cultural+views+toward+hermaphrodites-+440-477

In Navajo culture, hermaphrodites are called berache, which are transgender individuals. To the Navajo's gender as something someone can choose. They let people switch genders from there biologicaly one. They play a special role in the tribe, they are highly respected. Androgyny is one of the better ways to describe berache. pg 489. This view leaves out the discrimination that goes along with the transgender, transsexual, etc. movement. I would prefer a society where people can choose who they want to be. I find living in our society extremely hard as someone who knows who they are and what I think of myself. I think it is many times harder for those like the berache in our society because of the pressures that we had created ove the past years. The navajo culture is safer for people like the beraches to be who they truly are. []

I think Zora helps Cal accept his condition as reality and to embrace his true self. She is so strong willed and outspoken that Cal learns from her that he is ok the way he is. Coming from a father who wants a quick fix to make his daughter 'normal', I think Zora shows Cal that he needs to be the one who accepts himself before he tries to get others to accept him. Zora also gives Cal the historical background of hermaphrodites and reveals why he knows so much about the historical firgure and stories about them. Zora gives Cal the education on hermaphrodites that he needs to share his story. Zora also is the confidant who get Cal through everyday at work. She gives him the strenght and knowledge he needs to be a tough hermaphrodite.