Androgyny
Androgyny is the possession of both masculine and feminine characteristics.[1] Androgyny may be expressed with regard to biological sex, gender identity, or gender expression.
For other uses, see Androgyny (disambiguation).
When androgyny refers to mixed biological sex characteristics in humans, it often refers to intersex people, who are born with congenital variations that complicate assigning their sex at birth. In comparison, hermaphroditism is the possession of both male and female reproductive organs.[2]
Regarding gender identity, androgynous individuals may identify as transgender or non-binary and use this as a form of gender expression, in which androgyny has fluctuated in popularity in different cultures and throughout history. Physically, an androgynous appearance may be achieved through personal grooming, fashion, or hormone treatment.
Androgyny in those who are assigned female at birth is suggested to contribute to positive mental health, although individual factors such as education and marital status may affect this.[3]
Etymology[edit]
The term derives from Ancient Greek: ἀνδρόγυνος, from ἀνήρ, stem ἀνδρ- (anér, andro-, meaning man) and γυνή (gunē, gyné, meaning woman) through the Latin: androgynus.[4]
The caduceus
Mercury symbol derived from the caduceus
A rebis from 1617
"Rose and Cross" androgyne symbol
Alternate "rose and cross" version
In the ancient and medieval worlds, androgynous people and/or hermaphrodites were represented in art by the caduceus, a wand of transformative power in ancient Greco-Roman mythology. The caduceus was created by Tiresias and represents his transformation into a woman by Juno in punishment for striking at mating snakes. The caduceus was later carried by Hermes/Mercury and was the basis for the astronomical symbol for the planet Mercury and the botanical sign for hermaphrodite. That sign is now sometimes used for transgender people.
Another common androgyny icon in the medieval and early modern period was the Rebis, a conjoined male and female figure, often with solar and lunar motifs. Still another symbol was what is today called sun cross, which united the cross (or saltire) symbol for male with the circle for female.[73] This sign is now the astronomical symbol for the planet Earth.[74]
