The Spirit and the Flesh: Sexual Diversity in American Indian Culture

By Walter L. Williams and Walter Williams

Book Overview

Winner of the: Gay Book of the Year Award, American Library Association; Ruth Benedict Award, Society of Lesbian and Gay Anthropologists; Award for Outstanding Scholarship, World Congress for Sexology

Author's note: Shortly after the second revised edition this book was published in 1992, the term Two-Spirit Person became more popular among native people than the older anthropological term berdache. When I learned of this new term, I began strongly supporting the use of this newer term. I believe that people should be able to call themselves whatever they wish, and scholars should respect and acknowledge their change of terminology. I went on record early on in convincing other anthropologists to shift away from use of the word berdache and in favor of using Two-Spirit. Nevertheless, because this book continues to be sold with the use of berdache, many people have assumed that I am resisting the newer term. Nothing could be further from the truth. Unless continued sales of this book will justify the publication of a third revised edition in the future, it is not possible to rewrite what is already printed, Therefore, I urge readers of this book, as well as activists who are working to gain more respect for gender variance, mentally to substitute the term Two-Spirit in the place of berdache when reading this text. -- Walter L. Williams, Los Angeles, 2006

• Format: Paperback
• Language: English
• ISBN: 0807046159
• ISBN13: 9780807046159
• Release Date: April 1992
• Publisher: Beacon Press
• Length: 368 Pages
• Weight: 1.17 lbs.
• Dimensions: 0.8" x 6.0" x 9.0"

Customer Reviews

Truth about real people

I found the book to be of great worth - enlightened to the real history which was never recorded in the history books. Our American History is a lie because of Social acceptance. When so many cultures have embraced the truth about life - puritanical and ignorant religious teachings have robbed us of true life and acceptance of nature. I am proud to be an American but I am not proud of what Religious fright has done to us as a whole. Why are we so afraid of the religious? Who are they? Why do we bow to their every word? - I commend the author for telling us the truth. If anyone has any sense they will study history and see where religion has been used to control the minds of individuals throughout the past while other cultures have embraced what nature has created. Darwins Theory? or the Bible - which can be proven by geology and science. Miracles or proof! Fear or knowledge! You be the judge for yourself. Great job - great book of truth - FINALLY!

Eye and Mind Opening!

This is a MUST read for every gay man or woman! It should also be on the reading list for all people. We can learn so much from the American Indians and how to love and accept people for who and what they are and what God made them. A wonderful read and study guide to gay life.

Eye-opening, but reverse-biased

Let's clear one thing up: Author Walter Williams is not advocating man/boy love simply by discussing it in this book. He goes out of his way, in fact, to distinguish between societies with man/boy love traditions and the role of the Berdache in various native american societies. He correctly notes that the man/boy cultures are generally "warrior" cultures where women have low status, whereas the Berdache role is both feminine and esteemed as such, and only possible in a society where women's culture is esteemed. Reviewer "Gemini Walker" should read more carefully... Anyway, Williams' emphasis is on how many native American tribes had a respected, religion-based role for feminized males in their society. That said, I caution that if you're looking for a purely scholarly work, this isn't it; while well-researched, this book is also seasoned with Williams' flights of fancy about what might have happened between men in "fringe" cultures like Carribean Pirates and Wild West Cowboys. I admire Williams for making no secret about his bias, but I find his portrait of the Berdache somewhat idealistic, and unhindered by the dissapearence of its tribal context. I found myself plagued by questions of practicality regarding the role of the Berdache on a modern reservation. I also wish that he had explored parental attitudes towards their feminine-inclined male children in strongly self-identifying native american households which practice their tradional religion vs. parental attitudes of european-descent parents with strong attachment to their religion who also find themselves raising an effeminate male child.

GREAT

This is one of the best books you can find on this subject matter

Finally!!

Finally, I found a book that speaks the truth about my people. It is extremely rare to find books that cover the issues of the two-spirit people. Williams does an amazing job of fully researching the topic . . including living with/among the people he interviews. Read this book!