Navajo tradition includes transgender members

[Skeptic Ginger]

Independent Lens is on now and the film is about a transgender man who was murdered. But the thing I find interesting is the tribal tradition which includes male, female, and transgender of each sex as normal tribal members.

Film Exploring Murder of Navajo Transgender Teen to Air

From the Independent Lens website:

Two Spirits interweaves the tragic story of a mother’s loss of her son with a revealing look at the largely unknown history of a time when the world wasn’t simply divided into male and female and many Native American cultures held places of honor for people of integrated genders.

Here's some more background info . I don't know why it is in 2 parts because each one is very short.
Navajo 101 on gender and sexuality: part I of II
Navajo 101 on gender and sexuality: part II of II

Traditional Navajo people do not believe in a superior gender, but instead devote their being toward melding the two together. From the Navajo point of view each gender holds its own unique flavor, and because one cannot stand without the support of the other, it is up to each and every individual to bring about her/his male and female side. A real man is not all man and a real woman is not all woman—instead they are both, regardless of which gender they identify with.

Furthermore, genitalia holds no say over gender. Genitals are merely a part of one’s sexual organs, and therefore have other special purposes. Some women will have penises and some men will have vaginas. When it comes to gender, it all comes down to what the heart and soul register with—nothing else.

In any case, all these examples included, show the different forms of the Two Spirit people. In Navajo culture, they are of very great importance and esteem. Constantly reminding others of life's fluidity, they are thus crucial to the wellbeing of the world.

What an interesting concept.

The film discusses the havoc wrecked by the Christian religion which was forced on some of them, but that is not the dominant theme of the film.

 

[Sword_Of_Truth]

Sometimes a man just needs to feel pretty, know what I'm sayin?

 

[slingblade]

The Lakota, and other Nations, have similar beliefs and practices.

An interesting summary is found here:
http://news-business.vlex.com/vid/spirituality-understanding-gender-sacred-65227404

Myself, I was always fond of the treatment used in the movie, Little Big Man, with Dustin Hoffman.

http://www.tg-films.info/films_l/film0716.php

 

[jiggeryqua]

The widespread existence of various takes on 'third sex' people in indigenous cultures formed a minor part of my dissertation as an undergraduate. They are generally, as I recall, physiologically men who take a social/work role as women. There's an interesting essay here.

 

[Mr. Scott]

It sounds like the Navajo discovered that occasionally a woman was born with a male body, and a man was born with a woman's body. This is an excellent model for understanding the true nature of homosexuality. It perfectly describes so many gays and lesbians I have known. Also gays, while generally not reproducing as much as straights, are emblems of fertility since families that include gays have more offspring, on average, than families that don't.

 

[ZirconBlue]

It sounds like the Navajo discovered that occasionally a woman was born with a male body, and a man was born with a woman's body. This is an excellent model for understanding the true nature of homosexuality. It perfectly describes so many gays and lesbians I have known. Also gays, while generally not reproducing as much as straights, are emblems of fertility since families that include gays have more offspring, on average, than families that don't.

I don't see why you are bringing homosexuality into the discussion.

 

[ThunderChunky]

so did the navajo have sex change operations?

 

[jiggeryqua]

so did the navajo have sex change operations?

From what to what? We're talking about gender, not sex, and a third gender at that, not 'wanting to be the other one'. Binary thinking works for some areas of science (magnetism, charge etc...though I'll probably now find out I'm wrong about that?) but it demonstrably has no bearing on gender.

Given that the question, on the face of it, is absurd - the navajo still exist, but no, they weren't up to advanced surgical techniques when they were 'discovered' and displaced - I'm going to have to suggest you use a to indicate posts that aim at humour. It still wouldn't be funny though.

 

[Mr. Scott]

I don't see why you are bringing homosexuality into the discussion.

my mistake