Most of them are ancient souls, acutely aware of an inherent unity of feminine/female, and masculine/male energies and qualities within themselves that manifests as the union of opposites in every area of their lives. The Classical Greeks called them "Androgynes"; i.e. persons who are both genders, in the same body, at the same time. Blessed with an existence that they cannot evade, or conceal (for very long, without suffering self-harm), they are both valued, and vilified by their fellow humans. They are the subject of myths predating history, and their heritage goes back to the very foundation of the universe; yet, while history has exhibited a perennial fascination (and, oftentimes, an infatuation) with them, humanity has consistently demonstrated a perplexity and misunderstanding about androgynes.


To Be, or Not To Be Androgyne

      The world's general perplexity, and misunderstanding about androgynes frequently promotes adverse social behaviour towards them, to such an extent that most of them try to conform to convention, making a sincere, concerted effort to exist in either one realm, or another, (i.e. to be either boys or girls, men or women). However, androgynes can't sustain this effort for very long without suffering psychological, and emotional harm, [with physical health components, the whole of which can take decades to heal], and experiencing incomplete, unfulfilled, and dissatisying relationships with family, friends, and lovers.

      Although they do not have the vocabulary in early childhood to qualify who they are, most of them are aware they are androgyne by the time they enter primary schooling, (circa 4-5 years old); by that age, their particular struggles with gender conformity have often already begun. They usually give up the search for others like themselves at an early age; it seems this planet is a divided world, and is intent on staying that way, so they do their best to adjust to it, to assimilate into the social "norms" of this world; albeit unable to divest themselves of the innate understanding of who they are, (or to be truly at peace with such assimilation when it involves self- and/or social denial of their true Nature). Some of them just "bite the bullet", and maintain "the mask" for generations, while many of them realize they're indulging in psychological, and emotional self-deterioration by maintaining the mask, and develop healthy ways of living [harmoniously with the world while being] true to themselves; (most frequently at great social and personal [relationship] expense). Too many of them commit suicide, unable to persist in conformity, or to achieve self-liberation.

      Fortunately, some androgynes are born into families, and/or communities/cultures, (e.g. most Native American/First Nations, and other indigenous nations) that recognize who they are, and encourage them to fully realize their existence, and the subtle, powerful gifts they bear for the good of their communities, and this world.  Hence, like a golden thread woven into the fabric of the status quo, there is a global androgyne community.


Androgyne in Community

      The androgyne-born community is as diverse as any other human community. Into all ethnic groups, they are born female, male, and/or intersexed/hermaphrodite--although it may be appropriate to scientifically qualify intersexed persons as androgynous, (because they genetically represent both sexes), to summarily, or categorically qualify intersexed persons as androgynes is grossly fallacious. Furthermore, "androgyne" is not synonymous with "homosexual", "gay", "lesbian", "bisexual", "transsexual", or "transgender"; i.e. they are heterosexual, and non-heterosexual; all sexual orientations have androgynes among them. Some androgynes are [female-to-male, or male-to-female] transsexual -- but, the vast majority of them are not; (the ratio of androgynes who are "trans" is probably relative to the percentage of trans persons evident within the general population--simply transgender androgynes being a thereof larger demographic than transsexuals who are so, in proportion to the world general transgender:transsexual ratio). They are artists, and politicians, scientists, and sanitation engineers, clerics, couch potatoes, educators, geeks, farmers, slackers et al. With respect to Consciousness, the primary difference between androgynes and other humans is simply that they do not, and indeed cannot fully live life singularly as either men, or woman because they are, and must live as both genders, (regardless of which restroom they use).

As you might imagine, (if you are not an androgyne), this profile ain't easy; if you are androgyne, most likely you know it isn't. However, imagine sawing yourself in half, from crown to crotch, then trying to get about in the world with only the left half of your body, or the right. Hmmmm. As we all [androgynes, and non-androgynes] learn more, and more as we grow older, it is far easier to be ourselves and, thus, fulfill our lives, and other people's lives here on this world than it is to mask our Nature.


Nature of Androgyne

      Some persons have the stamp of the androgyne indelibly imprinted on their consciousness, and upon their bodies [ergo DNA] at birth, however the Nature of the androgyne is much wider in scope that the stereotypes, (and is not confined to persons who are born with an overt duality of gender). The Nature of the androgyne entails an union of opposites within that both affords and requires a great degree of self awareness, self acceptance, and self actuality, (beyond fear of Source, Self, and others) to Be fully expressed in and as one's individual life.

      To live the androgyne Nature is to experience the breadth of human being-ness within oneself. It is through the process of becoming self aware that the individual is enabled to embrace, and to integrate the (apparently) opposite poles of the psyche, thus awakening the Nature of the androgyne within her/his consciousness. In this manner, the masculine-feminine, anima-animus, intellect-intuition, analytic-Gestalt, left hemisphere-right hemisphere [of the brain], Yang-Yin, Time-Space, Light-Dark, Creative-Receptive, God-Goddess, Heaven-Earth... become One within the person and, paraphrasing the Holy Bible's New Testament), he/she becomes renewed in the Spirit of the mind, hence, the soul/psyche and, in varying degrees, the body -- please, understand that, other than a noticeable increase in vitality, and regenerative capacity, and [typically] in the expression of balance, or personal harmony iwithn the body language, voice, and the cast of the eyes, this internal transformation does not imply overt changes in one's physical [e.g. sexual] characteristics.
 

Becoming Actualized as Androgyne

      Although some persons have androgyny thrust upon them at birth, (impacting them spiritually, mentally, psychically and physically), and although most persons who incarnate in this manner become aware of their fundamental androgyne nature early on, [being awakened by It rather than awakening It], they too must go through many stages of self evolution to become fully conscious of who they are, to become self actualizing [as people who happen to be androgynes], and to become the vital Force they are born to be in our respective communities, globally. In fact, the process of engendering the quality of the androgyne Nature within non-androgynes, and that of fully actualizing one's Nature as an androgyne-born is generally the same; it's an individual process of evolving consciousness requiring years of total commitment to becoming the highest, and best that we can perceive ourselves to be; in the face of chronic misunderstanding, and criticism from the world outside ourselves and, (until we resolve it, ), the fear of rejection and ostracism, within ourselves. Truly, [foregoing homicide], the fear of the Transformation is the killer, not the self evolution; evolving liberates, fear incarcerates, (and the self-made prison is the worst kind; it's the most difficult one to self-perceive). Fortunalely, for self-imprisoned androgynes, there is the work of Dr. June Singer, and others that enable them to acquire the self-awareness enabling them to drop their shackles, and to become at ease about who they are, why they are here, and what they have to offer to their families, to the local communities, and to the world.


Dr. Singer's Comprehensive Perspective
(A must read for all who truly wish to understand the androgyne. and her, or his rightful place in society.)

      (Among the growing number of books on this subject, one which the trust recommends is "Androgyny..." by June Singer, Ph.D.. [From the liner notes in the Anchor Press/Doubleday paperback edition, ISBN: 0-385-11026-X]

"'Dr. Singer explores various systems of ancient wisdom as well as revolutionary discoveries of Twentieth Century science, and offers deep insights into the nature of the masculine and feminine principles in the universe and their mutual interrelationships.' Stanislaus Grof, M.D., Esalen Institute".

Excellent reading for androgynes, and non-androgynes alike, even more so, it is a book which can assist us all in becoming more familiar, and interactive with our full Nature as human beings, regardless of our personal gender, and/or sexual orientation.)

Androgyne: The Union of Opposites Within--An Internet Study

      It is to the understanding of the Nature of androgynes and androgyny that the following page is devoted. The links thereon are to web pages [hopefully, most still active] that examine the Nature of the androgyne intelligently and informatively. Some of these pages do this extensively, and others only briefly, some of them simply include references to substantial reading material on the subject of androgynes and/or androgyny, but are cool, or informative pages nonetheless, and some address androgynes in the contexts of intersexuality, and transsexuality. The principle criterion for inclusion in this list is scholarly content that shines light on the darkness of ignorance, and/or misunderstanding regarding the primary subjects to which these pages are devoted, whether those subjects are literary, religious/spiritual, sex and/or gender related, or otherwise. They are grouped generally, though not in any particular order, most are in English, some are in French; they all possess an high level of quality of content. Hopefully, this study will help non-androgynes to become more aware of the scope of human being-ness, as well as the natural role androgynes globally fulfill in society; in addition to helping androgynes to become more aware of the treasures they truly are.