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Related Experiment Videos

Why was the berdache ridiculed?

D F Greenberg

    Journal of Homosexuality
    |January 1, 1985
    PubMed
    Summary
    This summary is machine-generated.

    North American Indian berdaches were often ridiculed within traditional joking relationships, not due to negative views on homosexuality. This anthropological study re-evaluates historical accounts of berdache ridicule.

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    Area of Science:

    • Anthropology
    • Cultural Studies
    • Sociology

    Background:

    • Historical accounts suggest North American Indian berdaches faced ridicule.
    • Previous anthropological explanations for this ridicule are diverse and often debated.
    • Understanding the social context of berdache ridicule is crucial for interpreting historical views on gender and sexuality.

    Purpose of the Study:

    • To critically examine existing anthropological explanations for the ridicule of North American Indian berdaches.
    • To propose an alternative framework for understanding berdache ridicule.
    • To challenge the interpretation of ridicule as solely indicative of negative attitudes toward homosexuality.

    Main Methods:

    • Review and critique of existing anthropological literature on berdaches.

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  • Analysis of ethnographic accounts focusing on social interactions and joking relationships.
  • Comparative analysis of cultural practices across different North American Indigenous groups.

    • Main Results:

    • Rejection of several proposed anthropological explanations for berdache ridicule.
    • Identification of traditional joking relationships as a primary context for berdache ridicule.
    • Demonstration that ridicule within joking relationships does not necessarily imply negative views on homosexuality.

    Conclusions:

    • Ridicule directed at berdaches in North American Indian societies was largely situated within established joking relationship dynamics.
    • Reports of berdache ridicule should not be automatically interpreted as evidence of widespread negative attitudes toward homosexuality.
    • This re-interpretation offers a more nuanced understanding of gender diversity and social relations in Indigenous North American cultures.