Berdashen

Berdashen (also spelled Berdashe, Berdache) is an archaic term historically used by European explorers, missionaries, and anthropologists to refer to Indigenous individuals in North America who did not conform to Western binary gender roles. The term is now considered outdated, offensive, and inaccurate.

It broadly attempted to categorize individuals, primarily men, who adopted the dress, occupations, or social roles associated with women in their culture. It also sometimes included women who took on male roles. However, it often imposed a foreign, Western understanding of gender and sexuality onto complex Indigenous social structures and spiritual beliefs.

The term is problematic for several reasons:

• Imposition of Western Categories: It attempts to fit diverse Indigenous practices into a narrow, Western understanding of gender and sexuality, failing to recognize the nuances and cultural significance of these roles.

• Misinterpretation of Roles: Indigenous roles often involved spiritual, social, and economic responsibilities distinct from Western conceptions of "man" or "woman." They were not simply mimicking the opposite gender.

• Negative Connotations: The term carries negative connotations due to its colonial origins and its association with the suppression of Indigenous cultures.

• Oversimplification: The term lumps together a wide variety of distinct roles and identities across different Indigenous nations, ignoring significant cultural differences.

Contemporary and respectful terminology for referring to these individuals is Two-Spirit. This term was adopted by Indigenous people to describe individuals who embody both male and female spirits, and it acknowledges the spiritual, cultural, and traditional roles these individuals hold within their communities. It is crucial to use Two-Spirit, or other specific terms used by particular Indigenous nations, instead of Berdashen.