Book

Williams, Walter L., 1948-

The spirit and the flesh : sexual diversity in American Indian culture / Walter L. Williams ; with a new preface.

Boston : Beacon Press, ©1992.

xx, 344 pages, [8] pages of plates : illustrations ; 23 cm

Winner of the: Gay Book of the Year Award, American Library Association Ruth Benedict Award, Society of Lesbian and Gay Anthropologists Award for Outstanding Scholarship, World Congress for Sexology "An extraordinary perceptive study of the berdache and the most comprehensive treatment of this controversial topic to date."--American Historical Review. Library of Congress subject headings for this publication: Indians of North America Sexual behavior, Homosexuality, Male North America, Sex role North America, Berdaches North America.

Indians of North America -- Sexual behavior.

Male homosexuality -- North America.

Sex role -- North America.

Two-spirit people -- North America.

Sexual diversity in American Indian culture

Includes bibliographical references (pages 317-333) and index.

pt. 1: The character of the berdache. Of religions and dreams : the spiritual basis of the berdache tradition ; Sacred people : berdache mystical power and ceremonial roles ; Family matters : the economic and social position of the berdache ; Men, women, and others : the gender role of the berdache ; The spirit and the flesh : sexual aspects of the berdache tradition ; A normal man : the berdache's husband and the question of sexual variance -- pt. 2: Changes in the berdache tradition since the coming of the Europeans. The abominable sin : the Spanish campaign against "sodomy," and its results in modern Latin America ; Seafarers, cowboys, and Indians : male marriage in fringe societies on the Anglo-American frontier ; Of bibles and bureaus : Indian acculturation and decline of the berdache tradition ; Survival and pride : the berdache tradition and gay American Indians today -- pt. 3: Toward a theoretical understanding of gender and sexual variance. Amazons of America : female gender variance ; Social constructions/essential characters : a cross-cultural viewpoint.

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Contributor biographical information

Publisher description

91037980

0807046159

9780807046159

0807046159

24628606

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306.766 Williams