Berdache
Berdache (from French, from Arabic bardajo) is a generic term used by some for a third gender (woman-living-man) among many, if not most, Native American tribes. There are terms for these individuals in the various Native American languages, and the term "berdache" is frequently rejected as inappropriate and offensive by Native Americans.These individuals were often viewed as having two spirits. Their dress was usually mixture of male and female articles. They had distinct gender and social roles in their tribes. For instance, there was one ceremony during the Sun Dance that was performed only by a member of this group. (See winkte.)
Berdache performed specific social functions in their communities. Some were counselors, therapists of sorts, while others were shamans or spiritual functionaries. They studied skills including story telling, theater, magic, hypnotism, healing, herbal medicine, ventriloquism, singing, music and dance.
The word, though not universal, is most often used today to signify a traditional cross genderred "male" performing in a shamanic function in any society from Native American (with the above semantic caveat) to Siberian to Island-Pacific.
Some examples of Berdache or Two Spirit tradition in history include the Spanish conquistadors who met a two spirit shaman in every village they enterred in Central America and whom they then killed. The Hopis used to hold a ritual in which a 16 year old boy was dressed as the Corn Goddess. All the men of the village then performed anal sex with him in order to bring fertility to the corn crop for the year. Subsequently a huge feast was held in the youth's honor.
There are descriptions of berdache having strong mystical powers. In one account, warring braves of a rival tribe ride up to attack a group of foraging women when they perceive that one of the women, the one that does not run away, is a berdache. They halt their attack and retreat after the berdache counters them with a stick, determining that the berdache will have great power which they will not be able to overcome.
Today, groups of cross genderred men have picked up the tradition of the berdache and put them into practice. These groups include the Radical Fairies, the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence and others.
See also: List of transgender-related topics
See The Spirit and the Flesh: Sexual Diversity in American Indian Culture by Walter L. Williams http://www.ifge.org/books/spirit_and_flesh.htm