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Comments
Yasher Koach
Dear Shalimar,
A Yasher Koach on posting this interesting articlefrom "The Forward". THe paper founded in 1897 was originally called the "Forverts" and was published in Yiddish. It was a paper associated with the Socialist Party. It now leans to the left of liberal. The paper now has both an English language and a Yiddish language editions.
As briefly mentioned in the article, the Talmud, discusses and points out that there were 4 sexs/genders. Male and female. In addition there were two others mentioned. They are the Tumtum and the Androngynous. The androngynous is most likely the same as a hermaphrodite. The Tumtum is altogether a different being. I have seen several different definitions from various sources.
So gender identity is not something new facing the Jewish community. The situation facing a transgendered individual is different from that faced by a homosexual. While homosexual conduct is condemned within the Orthodox movement, and still under debate within the COnservative community, unless an individual flaunts his conduct in shul, I know of several synagogues where men, known or suspected of being homosexual were called to the Torah and granted an aliyah.
The article discusses some of the issues facing a transgendered individual quite clearly. Now that the issues of the Transgenered community are out in the open, and Transgender individuals raised in the Orthodox Community and wanting to remain in that community are become visible, I am sure that the issue will be debated by the various rabbis. They may seek guidance from the Talmud.
Have a Gut Shabbos
RAMI
RAMI
Sex vs. Gender
It seems to me that Talmudic law only observes a person's sex, not their gender. They seem to view them as one and the same so they are trying to force a person into certain gender roles according to their observed sex, or lack thereof, instead of possibly waiting until they see how the child's role plays out over the first several years and adjusting then.
I just about spit my soda out when I read the part about how sex with a female-formed tumtum/androngynous is not allowed according to Talmudic law for "wasting the seed" since they can't have children. Where I grew up, Jewish girls were famous for loving to fellate their boyfriends in order to save their "virtue" for marriage. The best head I've ever had was from Jewish girls. One girl told me how lucky I was since she was a Mexican-Jew. I benefited from her hot-blooded Latino side and her Jewish-American-Princess love of oral sex. (Her comment, not mine.)
Anyway, a person's sex is determined from external genitalia while their sexuality is hard-wired in the brain. We should allow "in-betweens" to reach some indeterminate age wherein they actually express their gender/sexuality through mannerisms and/or expressed desires. At that point, I think it would be safe to make what surgical alterations need to be made to fit that individual.
Just my two cents.
Hugs,
Erica
Science is allowed
Jewish Law requires us to seek the truth (note the three words after the sh'mah). Science seeks the truth. For example, Hillel the Elder (Hillel the Great d 10 C. E.) speculated on the why of certain biological differences.
shalimar