Khanith
Encyclopedia
Khanith or Khaneeth is a vernacular Arabic term for both standard written Arabic mukhannath and khuntha. The Arabic word Mukhannath
مخنث (literally "effeminate") refers to individuals with a gender identity that is discordant with their visible sexual
organs. They are characterized as "effeminate", "not clearly male," and as people who were "born as a male" and who nevertheless feel, behave, and (in most cases) dress like a female. The Arabic word Khuntha خنثى (literally "hermaphrodite") refers to intersex
people.
John Money
summarizes material presented by U. Wikan in an article entitled "Man becomes woman: Transsexualism in Oman
as a key to gender role
s." (Man (N.S.) 12:304-319, 1977.) According to that account, the khanith is the gynecomimetic partner in a homosexual relationship. A gynecomimetic individual may retain his public status as a man, despite his departure in dress and behavior from a socio-normal male role, providing that he also gives proof of a legal marriage to a woman and proof of having consummated that marriage. The clothing of these individuals must be intermediate between that of a male and a female.
The word is also widely used as an insult in the Middle East; it is roughly equivalent to the word "faggot" in the American English vocabulary.
(See: John Money, Lovemaps, Prometheus Book, 1993. ISBN 0-87975-456-7.)
Mukhannathun
Mukhannathun is classical Arabic for people who would now be called transgender women, perhaps poorly distinguished from eunuchs. Various "mukhannathun" appear in several hadith. In one hadith the prophet Muhammad banishes a mukhannath to a region near Medina, but prohibits people from killing...
مخنث (literally "effeminate") refers to individuals with a gender identity that is discordant with their visible sexual
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
organs. They are characterized as "effeminate", "not clearly male," and as people who were "born as a male" and who nevertheless feel, behave, and (in most cases) dress like a female. The Arabic word Khuntha خنثى (literally "hermaphrodite") refers to intersex
Intersex
Intersex, in humans and other animals, is the presence of intermediate or atypical combinations of physical features that usually distinguish female from male...
people.
John Money
John Money
John William Money was a psychologist, sexologist and author, specializing in research into sexual identity and biology of gender...
summarizes material presented by U. Wikan in an article entitled "Man becomes woman: Transsexualism in Oman
Oman
Oman , officially called the Sultanate of Oman , is an Arab state in southwest Asia on the southeast coast of the Arabian Peninsula. It is bordered by the United Arab Emirates to the northwest, Saudi Arabia to the west, and Yemen to the southwest. The coast is formed by the Arabian Sea on the...
as a key to gender role
Gender role
Gender roles refer to the set of social and behavioral norms that are considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex in the context of a specific culture, which differ widely between cultures and over time...
s." (Man (N.S.) 12:304-319, 1977.) According to that account, the khanith is the gynecomimetic partner in a homosexual relationship. A gynecomimetic individual may retain his public status as a man, despite his departure in dress and behavior from a socio-normal male role, providing that he also gives proof of a legal marriage to a woman and proof of having consummated that marriage. The clothing of these individuals must be intermediate between that of a male and a female.
The word is also widely used as an insult in the Middle East; it is roughly equivalent to the word "faggot" in the American English vocabulary.
(See: John Money, Lovemaps, Prometheus Book, 1993. ISBN 0-87975-456-7.)