An argument that is often used to justify radical ideologies about gender and sexuality today is the existence of so-called “third” genders in various cultures throughout history. “Third gender” refers to individuals who did not fully conform to the male and female norms of their cultures.

What Would You Say?

The next time someone claims that “even ancient cultures encouraged trans-identities,” remember these three things:

1. The label “third gender” is an anachronism forced upon people who actually presumed the reality of biological sex, gender roles, and the so-called “gender binary.”
2. Like so-called “third genders,” modern transgender ideology also relies on the “gender binary” that it claims to reject.
3. Ancient cultures didn’t always get it right.