[SIZE="2"]“Parts of mythology are religious, parts of mythology are historical, parts of mythology are poetical, but mythology as a whole is neither religion nor history, nor philosophy, nor poetry. It comprehends all these together under that peculiar form of expression which is natural and intelligible at a certain stage, or at certain recurring stages in the development of thought and speech, but which, after becoming traditional, becomes frequently unnatural and unintelligible.” (Max Müller)
How many of you are familiar with the myth of Hermaphroditus? Recently, on a whim, I got a book out of the local library that is all about the many Gods and Goddesses of Greece and Rome, in fact that is the title. Before I looked too closely at it I showed it to my sister (who knows I crossdress) – she skimmed through it, but abruptly stopped at a particular page. “Hey, look...” she said, “Hermaphroditus!” I told her I know all about the mythical boy/girl, in fact it’s one of the few myths I am familiar with, thanks to the highly entertaining Genesis song “The Fountain of Salmacis.”
Hermaphroditus was the son of Hermes and (love goddess) Aphrodite – his name is a symbolic combination of the two. When he was 15 years old he set out to travel the world – on his journey he found himself in a mystical forest. Coming to a hidden pool, he encountered the nymph Salmacis, who instantly fell in love with the boy. However, he rejected her. As he began to swim in the pool, Salmacis threw herself upon him and hugged him so tightly that they merged together into one androgynous body – both male and female. Obviously, this is the origin of the word hermaphrodite, but the myth is a none-too-subtle cautionary tale about gender roles in ancient Greece. According to the book I’m reading (The contributor is James M. Redfield):
“For the Greeks, gender differences prefigured social differences. People believed that men reached their perfect condition as philosopher-king while women achieved this state through marriage. Furthermore, men were in charge of government while women asserted their powers in the home and through the performance of certain rituals. Any variance from these rules – for instance, a cowardly man or a woman in authority – challenged the social and cosmic order. A creature belonging to both sexes was, therefore, profoundly threatening to this way of thinking.”
Sounds like nowadays, doesn’t it? Tell me - what’s so bad about androgyny?Mr. Redfield again:
“To say that the Greeks were afraid of anyone who merged the characteristics of male and female does not explain why people worshipped Hermaphroditus and represented him/her in their works of art. One reason for honoring him/her was that he or she represented in extreme form what people could aspire to only moderately. The extreme aspect of Hermaphroditus also suggests why people worshipped him or her alongside Pan, the god of the wild countryside, and the river god Achelous – fertile, erratic, and sometimes dangerous figures that evoked the powers of nature.”
Androgyny was an important part of Greek society, and it was often played out in annual rituals where males dressed as females. Is this because everyone feared the consequences of a union between male and female characteristics, so they sought a way to defuse these natural urges? In my mind, ancient Greece must have been an idyllic place where environment, sensibilities, and burgeoning human awareness merged, and some profound questions were being asked by a few intrepid individuals. Is it any wonder that androgyny was seen as something attractive, as well as destructive? Right at the time when the genders could have been woven together into a beautiful tapestry, society intervened and created the imaginary line that we, as males, must NOT cross if humanity is to survive...
As such, the myth of Hermaphroditus was created to warn everyone (especially young males) about the dangers that lurk in the (seemingly) dark forest of the soul. A myth is a traditional story of unknown authorship, ostensibly with a historical basis, but serving usually to explain some phenomenon of nature, the origins of man, or the customs, institutions, or religious rites of a people. In the case of our intrepid mythical hero, his or her androgyny can be explained by his alleged “wrong turn,” away from his birth gender, into the arms of effeminacy (in the form of a nymph). That explains it – he was lured away, against his will, and his own hidden desires had nothing to do with it. This begs the question: “Who is afraid of the powers of nature?” Perhaps SHE (nature) is being ignored, and androgyny is supposed to occur freely and naturally...
Why was this myth created in the first place? I’m guessing that any male who willfully wishes to incorporate feminine characteristics into his persona will become theoretically less useful to society, since males are expected to do certain MALE things. If one wishes to embrace female compassion, how willing will he be to fight for his community’s honor or way of life? What will happen to government if our androgynous he/she would rather frolic in the natural world he/she came from? Most importantly, what will happen to the house of cards that society is based upon if a person seeks a union along gender lines, thus dissipating the “rift” that supports the imaginary façade? No, you CANNOT turn away from being male, because everyone is depending on you. Hermaphroditus warns us to stay away from the “pool” where he underwent his transformation – the message (via the myth) is clear: don’t let what happened to me happen to you, for I am neither one thing nor the other, and thus not useful to anyone or any purpose...
And yet, people worship what they cannot attain, getting further and further away from that blessed “oneness” that beckons to us. I think MtF crossdressers can gain a lot of insight from this ancient mythology of androgyny, and maybe comfort themselves that is has never been easy to cross the gulf between the genders. Truth be told, it may NEVER get any easier, since we all represent a threat to civilization – if we give in to the powers of nature bad things will inevitably happen, at least that’s what everybody says or thinks, and THEY wish to preserve life as they know it. This is where it all began, in someone’s head, many centuries ago, and we are still the shunned, the put-upon, the unmentionable, and the “weeds” in the garden of humanity. But, if you ask me, we crossdressers are simply doing something that comes naturally, a form of questioning that seeks an answer, yearning for a feeling of closure that somehow opens up the “real” world. I say don’t deny your calling, and embrace your other “self” tightly – in other words, come together, in the truest sense of the word...
Is your crossdressing upsetting the “cosmic” order of things? That may very well be a MYTH...
Don’t forget that (MtF) crossdressing, as well as androgyny, is an extremely valid phenomenon of nature - it goes WAY back! By “wearing your inside out” you can become a hybrid being. Take a dip in the pool, and please don’t be afraid - I'll meet you in the forest...[/SIZE]
It does provide proof that our kind were present way back when. 
Carlene
If you don't like the way I'm livin', you just leave this long haired country girl alone: