Transgender History Flashcards
Eunuch
A man who was castrated, often serving in royal courts or religious institutions. Eunuchs were trusted in important roles because they couldn’t have children and were seen as less of a threat to rulers.
Byzantine
Relating to the Eastern Roman Empire, which lasted from 330 to 1453 AD, centered around its capital, Constantinople. Known for its rich culture, complex politics, and influence on art, religion, and law.
Asceticism
A lifestyle of strict self-discipline and abstaining from physical pleasures, often for spiritual or religious reasons.
Menologion of Basil II
An illuminated Byzantine manuscript, created around 1000 AD for Emperor Basil II, depicting the lives of saints and religious feasts, used as a calendar of saints’ days in the Orthodox Church.
Recumbent
Lying down or reclining, often in a relaxed or resting position.
Bier
A frame or stand used to hold a coffin or a corpse, typically during a funeral or memorial service.
Emperor Elagabalus
A Roman emperor who ruled from 218 to 222 AD, known for his extravagant lifestyle, religious controversies, and attempts to promote the worship of the sun god Elagabal. He expressed a desire to adopt a female identity, often dressing in women’s clothing and seeking surgery for gender reassignment. His reign was marked by political instability, and he was assassinated at a young age.
Dio Cassius
A Roman historian and senator who lived from approximately 155 to 235 AD. He is best known for his work, “Roman History,” a comprehensive account of Rome’s history from its legendary founding to the early third century, providing valuable insights into Roman politics, society, and military affairs.
Mary of Egypt
A 4th-century Christian figure known for her life of extreme repentance. After living as a prostitute, she sought redemption by retreating to the desert, where she lived in solitude for decades. She is venerated as a saint in the Orthodox Church, symbolizing the power of repentance and spiritual transformation. Suspected transgender to to more masculine depictions of her in art.
Himation
A traditional garment worn in ancient Greece, typically a rectangular piece of cloth draped over the body, often over a tunic. It was used by both men and women and served as a versatile outer garment, providing warmth and protection.
Pompadour
A hairstyle characterized by sweeping the hair upwards and back from the forehead, often voluminous and styled high. It became particularly popular in the 18th century, associated with Madame de Pompadour, the mistress of King Louis XV of France.
Chiton
A simple, ancient Greek garment made from a rectangular piece of fabric, typically worn by both men and women. It was fastened at the shoulders and belted at the waist, serving as a versatile and comfortable piece of clothing.
Zosimas
A Christian monk and saint, traditionally associated with the life of Mary of Egypt. He is known for encountering Mary in the desert, where she shared her story of repentance and spiritual transformation. Zosimas is venerated in the Orthodox Church for his role in her narrative and for his own ascetic life.
Theodore Psalter
An illuminated manuscript of the Psalms created in the 11th century, attributed to the Byzantine monk Theodore. It is notable for its artistic illustrations and rich decorations, reflecting the theological and artistic traditions of the Byzantine Empire. The Psalter is used in the Orthodox Christian liturgy and is valued for its historical significance.
Aetios of Amida
A 6th-century Byzantine physician and medical writer known for his contributions to medical literature, particularly the work titled “Tetrabiblos,” which is a compilation of medical knowledge and practices of his time. His writings combined Greek medical traditions with contemporary medical practices and were influential in the field of medicine during the Byzantine era.
Saint Agatha
A Christian martyr and saint from the 3rd century, venerated for her steadfast faith and courage. She is known for resisting advances from a Roman official and enduring severe torture, including mutilation, before her death. Saint Agatha is the patron saint of breast cancer patients, bakers, and nurses, and her feast day is celebrated on February 5th.
Lunellum
A crescent-shaped knife that was used in medieval times to prepare parchment. The word is derived from Latin luna because of its shape.
Paul of Aegina
A 7th-century Byzantine physician and medical writer known for his influential work, the “Epitome of Medicine,” which compiled and summarized medical knowledge from earlier sources. His writings covered various medical topics, including surgery, pharmacology, and diseases, and served as an important reference in medieval medicine. Paul of Aegina is often recognized for his contributions to the development of medical practice in the Byzantine Empire.
Anachronistic
Something that is placed in a time period where it does not belong, often resulting in a chronological inconsistency. This term is commonly used in literature, art, and history to describe elements that are out of their appropriate historical context.
Aristotle view on intersex
Thought that the intersexed person was one gender but had extra parts
Hippocrates view on intersex
Believed gender was a spectrum and that the intersexed person was a “perfect balance of male and female”
(Saint Gregory of Nyssa view on intersex
Differentiation of sexes occurred only after the fall of man. Adam and Eve then became their sexes - male and female
Saint Augustine of Hippo view of sex/intersex
Adam and Eve were always sexed beings (male and female) who could have sexual relations before the fall of man without lust. Treatise discussing this ( The Literal Meaning of Genesis)
Archbishop Isidore of Seville (d. 636)
Wrote the widely influential Etymologies, which discussed hermaphrodites as portents (ascribed to divine will)
Spanish Archbishop Jimenez de Rada d.1247
Breviary in Catholic history emphasizes that in genesis the pronoun “him” should be interpreted as “they” = two beings (male and female)
13th century philosopher Henry of Ghent
Also stressed Adam and Eve were not one being - not intersexed
Alan of Lille
Wrote De planctu naturae (The Complant of Nature) in 1160s or 1170s, and discussises hermaphrodism. He considers that language should have a third pronoun “neuter”
Pseudo- Galenic’s De spermate
A medical treatise about reproduction that remained influential in the early modern period. Written 1050, maybe 13th century.
Ambrose Pare
French surgeon, wrote Des monstres et Prodiges (On Monsters and Prodigies 1573) which discusses the “ monstrous female labia” a part of the book considered dangerous
Saint Paul view on intersex
“There is neither Jew nor Greek: neither bond nor free: neither male or female: for you are all one in Christ Jesus”
Jacques Dalechamps
French professor of medicine. Promoted nymphotomia, but identification of feature was incorrect, cutting out clitoris instead.
Realdo Colombo
First person to correctly identify the clitoris as the site of female sexual pleasure since antiquity
