Is It True That Judaism Has Eight Genders?
The Talmud does not recognize a concept of "gender" as distinct from sex. The Talmud rather upholds Genesis 1:27, which says "And God created man in His image; in the image of God He created him; male and female He created them." There are two sexes in Judaism & its Talmud - not eight sexes or "genders."
What some have construed as the Talmud "recognizing multiple genders" in Mishnah Bikkurim and Yebhamot is actually conflation of Talmud-described sexual conditions — the two normal ones ("zachar" for men, "nekevah" for women), and six states of sexual disorder, with contemporary gender theory.
What some have called "genders" are actually:
- androgynos — hermaphraditism
- tumtum — obscuring of genitals
- aylonit hamah — a woman who either lacks a womb or has a hormonal imbalance
- aylonit adam — a man with an injury that prevents sexual development
- saris hamah — a naturally sterile/impotent man
- saris adam — a castrated man
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