Comments on: Handle a hermaphrodite http://ro.blog.friendster.com/2006/01/handle-a-hermaphrodite/ a caricature of opposing facets of my personality Sun, 08 Nov 2009 20:57:39 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6.2 By: Greg http://ro.blog.friendster.com/2006/01/handle-a-hermaphrodite/#comment-15 Greg Sun, 05 Mar 2006 02:00:44 +0000 http://ro.blog.friendster.com/2006/01/handle-a-hermaphrodite/#comment-15 Jewish legal texts deal with hermaphrodites quite extensively. They are referred to as androgynous. See this article for a good overview: <a href="http://www.daat.ac.il/DAAT/english/Journal/cohen-1.htm" rel="nofollow">http://www.daat.ac.il/DAAT/english/Journal/cohen-1.htm</a> Jewish legal texts deal with hermaphrodites quite extensively. They are referred to as androgynous.

See this article for a good overview: http://www.daat.ac.il/DAAT/english/Journal/cohen-1.htm

]]> By: rachel http://ro.blog.friendster.com/2006/01/handle-a-hermaphrodite/#comment-14 rachel Tue, 24 Jan 2006 19:02:02 +0000 http://ro.blog.friendster.com/2006/01/handle-a-hermaphrodite/#comment-14 i see a couple questions here, 1st: "If a hermaphrodite's physical 'deformity' allows them to choose a sexual persuasion, why can't a person with a mental 'deformity' choose their own sexual persuasion?" at first view this seems like a really wonderfully sensitive and thoughtful question, except i'm not sure what you mean by "mental deformity..." are you talking about sexuality? If you are, then i believe everyone has the right to choose to be whatever or whoever it is they want to be, and i believe that people should also have the right not to choose to be anything, we often are forced to choose just in order to make the world more comfortable in being able to see what socially defined box we have decided to put ourselves in. as far as "hermaphrodite" goes...i hope you know that this word is no longer used, rather "intersex" is the correct and more sensitive term to use. I think your blog was almost thoughtful and sensitive- now, maybe you should work on the delivery of your thoughts and questions... for those who want to educate themselves on intersex issues and why "hermaphrodite" is an incorrect and offensive term i suggest logging into: <a href="http://www.isna.org/" rel="nofollow">http://www.isna.org/</a> however, i can agree with you in the last part of your blog, as the way people have chosen to use the bible to affirm their ideologies and put down others, while completely missing the point, is definately true. (thoughtful, offensive, interesting & extremely complicated blog...) by the way! you saved yourself by putting quotes around the word "deformity!" i let that one go, although it did make me cringe! i see a couple questions here, 1st:
“If a hermaphrodite’s physical ‘deformity’ allows them to choose a sexual persuasion, why can’t a person with a mental ‘deformity’ choose their own sexual persuasion?”

at first view this seems like a really wonderfully sensitive and thoughtful question, except i’m not sure what you mean by “mental deformity…” are you talking about sexuality? If you are, then i believe everyone has the right to choose to be whatever or whoever it is they want to be, and i believe that people should also have the right not to choose to be anything, we often are forced to choose just in order to make the world more comfortable in being able to see what socially defined box we have decided to put ourselves in.

as far as “hermaphrodite” goes…i hope you know that this word is no longer used, rather “intersex” is the correct and more sensitive term to use. I think your blog was almost thoughtful and sensitive- now, maybe you should work on the delivery of your thoughts and questions…

for those who want to educate themselves on intersex issues and why “hermaphrodite” is an incorrect and offensive term i suggest logging into:
http://www.isna.org/

however, i can agree with you in the last part of your blog, as the way people have chosen to use the bible to affirm their ideologies and put down others, while completely missing the point, is definately true.

(thoughtful, offensive, interesting & extremely complicated blog…)

by the way! you saved yourself by putting quotes around the word “deformity!” i let that one go, although it did make me cringe!

]]> By: Mimi http://ro.blog.friendster.com/2006/01/handle-a-hermaphrodite/#comment-13 Mimi Mon, 23 Jan 2006 16:09:01 +0000 http://ro.blog.friendster.com/2006/01/handle-a-hermaphrodite/#comment-13 According to Navajo tradition, transgendered people (notably differnt from intersex people) are called Berdash and revered for thier mystical powers. Being both male and female they are considered a third gender and thought to see both ways of the world. In the mid 19th century it was considered an honor to be a lover of a Berdash. Somehow the religious right screwed it all up. Why, oh why, oh why? According to Navajo tradition, transgendered people (notably differnt from intersex people) are called Berdash and revered for thier mystical powers. Being both male and female they are considered a third gender and thought to see both ways of the world. In the mid 19th century it was considered an honor to be a lover of a Berdash.

Somehow the religious right screwed it all up. Why, oh why, oh why?

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