hands of the west. Maybe apart from some parts of South-east asia most of the people would deffinetly have believed something was wrong with transgenders. Most dont even know the concept because they simply dont exists there. Its truly a monument of privilege and acceptence to be able to exist as a lgbtq person in the west. To think we are the culture spreading hatred when the west is the reason behind Human rights including lgbtq rights is just self hatred.
As a kid who read a lot of mythology, finding stories like Sikhandi and Tiresias were really important to me. I was able to recognize my non-binary self in these stories, and that gave me a lot of hope that my identity was good & worthy of respect.
Kinda wished they'd mentioned the Ogdoad, primordial deities from Egypt that are basically the personifications of the various aspects of the universe (infinity, eternity, primordial darkness/nothingness, and creation.) They are represented as both male-female pairs and singular beings that alternate at will/transcend limited biologies.
@@idigamstudios7463 I also loved the story of Loki turning into a mare & giving birth to Sleipnir as well, but as a part Filipino it was great to hear about my other set of ancestors & their myths. Can't fit them all in, because like gender itself, the subject is limitless!
Sorry to break it to u bro, but Shikhandi story is not about non-binary. Yes she change her gender but it because she can't became a warriors if she was a girl, so it more like gender inequality story and in some version she actually trick the giant to became man.
I was unfortunately raised as a bigot and homophobe but I'm happy to say I've been queer since I turned 17
You're binary you can't escape this truth about your self ..and I'd like to note that what you're interested in is called MYTHOLOGY
I do not have the words to express how happy this video made me. I'm a nonbinary History undergrad, and mythology has been one of my main interests for as long as I can remember. This channel has been one of my favorites ever since the very first episode of Monstrum, but you guys managed to make me enjoy not only the channel itself, but mythology as a whole, even more. Thank you so, so much! 🥰
You are either a man or a woman. It's literally coded in your genes. I also enjoy mythology for the colorful stories and history, but it is a fabrication.
@@matthewabln6989 you managed to get several things wrong. Intersex, born with male and female attributes and there’s over 30 combinations of the X and Y chromosomes. Science shows gender is fluid.
@@mommyofkittens4809 False.
helo fellow Collector pfp haver
@@matthewabln6989 1, gender ≠ sex 2, intersex ppl exist
In the Philippines (also Austronesian like Hawaii and Samoa), the third gender (the bayok or asog - feminine men) usually became shamans (the baylan, a profession which is usually exclusively for women). This is true as well in shamans of pre-Abrahamic Indonesia and Malaysia. It was believed that it was innately easier for spirits of the "third gender" to leave their bodies and journey to the spirit "otherworld" because they possessed both the clashing masculine and feminine attributes. In the same way that women were usually the shamans because they had the innate ability to contain another spirit (as mothers), and thus it was easier for them to be mediums for other spirits. The asog were treated as women, differentiated only by their inability to bear children, which is the source of their namesake which literally means "impotent" or "infertile".
Of the spirits, nature spirits tied to places and natural phenomena or spirits representing abstract concepts (like mountains, fertility/agriculture, the moon, etc.) were also usually androgynous or genderless since they were inhuman. Lakapati being the most succinct example. They weren't even really worshiped (they weren't "gods" per se), since they were too inhuman to usually care about human affairs, though at times they were appeased or asked permission from.
An exception are the "free" spirits which had independent existence. Most similar to elves and fairies of European folklore, the "other" people who lived in the spirit world. "Those who are unlike us." They, on the other hand, had genders. Though presumably, like humans, they too had a "third gender".
Is there any books or dissertations that speak about what you're saying in depth?
@@mariaaaa1128 Try googling the keywords: asog, bayok (also bayoc, bayoquin), binabae, babaylan, anito, diwata, and bakla (or searching for it in journal indexes). The Spanish wrote quite a bit about feminized male "priests" (which they persecuted extensively). For Indonesia and Malaysia, search for bissu, warok, manang bali, bobohizan. The kathoey of Thailand might also be distantly connected (also a "third gender"), as are the miko priestesses of Japan (also female shamans).
The fa'afafine, fakaleiti, takatāpui, and māhū are directly related, being also Austronesian like Island Southeast Asia. Māhū in particular were also shamans and healers. An interesting tangential thing to note is that in (all?) Austronesian languages, the pronouns are gender-less (i.e. "he" and "she" are the same words).
P.S. for those wondering, masculine women, the opposite of feminine men, also existed since pre-colonial times. But AFAIK, they didn't play a prominent role in shamanism.
Aside from "asog" and "bayok" (both meaning "infertile [as opposed to women]"), feminine men in general were known as "binabae" or "binabayi" in most major Filipino languages (literally "like a woman", cf. Samoan "fa'afafine" which means the same thing). Masculine women, similarly, were known as "linalaki" or "lakinhon"/"lakin-on" ("like a man").
In modern times the terms have shifted. The binabae are now more commonly known as "bakla" (a term which originally meant "indecisive" and was originally derogatory), while the linalaki have acquired the English term "tomboy".
Note that these are _gender identities_ and do not quite fit the western definitions of the terms "gay", "trans", or "lesbian." They specifically denote an opposite gender expression to biological sex. It doesn't denote sexual orientation.
A bakla is properly a feminine man, usually gay but in rare cases, could also be heterosexual. A masculine gay man, would, in the strictest sense, not be considered "bakla".
Similarly for women, a linalaki was a masculine woman. Regardless if they were lesbian or not.
Transwomen and transmen would not fit those terms either. Since they would be properly men and women. In terms of pronouns, since as previously mentioned, native pronouns don't have gender, it doesn't really matter. But when speaking English, bakla generally prefer to still use he/him, and tomboy generally prefer to still use she/her.
The bakla and the tomboy are the "in-between", male women, female men. Hence the most common descriptor "third gender".
Though in recent times the lines have blurred due to western influence and the terms are now applied to gay men and women, regardless of masculinity or femininity.
The important cultural distinction here is that in western cultures (especially after the development of organized religions), the body tends to be the "template" which determines the gender identity society expects from you.
In animist societies (carried over in a limited manner into organized religions which believe in cyclic reincarnations), it is your spirit/soul that determines your gender identity. The body is temporary.
It's interesting to me that shamanistic cultures seem to be so comfortable with non-binary gender presentation. In old Korean shamanistic traditions, shamans often identified with both male and female spirits. I think there was an interview with the group Ssing Ssing, whose lead vocalist learned the shamanistic tradition, and they discuss how it's important to identify with both male and female to gain a more universal perspective.
Salamat po for your replies!! I went scrolling for some pre-colonial pinoy knowledge before I added some but you got it covered kapatid! Bakla pride!
Splendid video, learned a lot! I wish there were talk about Norse mythology too, maybe Loki's genderfluidity is common knowledge by now but Odin's remains obscure. Odin had a perpetual thirst for knowledge and that expressed itself in an interest to master as many skills as possible. One of these skills was magic, and in particular seiðr, a practice that was considered emasculating for men to concern themselves with. If Loki's words are to be believed in the Lokasenna, Odin also had a habit of taking the shape of a woman to tell fortunes.
If one approaches more contemporary tales, there's the lovely Romanian fairytale Ileana Simziana, also known under names such as The Princess Who Would be a Prince and The Girl Who Pretended to be a Boy. It follows the unnamed protagonist, assigned female at birth, taking on a male role to serve an emperor, save his daughter and complete a couple of quests. During one of these quests, stealing Holy Water guarded by nuns, the monk who takes care of the church that housed the water prays to God to curse the thief by changing their sex. The protagonist does not consider this change to be a curse at all and marries the emperor's daughter
@@taylorfusher2997 Why are you dragging mammoths into this? Can't a mythical dude just fight a dragon without mammoths being involved in some way? Also, why are you using mammoth and mastodon interchangably? They're different animals, not even from the same genus, and mammoths are more closely related to elephants than mastodons anyway. Plus, mastodons never lived Europe - they're native to the Americas, so I fail to see how they could be implicated in a Greek myth.
No, I’m happy they shifted focus a tiny bit from Europeans myths. That’s all everyone ever do
@@JP-br4mx I agree. I think Norse mythology is quite fascinating, but it is beyond well covered, and I think it’s nice to see these concepts from across the globe, not just the one spot. There’s tons of awesome content out there about the gender fluidity in Norse myth for people to explore (:
i just commented on Loki!
@@corndogbark5915Norse mythology is also rather misrepresented in pop culture. Loki is often depicted as evil, while in the mythology he isn't that different from the other gods. They were all petty, immoral, and selfish. Even Loki's punishment is not really seen as justice, thus him giving retribution during Ragnarok.
Which is quite interesting since Ragnarok is based on real life events. A volcano on Iceland erupted, covering large parts of Scandinavia in darkness for several years. Causing a long winter and death from starvation. Exactly like in the myth. In the end, the gods disappear and a new dawn breaks.
In the territory of Chile and Argentina lives the Mapuche. Their spiritual guide and one of the most important figures in their society and culture are the Machis, people with their own gender, with aspect of both female and male. All mapuche's cosmology is very interisting and you guy should make a video about if you can.
Woah, I always thought they were just female :O
That's amazing :D
Throwback to when Loki, god of mischief in nordic mythology, turned into a mare, to distract a jætte/giants stallion from doing it's job, and 9 months later came back with an 8 legged foal whom he gifted to Odin. I love that nordic mythologi also to some extent has had a god with nonbinary/genderfluid tendencies.
Ah yes, one of the three times Loki has been told to have given birth.
@@squeaknsqurriel7060 Wait, three? I don't think I've heard of that before, and now I'm curious; could you please explain this more or direct me to a source with further information? Thank you!
I rather not call Loki just a nonbinary/genderfluid god as the concept of these things were alien to the Norsemen, Loki is a shapeshifter. Loki's capability is much complex than just calling him nonbinary or a genderfluid god as he can turn into a woman and gave birth, and this not only the case in human form, but in other animals as well.
Lots of nordic myth figures changed genders, including Odin. Interestingly, as with Odin, they retain their original gender pronouns while in disguise. Yet Loki doesn't. He switches to she when in female form (whatever the species). I think it's great that these myths show profound but subtle understanding of gender just in pronoun use.
@@weirdreportt ngl I hate this because it's basically telling modern LGBTQ folks we're not allowed to see ourselves and the way we identify in mythological figures. it's basically telling us "your modern language is icky" tbh.
Thanks for taking some time to dispell this idea that non-binary people are some new invention! It was super interesting to see how ancient cultures interpreted gender socially and religiously! Happy pride :)
Invention is the key word, as in made up, as in 'it is not real'.
@@heb2024 Um..... it seems the key words are actually "reading comprehension."
That was a few pieces of the puzzle. Why it's considered such a controversial topic has often boggled my mind. Also acknowledging that it wasn't and still isn't western cultures that discriminate or have reshaped ancient ideas is another piece that I believe requires critique in the same respectful and factual way you presented the information in this video. The fluidity of the Masculine and Feminine within all of us; finding balance and living authentically is a wonderful goal for all of us. Whether the masculine leads us more or visa versa should not be seen as a sense of shame or blame but rather one piece of the puzzle that is the whole of us. We are more than just the sum of one aspect or idea of ourselves.
@@quickmythril2398 Seeming that my given name literally translates into a Question "Who is like God?" and for me the answer is very simple "No one is like God" I can agree with your first part. Neither am I Superman and can fly or the Flash and run at supersonic speeds. Humans have made stories of epic tales and incredible things since we developed an imagination. these stories have shaped our thoughts about ourselves and inspired us to do great or terrible things. Your other points are just as valid as a piece of the puzzle I mentioned. Where do we draw the line and accept what is and how can we move on? The fact we as a species have a Bigender reproductive system means we do not have a third gender to procreate. However, this has not stopped cultures in just accepting people who appeared to be a contradiction to what we can see. Those people also accepted themselves as is. Medical technology has come a long way but again, we can not fully transition like these stories, you are right so the question is how a person can accept the limitations and find their own wholeness. Thinking I can fly like Superman is one thing, going to the hospital with a very twisted ankle after jumping off a shed kind of tells me where that thought was wrong. Although there were stories in Greek mythology of transitioning and transformation, the gods were dominantly either Feminine or Masculine. Athena was associated with Handcraft, wisdom and Warfare but did she utilise these just as Hephaestus (Blacksmiths, Artisans, handcraft) or Ares the god of war? (the spirit of warfare) A ten minute plus video can be a bit more balanced but it can never go through the sheer amount of information and research that is required to put so many pieces of life together. The so called traits we place on Masculinity and Femininity are also as muddled. for example Stoicism is not a trait, it is a philosophy, a skill that both Genders can learn, the same as Leadership, assertiveness or competitiveness. However, like the Greek gods they can be displayed in a feminine or masculine approach, the challenge is understanding each one's limitations and strengths in a given situation. It was unethical to force a way of life on these other cultures, much the same as your point as forcing this on others today, I see it as a pendulum shift not a graduation change where all the pieces of the puzzle are placed in their right spot. As I said, one part of our wholeness should not be considered our complete identity and we all need to make peace with not only something that is special and unique but the limitations and even the shadow side of it in order to maintain balance in no one but ourselves.
@@quickmythril2398 When you disrespect people by refusing to use the name they've chosen and then claim that *they* are the ones pushing a narrative, your hypocrisy is blatant. Your "honesty" seems to be very concerned about what other people do with their own lives. As an "actual trans person" I can safely say that you are very comfortable with bigotry. And when you are willing to cite grade 8 biology from the 50's as your scientific source material, may I also suggest that the next time you need medical care, please ask for a healthcare professional whose totality of knowledge ends with grade 8 biology from 7 decades ago.
@@quickmythril2398 You use Page's old name again and demand respect. We *know* exactly the kind of person you are. I don't need to twist your words. You are utterly clear, believe me.
As someone who grew up Hindu, I never really knew about Hijra (hell, I don't even know how best to refer to them). Which f-ing sucks. Like, I knew they existed tangentially, but that was only from learning about it online. My parents never brought them up, I never heard any stories about them (like, that thing in the Ramayana? Yeah. I didn't know that existed before this video), and even though I was put in a religion class, they weren't mentioned at all. I did know there are such groups that are pretty shunned by society, but I never knew just how old/integral they were (I don't even know if these are the same groups as in history or if there's any continuity between them).
And about Shikhandi, I was always taught they were a woman. Like, in their previous life, they were a woman and in their next life they were born as a woman but later on their body was changed to that of a male. Despite that tho, everyone knew they were born a woman and that was used to help win a battle (it's complicated), which is a bit of a yikes. No one every really referred to them as non-binary and/or intersex, and any transgender implications were ignored or written off as divine intervention. Which also f-ing sucks.
Hinduism as a religion has always been inclusive of all gender identities and sexual orientations but the Islamic conquests and later British colonialism turned the outlook of the general population against them.
so true
even while reciting about Ramayan i haven't heard ANYONE not a SINGLE time that when ramas was returning back that the people who didn't identity as either female or male were waiting for him
pick and choose story telling
Hijras are known by many names, most refer to themselves as the third gender if they do not wish to be a part of binary. You might not know the name Hijra but may know them by some other name. The "other" category in forms started to exist in India solely or largely due to them.
Yes main media would rather not tell us all the folk tales but I would like to point out that it also depends upon interest and search done by oneself.
Imo, calling something happening as divine intervention is basically condoning it by acknowledging that it is indeed the will of God(s/esses).
Again, I would like to point that most tales differ region to region. However, some are universal (or so to say) like one form of Shivji.
It is upto us to give light to such stories that most people wish to ignore for it won't suit their vision of the larger tale.
Thanks for reading
''Kinnar'' is more Appropriate term for Them.
@@himanshukuanr7832 Kinnars are supernatural beings just like shalabhanjikas and apsaras (nymphs in European context)
My many many thanks to you for recognizing open minded Hindu ideas on gender fluidity and acceptance
This was really cool. There’s a number of African deities (beyond Egypt. I know I sound like a broken record), one could add to this discussion of gender-fluidity & “acceptance beyond the binary”. One of them that comes to mind is a major deity of the Orisha pantheon, named Obatala. “They” or “Obatala Obanla”, “Obatala female paths”, “a female ancestor of Obatala”. From YorubaLand to Brazil, the Caribbean & onward. This Orisha traditionally being a gender or sex fluid being. Obatala is traditionally credited with being the sculptor of human bodies, the ordained crafter of humanities’ design-plan. With that being said, the three major cisgender female Orishas being Yemoja (pronounced “Yemaya” across Latin America), Oshun & Oya are integral to human-creation & procreation. Them being beside a “male” Orisha who is so strongly associated with feminine creation power. Obviously there being some contradictory traditional myths & poems within the Itan, as is the case in a number of religions globally. Yemoja is “the metaphysical mother of all Orishas”, she is “the mother of humankind” associated with all stages of pregnancy, amniotic fluids, the moon, etc. In one of the traditional Yoruba creation stories Yemoja using her waters, was responsible for making the mud or clay that Obatala would use to sculpt humanities’ form, hence her title of “being the mother of humankind”. Olodumare (god) then giving the first human-forms spirit, aka immortal-souls. Oshun is many things, the mother of the Orisha Ibeji (multiple births), often associated with female sexual-autonomy, a divine-messenger to Olodumare, etc, but she is also the “sustainer or savior of humanity”. Through her power of rain she saved humanity from the misogyny of male Orishas, in one of the traditional stories. Like Yemoja & Oshun, Oya is a major Orisha & is of many things that pertain to human life & creation. But especially since we are discussing gender, while not gender or sex fluid, Oya is a female warrior Orisha. Like Oshun’s sexual-autonomy which unfortunately is typically exclusive to men in our world, many might interpret Oya as being a living divine embodiment of gender based-limitations labeled on women, being broken. Oya is the “guardian of the gates of the Afterlife”, strongly associated with the Niger river, “sudden change”, storms etc. Like Obatala she is associated with justice. And in many traditional myths, she is the one that gave Alaafin Shango lightning or taught him how to use it.
PS: Yemoja is the paramount river Orisha in YorubaLand associated with the largest river in YorubaLand, the Ogun river. But across Latin America she is also traditionally acknowledged as the co-ruler of the oceans & seas along with her son Olokun (a being with possible roots outside of the Yoruba, being the Edo peoples of GreatBenin). This is because in oral tradition, Yemoja is said to have been the one Orisha that soothed & mourned millions of victims, as she followed the chattel-enslaved Africans (not just Yoruba) being kidnapped through the Atlantic across Spanish & Portuguese colonies such as but not limited to Brazil. I might have over did it. Hopefully this helped.
Olokun as well has been seen as both male and female.
Dahomey lore is similar, with the sun spirit Mawu (a Yemaja analogue), often fused with her moon spirit twin brother-husband Lisa as Mawu-Lisa, androgynous creator deity.
As a trans man that loves learning history and culture, it's unexplainable how happy this video made me. Pure euphoria!
same :))
This is is a great overview and it really does make me sad that western colonization ruined the inclusive and rich understanding of the human experience of gender diversity, maybe one day de-colonization of myths and understanding of gender will be possible because it would be nice for the human rights of all people to be restored and respected globally
What is the guarantee that you are not biased today. I mean we all interpreting those cultures using biases of today.
@@abhishekdev258while we may always have a bias it is important to be aware of it so we may stay as objective as possible… regardless there’s objective proof of what was shared in the video, myths and stories being interpreted through an imperialistic lense is just one of the many disgusting things that came from one of the darkest periods of human history.
The Aztecs selected children and adults of all ages for sacrifice and started cutting cut their hearts out whilst they were still alive.
Gender, like race, is one of those aspects of society that only exist because SOME people insist that it does exist (usually for some mechanism of control).
To me, defined (and enforced) gender "roles" such as child-rearing, hair length, beautification/fashion, food gathering & preparation, et al. are SILLY in reality because none of these things actually depend on your sex or sexuality preferences.
And that's why sex and gender are different. Congratulations you did your homework.
@@EspeonMistress00 I hope you're not being sarcastic. It's a good thing when more people realize that! Besides, you don't know if you're talking to a trans or NB person anyway.
Even the differences between sexes are not a lot.
@@EspeonMistress00 Gender is a social manifestation of sex, like race is for ancestry. If you can't magically change your identity from Han/Chinese to Nordic/Swedish despite race being a construct, then how can you magically change genders?
@@duckmercy11 It's not magic, and sex and gender _sometimes_ align but not always. Sex is physical, gender is in the brain. Gender AND sex are both spectrums, and sometimes they can be diametrically opposed. There is a lot of evidence of it being physiological, like the fact that getting on the right hormones and/or being able to present as their true gender lessens depression and $u1c1dal ideation significantly, to the point that it's at about the same level as the general population. Acceptance is another big part of it, if your family disowns you and society keeps telling you that you're a freak, or a sexual deviant, or even a child predator for something that you can't help, that's gonna make damn near _anyone_ want to hurt themselves. We're taught a _VERY_ simplified version of gender and sex in grade school even though research and technology have advanced enough to show that it's not that simple.
People have always known gender isn't just one or the other. We're still fighting this fight but we've always been here, we will always be here. The people who don't like it can get out of the way. Happy pride🏳🌈
@@quickmythril2398 I don't know what you mean. Female athletes are still winning all of these events.
@@quickmythril2398 People who are MTF loose a significant amount of their muscles. So no rip to females. The competition is fair. Just see before and after pics of trans athletes
@@quickmythril2398 Prove that trans women are dominating their respective fields of sports. You can't, I know because I've looked and y'all are always lying about crap like that.
@@forgenorman3025 trans women? you mean a dude?
@@theenchanter20 Nope. Piss off.
Great video! It's kind of strange that the very late narrow Western notions of gender are considered inflexible now. Our ancestors would probably find this funny, and/or sad.
This didnt happen by accident , they wouldnt see it as funny or sad. They would agree. Yall act as if people actually had it good back then. Slavery existed only because if you couldnt defend your self you were stolen and your life wasn't yours.
When I was 17 I was in a production of Antigone for my drama class. I was cast as Tiresias even though I am afab and presented very femininely at the time. My teacher said in passing that I didn't have to play Tiresias as a man, so later I asked him, "what gender am I supposed to be?" He replied, "prophet," so then and there I decided that my version of Tiresias was nonbinary. I had such a fun time playing Tiresias in the play.
A few years later, I realized I was nonbinary, and later found out about Tiresias's gender-fluidity. I was amazed that my interpretation of the character was so close to the truth!
Hey, Moiya's back! Also, wonderful topic! You didn't include Loki, but I feel like everyone knows about Loki by now... lol. For those who don't know, he became a mare, mated with a stallion, and gave birth to a foul in the original mythology. Loki has so many crazy kids, but this is the most "normal" of them; literally just a horse, albeit with eight legs
just want to say as a trans person who's always loved mythology and been a huge fan of this channel since the start this just means so much
The Aztecs selected children and adults of all ages for sacrifice and started cutting cut their hearts out whilst they were still alive.
Agriculture is extremely important to the Filipino people, and I think Lakapati's hermaphroditic nature acknowledges not just the duality of humankind but the equality of the sexes, making gender fluidity widely accepted/tolerated in the country. Male and female are each integral to the growth of the community. While our ancient shamans were traditionally female (called babaylan in Visayan and katalonan in Tagalog), feminine men were allowed to dress as women and take on the traditionally feminine roles as shamans too (known as asog in Visayan or bayog in Tagalog).
Lakapati changes sexes right? During planting season, Lakapati was male symbolizing the toil in the fields, but during the harvest Lakapati turns to female symbolizing the bounty of the Earth.
People just seem to really get stuck on the word non-binary which is newer, but what it is describing is ancient!
No, people are retroactively assigned modern nonsense to ancient practices of nonsense. Gended in reference to sex is the result of pedophile john money in the 1960s who forced twin children to engage in sex acts for his research. He coined the term gender in reference to psych.
English having a strong binary and very inflexible gender structure in society has had to invent words to describe things that have had names in other languages for a very long time. I think it's one of the things that makes discussing gender in English feel so revolutionary. We just haven't had the words until within the last few decades. And being new words, the phobes can then claim that they are new concepts.
@@CorwinFound So.. just English huh... forget Spanish, forget French and the fact that today people are pushing to make it gender neutral
@@CorwinFound infact english is less binary than those languages too .. Infact its people who speak english that are coming up with this.. but alright
@@randokun6430as a Spanish speaker from Argentina, plenty of us embrace the new neuter gender, which we call género inclusivo. Language belongs to the speakers and should always be used to serve them. The minute I realized that a simple habit change could make many people’s lives better I jumped ship.
While the topic is controversial even in Argentina, many people, especially feminists and queer people, and youth culture in general, have embraced el lenguaje inclusivo and it’s a matter of time until people realize that recognizing somebody’s identity costs us nothing…
This is beautiful, decolonizing world mythology is much needed
Love this video and all the inclusivity you did. Im currently doing a masters project on gender transformation in Buddhism with focus on The Dragon Princess, Avalokitesvara, and the Goddess of the Vimalakirti sutra.
Its traditionally thought in buddhism that women must first incarnate into men before they can attain buddhahood but as early as the 2nd century there were already texts disputing that. The naga princess jumped from a non human girl straight to a male dharma king. The Vimalakirti goddess said that gender is baseless and swapped bodies with a make monk to prove it, And Avalokitesvara was traditionally thought of as male but could appear as a woman to women followers. This depiction became so popular their chinese form, Kuan Yin, got a new origin story as a chinese princess and is often called “The Goddess of of Mercy”
I don't think Bodhisattvas like Avalokitesvara are necessarily gods. A Bodhisattva is a representation of someone who is on the path to enlightenment in my understanding.
@@vr5076 You’re right theyre not gods! Kuan Yin is called the “ Goddess of Mercy” by westerners misinterpreting them. I simply was highlighting the gendered language but I should be care about that kind of language
That said the Goddess of the Vimalakirti sutra was a Devi or at least appeared in the form of one. It seems she reached enlightenment as a devi which is quite difficult as the heaven realms tend to be too distracting for gods to become bodhisattva
I don’t think that’s the traditional view in Buddhism though, maybe certain types of later forms of the religion? I’ve never heard of it tbh, in fact I’ve heard of a lot of female Buddhists in folktales
i am genderfluid none-binary and this one got me tearing up with euphoria, made my pride month
🍪 for your happiness. Beware of Serotonin highs. They could become very addictive
Now you know; you have a history, a heritage, a religious significance. Use these to your advantage, and be very proud and grateful that you are born. You are blessed.
Lol you're static and binary. Grow up, groomer.
The Aztecs selected children and adults of all ages for sacrifice and started cutting cut their hearts out whilst they were still alive.
If I could like this twice, I would.
Thank you for such a wonderfully comprehensive and inclusive approach to gender, especially this early in the series.
My love to all those who have ever felt marginalised or underrepresented, and the ones who fight to make such voices heard.
As a transwoman, I do not want to be sacred. I want to be accepted as a normal person.
When I was questioning my gender identity, learning about two-spirit and hijra was a positive, in that it told me these types of identities were not new, but was also anxiety inducing because those people were given special spiritual significance and I never had that. I did not have that as part of my identity and it made me question whether I was "really" transgender for at least an extra decade.
What I really needed was the science. I needed to know that combinations other than XY exist. I needed to know that there epigenetic factors other than DNA and chromosomes that can influence your identity. I needed to know how profoundly hormones influence how your body and mind develop. But I didn't have any of that information. Neither did ancient people who developed these mythologies.
So, yes, it was always understood that gender is not a strict binary and may be fluid, but it wasn't understood why.
I want to be valid even if i don't have a special connection to the divine, even if I don't dress a certain way.
So, thanks for this video, but it is only the very first step on a long journey.
@@quickmythril2398 oh no, u destroyed her, definitely not the whole thing of being trans is that ur bio sex is different to ur gender/s
Even if you didn't have malicious intent, taking a step back and bringing awareness to the suggestion may help. The statistical probability of the individual being intersex is very low, and despite it being w good intention, the suggestion has a drastically higher chance of exacerbating the dysphoria by having documented that their genes don't align w their true identity. She also specifically said in her comment she wants the science beyond chromosomes (ex. The neurological reactions to certain stimuli from being identified as x or y gender) So the comment you made can come off as diminishing
@@quickmythril2398 and yes this video is about god's specifically, but religion is built in reflection of society. Because there are nonbinary people in all of human history, they had become incorporated into varying religions through their stories. If humans outside of the gender binary didn't exist, humans wouldn't have the capacity to identify gods as such to the extent that they do. That's why non religious trans/nonbinary/gender nonconforming people exist. Because gender is socially constructed and as a species, we experience a wider range than just one or the other, despite only having a 50% chance (emphasis on chance bc genetics are unpredictable and can make mistakes) of being born w one or the other reproductive parts. The value we place on gender associated w a certain sex is entirely made up
I would say the importance of trans identities being included in sacred stories is more that *everyone* deserves to feel welcome among the sacred- that is, society doesn't see anyone as "normal" UNLESS it calls them sacred. There's a false binary between "sacred" and "profane," and if one isn't treated like they are sacred, they're treated like they're profane.
It's less that we are sacred by virtue of being trans, instead that all living beings are sacred and sometimes people who think in the cishet binary need to be reminded that trans folk are equally sacred to them.
Aw. Was really hoping "Bulan" will be mentioned, the god/goddess of the moon in Bicolano-Visayan Philippine mythology. A sub culture of the LGBT community has actively painted the deity as homosexual rather than gender fluid. The sub culture has been inspired by the story of Bulan being the last of the 7 moons, spared from being eaten by Bakunawa and taken as a lover by Sidapa, the god of death. Bulan is often depicted as androgynous male adored and loved by the masculine Sidapa. Although of course the myth doesn't explicitly say that Bulan is homosexual, the deity often changes its gender depending on his role in a mythical event (thus gender fluid). Bulan being an androgynous homosexual young man married to an more masculine Sidapa is a modern interpretation but sits well to the general consciousness. Myths aren't museum displays, they aren't static. If a community still sees a mythology character being able to tell their truths, I think it warrants the community to modify it, as they own the myth in the first place.
Myths/legends/stories give us images and words to use to express ideas that sometimes go beyond what the stories were showing. Think about how Moses became a key character to US slaves and folks fighting for Civil Rights. Stories are powerful things. By the way, thanks for telling us about Bulan because I've never heard of them before, and I really do enjoy hearing more about the world and other cultures.
So happy that the channel has started to dive more into mythological deities, PLENTY of content to tap into!
Love this!! I'm so glad PBS is setting the record straight and educating people on such beautiful and complex topics 💜
Ahhh, this made my agender, nonbinary heart feel full, thank you! 🥰 Would love to see more videos exploring pre-colonial gender identities in the future 👀 Happy Pride! 😃🏳️🌈🏳️⚧️💖🌟🎉
This video, as did the "In Other Words" episode on using they/them singularly, warms my enby heart. the In Other Words vid comment section was a dumpster fire. It was interesting and sad to watch snowflakes melt down, over a thoroughly researched, fact-based video because it challenged their preconceived notions. I hope this comment section stays this positive. Thanks for the representation.
This was really cool, especially since it highlighted some lesser-known stories of well-known figures (like Tiamat and Rama) alongside deities that were new to me.
In Hindu mythology, Shiv merges with his wife Parvati to form a being that was half man and half woman, declaring that he's incomplete without his feminine self.
''ArdhaNarishwara'' is the Name.
Somehow, despite spending my childhood fascinated by Greek and Egyptian mythologies, I never encountered any stories about anyone changing their gender or being androgynous in any way. Really speaks to how sanitized and censored my childhood sources were. It took me until my 20s to find out there were other people who didn't want to be men or women, and there was a name we called ourselves - nonbinary. I hope everyone out there knows gender is what YOU make it, and what you do with your own body should be your own choice!
Omg THANK YOU FOR UPLOADING THIS! This is so timely during these difficult political times.
This is honestly so important, and I thank you both for the immense educational value of these histories/mythologies, especially right now, with these subjects so very relevant to collective human society, as a whole. Wonderful presentation and topic of discussion! ♡
Fantastic to see these stories highlighted! Some were familiar to me, but many weren't, and I love seeing how ancient and varied stories and lived experiences beyond the gender binary have always been. (Also, thank you for highlighting how colonialism flattened some of these stories - that has had such a negative and lingering impact on how we think about gender.)
indigenous peoples: look at all our cool genders
western colonizers: lol
Also to add to the examples of the video, of fluidity in gender roles, there’s the khawal in Egypt, and onnagata in Japan
I loved the subject of this video, but I gotta say that it was quite confusing. Using gender as a way to both depict social constructs and ways of presenting oneself, while also using the word gender when referring to sex-change and genitalia-determindes characteristics made this rather hard to follow. With deities that can change their bodies, i dont think we're solely speaking of gender there, but rather the anatomical definition of sex. If a god changing from female to male genitalia means they change gender, then that also gets confusing when trying to address that gender shouldn't be determined by the genitalia one possesses, and talking about different genders besides the common "binary".
This video was really informative and i am now curious to find out more about all these mythologies and cultural differences from my own, but i think mixing gender and anatomy made it a bit hard to follow in general. Still, it's a tough and complex topic, and im glad you're addressing it with history and mythology. It's a good way to start breaking the "rules " we, as a modern society, believe to have always been there (when it's clearly not the case)
i think youre really looking too hard about this, they dont need to define sex separate from gender in these contexts because the gender and the sex that the various deities is assumed to be the same. ex. tiresias goes from male>female, both in sex and in the language/cultural context used to describe them (gender) thus there isnt really a needed delineation of tiresias' both gender and sex changing they can just say they changed gender.
@@sheren_b so you literally assumed their gender.. isnt that rude these days? you didnt even ask their preferred pronouns.
The Ancient were not merely modern, they sometimes were postmodern.
Yes, but were they Maxists as well? Lobsters? Something Jordan Peterson could get unneccesarily angry at?
@@HeyNonyNonymous I have long stopped trying to understand Jordan Peterson's verbiage.
Yes yes yes!! ❤🏳️🌈 This video alone reassures me that I am who I am, and the God(s) have formed me to be so! My spirit is truly male & female, even though I’m in a male body! This video makes me so grateful to be the magical queer POC that I am today. I can honestly say no more because this video clearly explains it all beautifully already! Love it!
I can only say thank you guys so much for this video! As a non-binary person I can express how emotional this video made be. Thank you guys so much!
You know you’re not straight if you were obsessed with Greek mythology in high school
🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣
Also transgender people are easy scapegoats to blame for catastrophe. Even recently a Malaysian politician blamed transgender and LGBT for earthquakes.
Also transgender and LGBT are often used to divert public attention from more pressing issues like unemployment, pollution, corruption, inflation etc
The anachronism in the comments is stong. People really are assuming they can interpret ancient religions the way they please.
We don't even know how exactly unanimous was religious interpretation, let alone if they were mere anthropomorphized natural potences. We simply don't. No, the babylonian deity is not your pokemon of choice to represent your sexuality
This makes me feel so NORMAL. I’m nonbinary and our current western society makes me feel so abnormal, even though I know I’m not. Watching things like that TRULY make me feel like I’m normal, which I know I am but still, it’s hard to really feel it sometimes
Then there's Loki, who, in order to prevent the completion of the construction of Asgard, turned himself into a mare to distract the horse of the builder, who relied heavily on the horse. The horse broke free, chased Loki down, and enjoyed Loki, who became pregnant and gave birth to Sleipnir, Odin's eight legged horse.
I'm so glad I watched this video. It's definitely re-affirmed and even given me more confidence as someone who identifies as non-binary. So many amazing stories I had no idea or very little understanding of. Thank you for this!
Absolutely love this. I notice an awakening of like minded individuals comming to accept this way of thinking more and more.
As an agender person I just want to say it’s been so wonderful to see these PBS series covering subjects like personal pronouns and now this! It means a lot to be seen and remembered we exist and always have- especially right now!
It would be really cool if you normalized including your presenters’ pronouns in their intros and their written names/titles on screen!
Wonderful video! Thank you for this reaffirming look at history through mythology. I knew of the stories from Greek mythology, and now I have some more reading to do! Happy Pride, everyone! You're beautiful, valid, and deserve to be happy x
If God is Omnipotent, what right do mortals have to place the constraints of gender on them?
As a non-binary, myth loving individual this makes me so happy. Thank you and Happy Pride! 🏳️🌈💓
I’m a relatively new subscriber to the channel and I’m here for it! 👏🏽
ALSO HAPPY PRIDE MONTH!
~3:23 Oh this is fun, I've never heard of this deity but I learned their name in Middle Egyptian classes - "Wadj-Wer" literally translates to "great green," and was also used to refer to the Mediterranean Sea!
This video is great. All people should be treated equally no matter their nationality, gender, beliefs or skin tones. Thank you both for a very eye opening look at this aspect of _any & all_ ancient mythologies.
Yes, British Colonialism did adversely affect the Hijra Community but so did Brahminism and reactionary forms of Hinduism.
What?
can you elaborate?
Um, no?
This video was such a gift! It's so surreal how colonialism has twisted these stories
This was astonishing and helpful. Thank you so much for this video.
all the examples were great but you are talking about myths so you could have easily include example of Shri Vishu taking a female Avatar namely Mohini, this is of great importance because Vishu is one of the hindu holy Trinity.
Our erasure is a constant in history. The fate of trans people during the holocaust gets ignored. Gay penguins in the zoos don't get talked about. It all serves the narrative that we are somehow unnatural. And yet, I own two lesbian cats. They have sex like all the time and are inseparable.
We're here, we've always been here and you can't make us go away with the stroke of a pen. All you can do is inflict suffering upon us and so people do that to excess. This makes them the monsters of horror of the present. I wonder if 4000 years from now, a fate and fabled scholar will analyze the horrible Ted Cruz or Mitch McConnel.
Lakapati is my favourite goddess! The interesting thing is because Filipinos have no gendered pronouns (siya is a non-gendered translations of singular he/she, akin to the singular "they"), one might ask how we know to refer to Lakapati as "she" when she's presented with multiple genitalia. There are multiple reasons for this:
1) Historical descriptions have refered to her as "notably feminine".
2) She was married to a notably male god, Mapulon, in some descriptions. As was the case with historical "transwomen" (I use the term loosely for context, but the exact details weren't the same) or "feminised men" depending on who you ask, in pre-colonial Philippines, many would dress and live as women, fulfill feminine roles, and even marry men. So in that, she was also seen as primarily feminine.
3) She was specifically a mother to gods - Apolaki and Diyan Masalanta. She is not known to have fathered anyone.
She was at one point referred to as "he" but more sources have her as a mother, as "she", and it's unclear which one is the most reliable. Her depiction as compassionate and an intermediary to the primary god, Bathala, have been fairly consistent, though.
While her femininity might be syncretism based on her roles and descriptions, pre-colonial Filipino mythology has always been difficult to track due to sources being lost or destroyed by colonising powers.
Then some religions came which criminalized gender fluidity and homosexuality.
The Abrahamic faiths?
@@Ragitsuyes
@@smxsmx258 Ouch.
Afro-brazilian mythology (candomblé) has many "deities", some of which also don't conform to genders binarity.
Logunedé is son/daugther of two other very powerful orixás, bearing characteristics of both - including their genders. They live half the year in their father's realm, as a man, and half the year in their mothers realm, as a woman.
Ossain is sometimes referred to as male, sometimes as female - which makes me think they are in a non-binary area of the spectrum.
Christainy destroys all it touches.
Thank you for this video! I had no idea that we had any of these in Philippine folklore and history and I'm learning a lot from people who are knowledgeable on these topics in the comments.
Thank you so much for making this beautiful episode! Profoundly lovely and informative. It meant a lot to see this :)
Kinda surprised they didn’t mention Loki (yes that Loki just from the mythology) he was both a mother and a father
Each new video makes me love this channel even more.
In Philippine tribal cultures especially in the Visayan regions, the Binukot was a princess or the most beautiful woman in the tribe that is literally kept inside a special chamber in the royal household called the bukot, to preserve her beauty, grace and purity. She is educated, often she is tasked to memorize the epics, myths, rituals, songs, dances, and other cultural aspects of the tribe to pass it down to other generations, she is like a living repository of the tribe's knowledge. She also gets the share of the best food, clothing, beauty products, etc. She is the dowry itself and it is a huge privilege to be married to a binukot. But in rare occasions when the tribe is in danger, a binukot could become a warrior princess.
Actually there was a soap opera here in the Philippines that tackled this, it's called "Amaya", it was set before the Spanish colonization of the Philippines in the 16th Century
Just want to point out that at 6:29, the picture actually depicts Arjuna with the bow and arrow and Krishna driving the chariot. Shikandini was actually born as the sister of Draupadi, who is Arjuna’a wife.
Another trans character in Ancient Mythology was Caeneus: an argonaut born woman (Caenis) but after Poseidon raped her, "in compensation" he granted her a wish. She wished to become an invincible man, so that this accident never occur again, and Poseidon transformed her into a man with impenetrable skin.
Just one question.. how did you miss Ardhnarishwar Shiva, half male and half female energy form, recognised and worshipped by all Hindus? Also probably one of the oldest forms in which b Shiva is imagined and worshipped
Yes
As a non-binary Hindu/pagan, this video made me so happy. I'm teaching a class on LGBTQ deities soon and this gave me even more to add to it.
As part Native American, I have been told all my life,that best and worst traits of both parents are shared in all,two spirits.
I can't say I'm totally onboard with LGBTQ matters but I do feel ppl are entitled to live whatever life they choose and it's not really anyone else's business. I say that to highlight how interesting I found this video and kinda enlightening. It really reminded me of things I'd heard before and overlooked. Showing how gender fluidity has been around for so long really humbles some of the close minded attitudes I might be harbouring.
I personally love the story of Asushunamir.
But this stuff goes to show how thoroughly western colonial empires first colonized their own people, then the rest of the world. I'm white myself, with ancestry mainly from Britain and Germany. Looking at the history of those places, we can find hints that trans and non-binary people were recognized by those cultures. The Norse, of course, had ergi, or argr people. The terms are known today only as having been deadly insults - the least insulting translation seems to be "unmanly." But there's some indication that such people held some recognized role in society, possibly as spiritual experts or healers. Many stories about witches and similar figures hint at ways that they may have defied the gender binary. And the Fae, of course, were constantly replacing or transforming people, sometimes with regard to gender. The Fae, in fact, are an excellent example of how trans people have historically been associated with neurodivergent people, as modern statistics bear out: neurodivergence like adhd and autism are moee common in the trans community. The similarities between autism and legends of Fae changelings are as fascinating as they are depressing.
It seems like Hinduism before colonialism was pretty accepting of homosexuality and being transgender
This was a good and timely video. Thanks for taking the time to lay it out so plainly!
There's some mistake in Shikhandi's story
Bhisma was never a king
There is the non-binary god/goddess Ardhanarishwara in Hinduism. She/He is the combined form of protector Mother Goddess Parvati and the god of destruction Shiva. He/She is half-woman and half-man and is the god/goddess of fertility and birth. God/Goddess Ardhnarishwara represents the unity of a man and a woman, equality of all genders and gender fluidity. Many transgenders in India worship Ardhnarishwara. ( Ardh means half, nar/nari means man and woman and ishwara means god.)
It would be kind of stupid for beings/abilities of such immense power to be limited by gender.
Finally, some deities that a trans girl can vibe with 🏳⚧
They also dont exist but gotchya. How yall go from gods dont exist to gods that affirm your lives .. Then criticize people who live based ontheir faith while also forcing them to deny theirs to make you comfy
@@randokun6430 it boils down to inclusion vs exclusion. This is in reference to inclusion from acknowledging and honoring the expansive nature of gender. But what you're implying ab religion being bashed is one of exclusion to gender outside of the binary, solely bc of the way man decided to interpret it
@@randokun6430 anybody can honor any religion, but when you use your personal religion to justify the diminishing of another's rights is where the disdain comes from. And the sad part is, this disdain comes from multiple mistranslations that have skewed the intention of the religion which was meant to love and honor all wakes of life
@@randokun6430 this comment is also taking a big stretch, with multiple assumptions about the individual/individuals. Can you elaborate on what aspect of someone seeing representation throughout cultures in history is upsetting to you?
@@randokun6430 of course they don't actually exist as physically beings, they are however based on how their creators saw the world so if gender was a fluid concept for a god there is a good chance the society itself accepted it, that's always an important thing to point out because a lot of people seem to believe that trans people are a recent development, instead they have a long and storied history that colonizers did their best to erase
Happy Pride Month, Storied! Amazing episode as always.
Love this! So many interesting mythologies and takes on gender! Any recommendations for a novice, monolinguist who wants to learn more about Indian folklore? Every time Icome across it I get excited bit never know where to start. Any good children's books? I learn best that way :)
The Amar Chitra Katha comics are the best way to start with Indian Mythology and Folklore.
The Bhagavad Gita is an epic story and filled with lessons that will stay with you til the day you die, very powerful text!
in Mexico, more specifically in the mixteca region in the state of Oaxaca there’s a Municipality called Juchitán, where the Muxes lives.
They are similar to hijras in their religious origin, from a story dating back pre-columbine times when the Zapotec inhabited the area without European influence
Loki is also gender fluid
Loki was a shapeshifter
@@GrandmasterFerg he did have multiple children though. I don't think it was strictly necessary every time.
@@solsystem1342 He?
@@GrandmasterFerg I'm pretty sure Loki uses he/him pronouns. I'd ask them myself if she existed
@@solsystem1342 😂😂😂
A lot of narcissisme in this comment section. Finally i can see my self in a story most don't need to see them self to enjoy a story
Mostly they don’t, they acknowledge equality in every form, like hindu mythology and greek and Chinese. Most mythology very much kept to male and female given that it was written by males.
All over the world doesn't mean all the time
@@solsystem1342 I agree with you
That was absolutely fascinating!! I loved it so much :D
POV: You're scrolling through the comments by "Newest first" to look for transphobic comments
way too many
@@hvensnt unfortunately 😔
Lol Ive seen like 3 currently. Not as many as I thought there would be tbh
This is the first I’ve heard of some of these myths. Thanks!
This is a very interesting and timely video, thank you. My only critisism is that the common mistake of treating sex and gender as the same thing has been made. The fact that having more than two common genders can be talked about demonstrates that they're not the same thing and is the reason for more than two genders. Sex is a part of gender. Gender is not a part of sex.
Sex: either of the two main categories (male and female) into which humans and most other living things are divided on the basis of their reproductive characteristics.
Gender: Refers to the characteristics of women, men, girls, boys, etc. that are socially constructed. This includes norms, behaviours and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl or boy, as well as relationships with each other. As a social construct, gender varies from society to society and can change over time.
I know what you’re getting at, but gender isn’t socially constructed. It’s biological, just as sex is, but it’s in the brain and not the body. Neurological gender usually corresponds with biological sex, but sometimes it doesn’t and that’s how we get trans folks. If gender were socially constructed you could argue that society could turn you into a man, woman, etc., and we all know that’s not true. Gender roles are socially constructed tho
@@bina.k site your source. Sex is biological, gender has become a social construct. Kind of a Master at this, if you get my drift. Don't make me get all Freudian on you. I'm not getting paid to school your delusional self, they, us and whatever nonsense. The author is correct.
Sex is not “either of two categories”, because intersex people exist and make up about 1.7% of the population. That’s 3 in every 200 people. And it’s only been recently with modern medicine that those who were born intersex are “fixed” shortly after birth to one of the two main categories (usually female). And thus when sex is not binary in ancient societies, neither is gender.
As I always like to tell people, people of the past were not all 50's white men in their outlook.
Fluideities
Okay this might not be the best joke in the world, but it at least needs more likes than this 💀💀💀
Loki was also known for changing gender as well as form in his various myths, both as a tool for his own agenda, and sometimes at the behest of the other Gods, such as the time he transformed into a mare to distract a Giant's horse in order to prevent the Gods from losing a bet with the Giant that he could build a wall in a short period of time. Loki ended up pregnant and gave birth to Sleipnir, Odin's eight legged horse. Loki also fathered Fenris with a Giantess named Angarboda.
Loki is a Jotun, also as you point out a shape shifter, just put in a little note on the Jotun in my comment further up but long story short as children of Yimir they are essentially made from the earth, the earth contain worms that reproduce asexually, should also be noted that up until fairly modern times bugs insects and such was considered spawned out of nothing basically it was not well understood the lifecycle of many animals but wasn't hard chopping an worm in to and see it live on.
@@trolletdraugheim7722 and in the case of some worms like planarians they can actually grow into two complete worms. Not to mention Cicadas and the like coming out of the ground in the millions on long cycles. Not at all surprising that people would assume something supernatural or divine was involved.
Thank you for sharing these stories!!❤❤❤