Gender variance in spirituality: Difference between revisions
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===Abrahamic religions=== | ===Abrahamic religions=== | ||
[[File:Adam Kadmon - Androgyne.jpg|thumb|The Tree of Life juxtaposed upon Adam, in which Adam is shown as a Primal Androgyne | [[File:Adam Kadmon - Androgyne.jpg|thumb|150px|The Tree of Life juxtaposed upon Adam, in which Adam is shown as a Primal Androgyne.]] | ||
Originating from southwest Asia and spreading worldwide, the Abrahamic religions include Judaism, Christianity, Islam, the Bahá'í Faith, Rastafarianism, and others. They have certain teachings in common, particularly the belief in one God (Jehovah), and how the world was created. | Originating from southwest Asia and spreading worldwide, the Abrahamic religions include Judaism, Christianity, Islam, the Bahá'í Faith, Rastafarianism, and others. They have certain teachings in common, particularly the belief in one God (Jehovah), and how the world was created. | ||
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* Ay’lonit/איילונית: A person who is identified as “female” at birth but develops “male” characteristics at puberty and is infertile. 80 references in Mishna and Talmud; 40 in classical midrash and Jewish law codes. | * Ay’lonit/איילונית: A person who is identified as “female” at birth but develops “male” characteristics at puberty and is infertile. 80 references in Mishna and Talmud; 40 in classical midrash and Jewish law codes. | ||
* Saris/סריס: A person who is identified as “male” at birth but develops “female” characteristics as puberty and/or is lacking a penis. A saris can be “naturally” a saris (saris hamah), or become one through human intervention (saris adam). 156 references in mishna and Talmud; 379 in classical midrash and Jewish law codes. | * Saris/סריס: A person who is identified as “male” at birth but develops “female” characteristics as puberty and/or is lacking a penis. A saris can be “naturally” a saris (saris hamah), or become one through human intervention (saris adam). 156 references in mishna and Talmud; 379 in classical midrash and Jewish law codes. | ||
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====Gender variant figures in Abrahamic religion==== | ====Gender variant figures in Abrahamic religion==== | ||
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* In Jewish mysticism, '''Lilith''' is a supernatural masculine female demon. God meant her to be the first human woman, creating her before Eve, but she refused to be submissive to Adam. She left him, and wanders the world making trouble for humankind. Some scholars think Lilith was a goddess introduced from another Southwest Asian religion. | * In Jewish mysticism, '''Lilith''' is a supernatural masculine female demon. God meant her to be the first human woman, creating her before Eve, but she refused to be submissive to Adam. She left him, and wanders the world making trouble for humankind. Some scholars think Lilith was a goddess introduced from another Southwest Asian religion. | ||
Several Christian saints were people who were assigned female at birth and lived as men. As with many gender variant historical figures, it's open to interpretation whether they were passing as men for practicality, or if they were transgender men, or something else. '''Saint Eugene''' lived as a man, as did '''Saint Marinus''' (also called Maria or Marius), in order to enter the priesthood. | ====Gender nonconforming Christian saints==== | ||
Several Christian saints were people who were assigned female at birth and lived as men. As with many gender variant historical figures, it's open to interpretation whether they were passing as men for practicality, or if they were transgender men, or something else. | |||
* '''Saint Eugene''' lived as a man, as did '''Saint Marinus''' (also called Maria or Marius), in order to enter the priesthood. | |||
* '''Saint Wilgefortis''' (also called Saint Uncumber, Saint Librata, or other names) was a bearded woman. She's thought not to be a historical figure, but a folklore figure that came about because locals who, being unfamiliar with the robes in foreign icons, misinterpreted images of Christ crucified as bearded women. Saint Wilgefortis is the patron of women who wish to be freed from abusive husbands. | * '''Saint Wilgefortis''' (also called Saint Uncumber, Saint Librata, or other names) was a bearded woman. She's thought not to be a historical figure, but a folklore figure that came about because locals who, being unfamiliar with the robes in foreign icons, misinterpreted images of Christ crucified as bearded women. Saint Wilgefortis is the patron of women who wish to be freed from abusive husbands. | ||
* '''Saint Joan of Arc''' (Jeanne D'Arc) took up a male gender role | * '''Saint Joan of Arc''' (Jeanne D'Arc) took up a male gender role as part of joining a war. The Church feared and persecuted the saint largely because of the gender variance. The saint may have been not only a warrior woman, or possibly a trans man, but also some vestige of a pre-Christian shamanic nonbinary gender role that was still known to the common folk. Patron of France, martyrs, captives, prisoners, soldiers, military personnel, and people ridiculed for their piety. | ||
<gallery> | |||
File:Hl kuemmernis museum neunkirchen.jpg|Saint Wilgefortis is often shown with one shoe off, and a fiddler. Legend says a silver shoe miraculously fell from her statue to help this poor pilgrim. | |||
File:Joan of Arc, Place du Parvis, Reims(1).jpg|Equestrian statue of Jeanne d'Arc by Paul Dubois (Reims). 1896. | |||
</gallery> | |||
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===Hindu and Buddhist religions=== | ===Hindu and Buddhist religions=== | ||
[[File:Liao Dynasty Avalokitesvara Statue Clear.jpeg|thumb|Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Guanshiyin) statue from China, 11th-12th century CE.]] | [[File:Liao Dynasty Avalokitesvara Statue Clear.jpeg|thumb|200px|Bodhisattva Avalokitesvara (Guanshiyin) statue from China, 11th-12th century CE.]] | ||
Figures that are gender variant or patrons of gender variant people: | Figures that are gender variant or patrons of gender variant people: | ||
* '''Avalokiteśvara''', a male bodhisattva, sometimes shown as an androgynous man, who can appear in a form of any gender | * '''Avalokiteśvara''', a male bodhisattva, sometimes shown as an androgynous man, who can appear in a form of any gender | ||
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===Taoism=== | ===Taoism=== | ||
[[File: | [[File:Dinastia ming, l'immortale lan caihe, 1510 ca..JPG|thumb|100px|Ming dynasty figurine of Lan Caihe. Circa 1510 CE.]] | ||
Gender-variant figures in Taoism: | Gender-variant figures in Taoism: | ||
* '''Lan Caihe''' (Lan Ts'ai-ho), one of the eight Taoist immortals, whose gender has never been agreed upon. Lan Caihe could appear as—or be interpreted as—a boy, girl, old man, old woman, or anything. | * '''Lan Caihe''' (Lan Ts'ai-ho), one of the eight Taoist immortals, whose gender has never been agreed upon. Lan Caihe could appear as—or be interpreted as—a boy, girl, old man, old woman, or anything. | ||
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==Australia and Oceania== | ==Australia and Oceania== | ||