The construction of other genders by means of personal appearance in medieval Islam: the case of mukhannathūn (effeminates) and kuntha (hermaphrodites)

Authors

  • Hadas Hirsch Oranim Academic College

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.5617/acta.10451

Keywords:

adornment, jewellery, gender identities, Middle Ages, Islam, makhannathūn, kuntha

Abstract

This article focuses on two variations from the Muslim patriarchal binary system of females and males: mukhannathūn (those who display female behaviour and appearance while having male sex organs) and khuntha (those with a lack of or confused sex organs). These two categories were tolerated and represent an extension of the normative expected sex-gender spectrum of Islam. Personal appearance, in its broad meaning, is used as a tool for analysing the social-religious existence of mukhannathūn and khuntha within the community. The article concludes that jurists imposed a whole set of regulations, mixing male and female appearance, for the purpose of defining and differentiating these groups. These laws also enabled the religious and social existence of mukhannathūn and khuntha within Muslim communities. The patriarchal system preserved its power and protected itself while widening the binary male-female spectrum to include variations such as medial sex.

 

On cover:
Late Roman wall, the portion immediately south of the West Gate (Porta Oea) with re-used blocks from first-century mausolea (Drawing by Francesca Bigi) and Tombstone of Regina from South Shields (Arbeia) (Tyne and WearArchives and Museums/ Bridgeman Images).

E-ISSN (online version) 2611-3686

ISSN (print version) 0065-0900

Late Roman wall, the partition immediately south of the West Gate (Porta Oea) with reused blocks from first-century mausolea (Drawing by Francesca Bigi) and Tombstone of Regina from South Shields (Arbeia) (Tyneamd WearArchives and Museums/ Bridgeman Images)

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Published

2023-08-01

How to Cite

Hirsch, H. (2023) “The construction of other genders by means of personal appearance in medieval Islam: the case of mukhannathūn (effeminates) and kuntha (hermaphrodites)”, Acta ad archaeologiam et artium historiam pertinentia, 33(19 N.S.), pp. 387–403. doi: 10.5617/acta.10451.

Issue

Vol. 33 No. 19 N.S. (2021)

Section

Part 2: Adornment as Expression of Everyday Identity in Ancient and Medieval Life

License

Copyright (c) 2023 This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

Creative Commons License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial 4.0 International License.

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