For the Diĝirene,Theoi & Kami

*this is specifically related to practicing aspects of the ancient religion not just worshipping Greek Gods. I personally call this "Hellenic Thriskeía" based on the Greek language name for the modern religion— info.

I am not a religious authority of any kind. I have no higher eduction in classics. These are my ideas that I want to share. This is a highly edited version of an old post that I no longer like.

Greek God = Theos (singular) Theoi (plural)

Know you do not need to suddenly know everything to begin worship— studying & worship can happen side by side.

🌺A Basic Act of Worship

"Ancient texts and material finds attest to its quintessential role for the libation, the most ubiquitous ritual in Greek antiquity. The religious act of intentionally pouring out liquids, whether water, wine, milk or honey, onto the ground, an altar or another surface was performed on numerous occasions" — The Greek Libation Bowl as Embodied Object by Milette Gaifman pg 450 Link

A libation is a ritual outpouring of liquids. Libations were part of all sacrifices but could also be performed as independent rituals. The common terms for the rituals are spondai and choai. The former term is most frequent and referred to a controlled outpouring of a small amount of liquid for the Olympian gods by the help of a jug and a phiale. Choai were poured out entirely and were used for libations to the gods of the underworld, the heroes and the dead. — Libations, Greek by Gunnel Ekroth Abstract

Whether you do separate techniques for "Olympian" vs "Khthonic" is up to you. I don't since many Gods can be considered both depending on the situation, like Hermes.

The most common liquid for this is red wine, but water, honey, milk, or oil are also common. — Link

🔹I’m using Zeus as an example.

Wash hands.

Prepare a glass of water or other liquid

Go to the altar if you have one

Wipe hands with Khernips [if you use it, see below]

Sprinkle Khernips lightly on the altar space [if you use it]

“O Mighty Zeus, King of the Gods, you are strong and powerful. I have come to honor you”

Hold up the glass of water

“Zeus, Lord of lightning, I offer you this water out of gratitude and love. I have given to you before and I will give to you again”

Pour the water slowly either into a separate bowl, onto the ground, into a fire, or down a clean sink.

“Zeus, strong and powerful, I ask that you help me get through today’s conference call. I thank you and say farewell.”

🔹Simpler form:

Wash hands

Take glass of water and hold it up

“Zeus you are mighty and powerful, I seek your help for this meeting, this water I have brought is to show my desire to honor you”

Pour water out into bowl, ground, fire, or clean sink.

“Thank you, Zeus, King of the Gods”

🔹For those of us with minimal energy you can do this at a sink or in a shower:

The above is important because it builds reciprocity Kharis— the relationship between Theoi and mortals info (by @/verdantlyviolet)

🌺 Altars

Altars in Ancient Greece were places of sacrifice and ritual worship

...vases began to depict altars in a variety of scenes. These altars were shown either in the context of standard mythological vignettes that were set at or near an altar or in scenes of cult activities, libations, offerings and/or sacrifices focused at an altar. This fairly common practice was continued on red-figured and white ground vases through the mid-fourth century B.C. — Blazing Altars: The Representation of Altars in Attic Vase Painting" By David W. Rupp Link

They were located in land/area specificlly set aside for the worship of the Theoi

A Greek cult-place needed to be set off from the surroundings, to be a temenos, but also to have an altar or a sacrificial installation. This was the bare minimum for its effective use as a location where communication with the divine sphere could be achieved. A temple or a statue of the god was not a prerequisite. — Rings, Pits, Bone and Ash: Greek Altars in Context by Gunnel Ekroth Link

An altar, therefore, constitutes the emblem for holy ground, the presence of the gods and the connection with the divine — same as above

Thus modern altars are used to commune with the divine, a place for them in your home & life, and a place to present offerings & libations. Whether you want to call in an altar, a shrine, or a scared space in English is up to you.

To set up an altar:

Intentionally designate a space for your worship, big or small, and make sure it is clean.

While this is not necessary it is frequently used in modern worship: Choose an item for the Theoi you wish to worship. Such as a picture of them, a statue, or some other object. Place it in that space.

Add anything you might like: candle, incense, flowers, cloth to cover surface, decorations, etc.

Many Hellenic Polytheists will also keep Khernips (by @/forthegloryofthetheoi) purified water on their altar. Though this is not necessary— post here. About purity vs consecration here (by @/sisterofiris)

You might keep a cup and bowl for libations at this space

You might keep a prayer book or religious journal here also

🌺Further Worship Aspects

Say longer prayers and use supplication, supplication is a natural part of Kharis Guides here.

Offer food, which can be similar to the libation formula. Hellenic Polytheists disagree on what to do with the food afterwards which is why I always suggest a libation at the beginning.

Say a prayer when lighting incense to state that it as an offering.

Meditate at the altar. Let thoughts and presence of the Theoi help calm your soul.

Dance or sing for the Theoi at your altar or play them music.

Read the myths aloud to the Theoi.

🌺Reconstructed or Common Practices

🔹I highly suggest Labrys Household Worship book here is an article that has a lot of the book.

🔹Practice the 3 day new month rituals

Hekate Deipnon, Noumenia, and Agathos Daimon,

Info here (by @/verdantlyviolet), here from Labrys, here from Hellenion.

🔹Create a Kathiskos.

I’m not sure if this is truly historical, see here (by @/verdantlyviolet) however it is used often by recon/revive Hellenic Polytheists. Guide from Hellenion. Video Guide (by @/baringtheaegis.)

🔹Following a reconstructed calendar

These can include regular days scheduled for a particular Theos. Almost all are based off the Ancient Attic calendar. Here is Hellenion's version. There is an app to track the Attic calendar and it overlays Hellenion's festivals/month days (but you can toggle that off) here. Also the HMEPA Calendar Here.

🔹Partake in modern versions of Ancient Festivals

The Hellenic Polytheist community celebrates a variety of different reconstructed festivals. Which you partake in may be dependent on which Theoi you wish to honor. There are practically an endless number.

Common ones I've seen are Dionysia, Anthesteria (by @/khaire-traveler), Theogamia, among others.

HMEPA Compiled List | Hellenion Compiled List (with some modern) | Elaion Compiled List (Yearly & Monthly)

🔹Do not stress about calendars or festivals this is just an idea.

🌺Miscellaneous

Practicing Xenia, hospitality, is considered a ubiquitous aspect of this religion see here. Xenia is not a synonym for "social justice." It is an aspect of Greek culture, referred to as Philoxenia in modern times.

Miasma is not something humans incur unless you commit heinous acts. Lyma is the naturally occuring "dirtiness" of everyday life that can be removed away by washing your hands. Info here (by @/sisterofiris)

The "7 Pillars of Hellenimos" are a modern concept created by a bigot and are in no way a necessary part of this religion. See here & here.

You may wish to study the classical philosophers of Ancient Greece

Here is a big list of resources including multiple Google Drives of information on Hellenic Polytheism.

Avoid YSEE organization they are Greek ethnic-nationalists info

Avoid HellenicFaith website for its immense disrespect of Greek people and culture info

🌺Some Ideas for Choosing Theoi to begin with:

You do not need a Theos to "call to you"; you don't need divination to pick one; you don't need divination to "confirm" if you picked the right one. You can literally just pick any. The Theoi permeated life in ancient Greece and people worshipped the ones of their family and settlement.

I’m not trying to overwhelm anyone I’m just trying to give a whole group of ideas for people. I suggest Theoi.com for easy access info on the Theoi but also be cautious of some information due to its age info (by @/dionysiandevotee)

🔹You could start with Hestia because she is Goddess of the home and thus an excellent place to start in my opinion.

🔹Zeus and Hera the King and Queen of The Theoi

🔹A Theos related to your work/studies. Examples:

Apollon or Asklepios for the health care field

Hermes for communication or information technology fields

Gaia for environmental fields

Themis, Dike, Zeus for legal fields

Athena, Metis, or Sophia for general studies

Hephestios for engineering fields

Rhea, Artemis, Apollon, Hera, or Zeus for parenthood

Nyx if you work the “graveyard shift”

🔹A Theos related to something you want to improve in your life. Examples:

Aphrodite or the Khairtes for self-love or if you struggle with body image issues

Hermes or Iris for communication abilities or interpersonal conflict

Hygeia for struggles with hygiene or disorganization

The Nymphai for building environmental sustainable life habits

Sophrosyne or Dionysos for substance abuse (You cannot convince me that his realm of drinking excludes moderation or elimination if it is a problem for a worshipper)

Demeter, Hestia, Hephaistos, Pan, Artemis for any problems surrounding food

Hypnos for sleep hygiene or sleep disorders

Soteria for easing fears

Hermaphroditos, Aphrodite, Dionysos, for LGBTQ identity and issues

🔹A Theos related to things you want to do. Examples:

Athena for weaving or other handcrafts

The Mousai for learning an instrument

Themis or Dike for activism work

Nike for sports

Apollon for divination

Poseidon for ocean or water activities

Hermes for writing

There are many more bullets that could be added and Theoi that could be added to each of the existing bullet points. Especially when epithets come into play.

🌺Modern Worship Ideas

You don't have to do any of these, they are simply ideas I conjured up in my mind that I thought I'd share.

🔹Which ever of the Theoi you chose simply give them a libation once a day with a short prayer. You can pick a time or better yet an activity to make it consistent. For example, do it directly after you finish getting dressed. Do it right before you eat breakfast or dinner. Do it before you get ready for bed. Etc, that way it stays consistent and you always have a reminder.

🔹Surrounding the passage of the day/time. The prayers can be very short letting you do them by simply pausing for a minute or two. You can offer a simple libation in the morning and/or night with the prayer.

Prayer to Hemera or Helios in the morning

Prayer Example: “Beautiful Hemera, I thank you for this day, I seek your favor and honor you with my actions. Good morning.”

Prayer to Nyx or Selene at night

Prayer to Helios at noon if you don’t pray to him in the morning.

Prayer Example: “Shining Helios, as you reach your peak this day, I remember you, I thank you for your life giving light.”

Incorporation of 12-Horai such as Mesembria at noon, Dysis at sundown, not sure if Auge would be dawn and Anatole sunrise—but you get the idea.

Prayer to one of the 4-Horai each day of the season we are in— Kheimon for Winter, Phthinophôron for Autumn, Eiar for Spring, and Theros for Summer

🔹Surrounding daily activities.

Prayer to Hemera or Auge upon waking

Prayer to Hygeia before showering or brushing teeth

Prayer Example: “Gentle laughing Hygeia, I enter this shower so I may cleanse myself. I remember your beauty and wish to honor you with my actions, so you may look favorably upon me”

Prayer to Apollon or other health Theoi when you take your medication (if you have it)

Prayer to Hestia at mealtime or before cooking

Prayer Example: “Hestia, first and last among the Olympians, home maker, I cook this food through your strength and thank you for this flame. May my body be replenished”

Prayer to Hermes, Hekate, or Apollon Argyieus, or Soteria when leaving house

Prayer to a Theos related to work/education as you arrive at work or school.

Prayer to a Theos related to a hobby or leisure activity when you start it

Prayer to Hypnos when you go to bed

You can make any combination that would follow the path of your daily activities; it could be any number too this is just an example. And perhaps one libation in the morning or night

🔹Focus on the “Household Gods” which I linked info above to Labrys' Book. Also here (by @/wayfind-er)

Hestia

Zeus Ktesios — Info (@/thegrapeandthefig)

Zeus Herkeios

Apollon Argyieus

Hermes

Hekate

Δημήτηρ Μέλαινα🐍🌾🐴

Mount Elaios is some thirty stades away from Phigalia [in Arkadia] and has a cave sacred to Demeter surnamed Melaina (Black). The Phigalians accept the account of the people of Thelpousa about the mating of Poseidon and Demeter, but they assert that Demeter gave birth, not to a horse, but to Despoine (the Mistress), as the Arkadians call her. Afterward, they say, angry with Poseidon and grieved at the rape of Persephone. She put on black apparel and shut herself up in this cavern for a long time. But when all the fruits of the earth were perishing, and the human race dying yet more through famine, no god, it seemed, knew where Demeter was in hiding, until Pan, they say, visited Arkadia. Roaming from mountain to mountain as he hunted, he came at last to Mount Elaios and spied Demeter, the state she was in, and the clothes she wore. So Zeus learnt this from Pan, and sent the Moirai (Fates) to Demeter, who listened to the Moirai and laid aside her wrath, moderating her grief as well. For these reasons, the Phigalians say, they concluded that this cavern was sacred to Demeter and set up in it a wooden image. The image, they say, was made after this fashion. It was seated on a rock, like to a woman in all respects save the head. She had the head and hair of a horse, and there grew out of her head images of serpents and other beasts. Her tunic reached right to her feet; on one of her hands was a dolphin, on the other a dove. Now why they had the image made after this fashion is plain to any intelligent man who is learned in traditions. They say that they named her Melaina (Black) because the goddess had black apparel. They cannot relate either who made this wooden image or how it caught fire. But the old image was destroyed, and the Phigalians gave the goddess no fresh image, while they neglected, for the most part, her festivals and sacrifices until the barrenness fell on the land Then they went as suppliants to the Pythian priestess and received this response :

‘Azanian Arkadians, acorn-eaters, who dwell in Phigaleia, the cave that hid Deo, who bare a horse, you have come to learn a cure for grievous famine, who alone have twice been nomads, alone have twice lived on wild fruits. It was Deo who made you cease from pasturing, Deo who made you pasture again after being binders of corn and eaters of cakes, because she was deprived of privileges and ancient honors given by men of former times. And soon will she make you eat each other and feed on your children, unless you appease her anger with libations offered by all your people, and adorn with divine honors the nook of the cave.’

When the Phigalians heard the oracle that was brought back, they held Demeter in greater honor than before, and particularly they persuaded Onatas of Aigina, son of Mikon, to make them an image of Demeter at a price" - Pausanias, Description of Greece 8. 42. 1-13

My favourite part in this account recorded by Pausanias is the oracle's message to the Phigalians. To me, it's metal as hell.

Inana, she had what can be described as ‘queer’ priests. She is concerned with all sexuality, gender, and fertility of our world. In one of the famous hymns by Enheduana various abilities of Inana are listed including: “To turn a man into a woman and a woman into a man are yours, Inana.”

Nanaya is another Goddess within the realm of sexuality and describes herself as “Heavy breast in Dadumu and a beard in Babylon […] yet I am still Nanaya” referencing her ability to be seen as both man and woman.

Additionally, you might pray for specific issues:

LGBTQ legal battles? Utu the Sun god of truth and justice. Gibil /Girra god of fire, “builder of cities.”

LGBTQ persecution be it family or society? Nanše who cares for the disadvantaged.

Transitioning process? Gula / Ninisina, “the Great Doctor” who goes by many names, her son Damu associated with healing.

Non-supportive parents? Ninḫursaĝa or any of the many many mother goddesses. Ĝeštinana a wise old women and motherly figure.

For personal protection Lama (Akkadian Lammasu) female protective deities. [Edit] Alad is the male protective deity (Akkadian Šēdu)

—Others—

Enki: master of civilization, friend of man, ruler of the Abzu the source of all fresh water that sustains us all no matter who we are. Additionally, Damikina / Damgalnuna: his wife, an intercessor between Enki and humans, also considered a Mother Goddess

Dumu-zi-abzu: “Good child of the Abzu,” She is a local village goddess and also associated with the water that sustains us no matter who we are. I add her alongside Enki in case you specifically want a Goddess.

Enlil: King of the Gods, he holds the Tablet of Destinies. Additionally, Ninlil: His wife who is often the intercessor between humans and Enlil, also considered a Mother Goddess

Discussing Trans-Exclusive Radical Feminism and the views of the Gods is not "speaking for the Gods,"—it is looking at facts and information and drawing completely reasonable conclusions that squarely put the foundations of trans-exclusion in opposition to the Gods.

(definitely not audio proof read, sorry for the dyslexia)

🌿Aphrodite & Venus🌿

Aphroditos (or Aphroditus) is Aphrodite with male characteristics including a penis and/or beard.

A cult of Aphrodite included a bearded Aphrodite at Amathus, Cyprus on a high cliff temple. [Wikipedia citing Macrobius, Saturnalia III]

Her relationship with bisexuality (referring to being dual sex not sexual orientation in this paper), androgyny, and transvestism is also documented in Cyprus:

— Aphrodite in the Theogony by William Sale in Transactions and Proceedings of the American Philological Association Vol. 92 X

(Sorry for the shitty screenshot JSTOR did not want to work with me)

This worship of Aphrodite with a penis was also seen as equal to Venus:

There's also a statue of Venus on Cyprus, that's bearded, shaped and dressed like a woman, with scepter and male genitals, and they conceive her as both male and female. Aristophanes calls her Aphroditus, and Laevius says: Worshiping, then, the nurturing god Venus, whether she is male or female, just as the Moon is a nurturing goddess. In his Atthis Philochorus, too, states that she is the Moon and that men sacrifice to her in women's dress, women in men's, because she is held to be both male and female." — Macrobius (c. 400s AD), Saturnalia 3.8.2

🌿Hermaphroditos🌿

There is also the "intersex child of Aphrodite & Hermes" named Hermaphroditos.

I have seen many use Hermaphroditos as an excuse to wipe away the Goddess Aphrodite with a penis that the ancients worshipped. Which doesn't even make sense because I hate to break it to you— Hermaphroditos also opposes TERF ideology by its nature. A God existing as intersex/bisexed/dual-sex/bigender (however you'd like to word it) negates the idea that the Gods somehow support the ridged biological essentialism and gender binary that TERF ideology necessitates.

There are different accounts of Hermaphroditos' creation but one, Ovids, tells of him merging with a nymph and then asking his parents to make the water transformative causing men to have thr effeminate bodies like women:

Her prayer found gods to hear; both bodies merged in one, both blended in one form and face. As when a gardener sets a graft and sees growth seal the join and both mature together, thus, when in the fast embrace their limbs were knit, they two were two no more, nor man, nor woman--one body then that neither seemed and both. So when he saw the waters of the pool, where he had dived a man, had rendered him half woman and his limbs now weak and soft, raising his hands, Hermaphroditus cried, his voice unmanned, ‘Dear father [Hermes] and dear mother [Aphrodite], both of whose names I bear, grant me, your child, that whoso in these waters bathes a man emerge half woman, weakened instantly.’ Both parents hears; both, moved to gratify their bi-sexed son, his purpose to ensure, drugged the bright water with that power impure." — Ovid, Metamorphoses 4. 28 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.)

🌿More on Aphroditos vs Hermaphroditos read @theoi-crow's excellent post about them here.

Also some lovely statues:

Marble copy statue from a fresco at Herculaneum, Italy. X (left)

Statue from Pergamum, Turkey. X (center)

Statue from Nymph Sanctuary in Lacori, Italy X (right)

Statue from Pompeii, Italy X

🌿Inana & Ishtar🌿

From a hymn to Inana

To open up roads and paths, a place of peace for the journey, a companion for the weak, are yours, Inana. To keep paths and ways in good order, to shatter earth and to make it firm are yours, Inana. To destroy, to build up, to tear out and to settle are yours, Inana. To turn a man into a woman and a woman into a man are yours, Inana. Desirability and arousal, goods and property are yours, Inana. Gain, profit, great wealth and greater wealth are yours, Inana. Gaining wealth and having success in wealth, financial loss and reduced wealth are yours, Inana. Observation (1 ms. has instead: Everything), choice, offering, inspection and approval are yours, Inana. Assigning virility, dignity, guardian angels, protective deities and cult centres are yours, Inana. — A Hymn to Inana (Inana-C) ETCSL 4.07.3 in Lines 115-131.

This shows:

Inana has the power to change a person's gender/sex .... which means people can change gender/sex

This is listed among other normal things such as journeys, wealth, settlements so on. Suggesting that it wasn't super special, it was a part of Sumerian society that Inana was given power over.

This was written by Enheduanna High Priestess of Nanna, Ur's city God, and Inana. Inana was a popular Sumerian deity and Enhenduanna's father, Sargon of Akkad's, personal deity was Ištar. One of Enhenduanna's goals as a priestess was to conflate the popular Sumerian deity Inana with her father's Akkadian personal Goddess Ištar. Then raise Inana (and thus her father's personal Goddess Ištar) to an extremely high place in cosmology and explain just how much control she had in society— including over sex/gender.

Also from @sisterofiris's post on Inana's queer priests here.

🌿Nanaya🌿

In later times Inana/Ištar was equated with Nanaya but in earlier times they were worshipped side by side as separate deities. While Inana's hymn gives her rule of gender. Edit: actually in literature of Inana she also describes herself as woman and young man

[Inana says] When I sit in the alehouse, I am a woman, and I am an exuberant young man — Line 16

A Nanaya hymn has her directly declaring she has breasts in Dadumu and a beard in Babylon. Leick also mentions here that Ištar was worshipped in both genders.

—Dictionary of Ancient Near Eastern Mythology by Gwendolyn Leick. Page 125.

🌿Asūšunamir with Ereškigal🌿

In Ištar's Descent (not Inana's) Ea's plan to distract Ereškigal and get her to bring Inana back to life is to make a beautiful being. Ea makes an incredibly beautifully brilliant being that's mere aesthetic presence will make Ereškigal happy and let her defenses down. And Asūšunamir's beauty works..... and he is an eunuch, an effeminate male, potentially queer from the ancient's eyes. And yet he is so beautiful he distracts a Goddess.

— The Ancient Near East and Anyhology of Texts and Pictures, edited by Pritchard. Ishtar Descent translation by E.A Speiser. Page 80.

🌿Eštan / Ištanu🌿

The Anatolians (Hittite in particular) loved to both mix deities and keep them entirely dependent like 8 solar deities and 50 storm Gods. But sometimes Hittite, Hurrian, Hattic, Indo-European, Mesopotamian all meld together making the identification of gender ambiguous or even interchangeable.

Eštan is one example (who has numerous equatings):

—A Handbook of Gods and Goddesses of The Ancient Near East by Frayne & Stuckey. Page 105

You can also learn more about the Ištanu and the Sun Goddess of Arinna and her gender from @sisterofiris in a post here.

__

I'm sure there are more! But this was my quick round up and sources I could put together. To all the intersex, trans, & non-binary polytheists out there, you aren't abnormal and the Gods see you for who you truly are.

Edit: I wrote this in regards to gender originally because it was a response to an uptick in TERF posts. But this can equally be viewed from the lens of intersex experience, and I want to explicitly mention that now. Intersex, Trans, and Non-Binary people should share solidarity with one another against gender essentialism, against TERFs, and our sometimes unique sometimes shared experiences.

It has been over year since this interaction took place and I'm finally in a spot where the words of the other person do not matter to me now; context at the end. I have seen a rise in some intersexism recently in 2026 so I want my original reblog's information, and some of the information from my deleted response posts, to be available which is why I am posting this. Any direct quotes from OP are in blue, but I'm not linking the original post so they won't be alerted.

🟡 Learn About Intersexism 🟡

Intersexism exists in queer spaces, it exists is neo-pagan/polytheist spaces as well. Learn to recognize intersexism, and when you see it say something against it — be an ally. Also called interphobia, intersexphobia, endosexism

"What is Intersexphobia, or Interphobia?" Intersex Campaign for Equality - Link

"Key Issues Facing People With Intersex Traits" Center for American Progress - Link

"IDAHOBIT Day 2023" Interaction for Health And Human Rights - Link

"On Intersex Awareness Day, we celebrate trans and intersex solidarity" Advocates for Trans Equality - Link

"LGBTQ+ Equality Means Intersex People, Too" Human Rights Campaign - Link

🟡 Purpose: Queer Community's Indifference 🟡

The individual complained: "good god u r all so stupid just looking to argue"

The reason I wanted to point all this out or "argue" is because intersexism is very rampant in the Queer community and no one ever seems to care, no one ever stands up for intersex people, no one ever responds to it, it goes completely unchecked.

It just so happens in this case it was reblogged heavily in Hellenic Polytheist spaces due to it being Hemaphroditos; even if it was not originally written in the helpol community. Since it was shared heavily in a religious community I am apart of I wanted to point out the intersexism, even if it was unintended (though I'm not sure if it was unintended based on the doubling down; but thats irrelevant now).

The individual also said: "arguing that the average intersex person in ur neighborhood looks like the praxiteles venus but w a dick isnt. the pro-intersex sentiment u think it is"

So let me be clear the actual argument of this post is about not erasing intersex history and not erasing modern intersex people. It is not claiming all intersex people look like Hermaphroditos.

🟡 Intended Or Not Its Still Erasure 🟡

The post immediately dismisses intersex people from the conversation by jumping to:

"bc [Hermaphroditos] in our modern mind thats a trans women's body"

In fact the post explicitly denies that we should see Hermaphroditos as intersex.

"to them [Hermaphroditos] was not a trans woman's body, it was an intersex body"

This is intersexist. Saying it's a trans body to us modern people but an intersex body to ancient people is literally erasing modern intersex people.

Before people yell that well Hemphroditos was born male and "transitioned" by a nymph therefore they must be trans. In some cases Hermaphroditos was seen as child of Hermes & Aphrodite born that way. In others it was a mythical combination of them and a nymph. — Link

Born: "Hermaphroditos (Hermaphroditus), as he has been called, who was born of Hermes and Aphrodite and received a name which is a combination of those of both his parents." Diodorus Siculus, Library of History 4. 6. 5 (trans. Oldfather) (Greek historian C1st B.C.) :

Joined: "Atlantiades [Hermaphroditos] fought back, denied the Nympha her joy; she strained the more; her clinging body seemed fixed fast to his. ‘Fool, fight me as you will,’ she cried, ‘You'll not escape! Ye Gods ordain no day shall ever dawn to part us twain!’ Her prayer found gods to hear; both bodies merged in one, both blended in one form and face. As when a gardener sets a graft and sees growth seal the join and both mature together, thus, when in the fast embrace their limbs were knit, they two were two no more, nor man, nor woman--one body then that neither seemed and both" Ovid, Metamorphoses 4. 28 ff (trans. Melville) (Roman epic C1st B.C. to C1st A.D.)

Sure some people see Hermaphroditos and immediately jump to 'thats a trans women's body' .... alternatively some people jump to it being an intersex body of someone who could have any number of sex or gender identities— because those people exist. Either interpretation makes sense and is probably influenced by the person's individual life. But erasing intersex people by saying ancient people could "only conceptualize her [Hermaphroditos] as an otherworldly mythical figure" is not a good take and also historically inaccurate. Especially labeling this erasure of intersex history as "amazing".

🟡 Intersex Was Known in History 🟡

Trigger warning for some views of intersex people are very negative here.

The above dismisses intersex conditions that we have proof existed in ancient humans, like XXY link, or conditions that just undoubtedly existed, like partial androgen insensitivity, significant gynecomastia that can have various causes, and genital ambiguities. Ancient Greeks, ancient Romans, ancient and medieval Christians, ancient and medieval Jews, all made note of non-mythical "hermaphrodites."

However, there are many stories referring to these types of changes-mainly from female to male. Some ancient historians even go so far as to state that such stories are explicitly nonfictional. The Roman author Pliny the Elder [23-79 CE] gives a few real-life examples in his Natural History. Some of his examples are pulled from the Annals of the Pontiffs, an ancient record by the priests of Rome, that no longer is extant. This text would have been seen as inherently factual, especially by Pliny. — Link

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"The traditional Hippocratic/Galenic under- standing of sexual difference-popularized by the late antique physician Galen and the ascendant model for much of the Middle Ages-viewed sex as a spectrum that encompassed masculine men, feminine women, and many shades in between, including hermaphrodites-a perfect balance of male and female." —p 21 Erecting Sex: Hermaphrodites and the Medieval Science of Surgery by Leah De Vun, Link

"When ancient texts by Aristotle became available to European readers in the thirteenth century. The Aristotelian model argued that hermaphrodites were not an intermediate sex but a case of doubled or superluous genitals individual's underlying sex could be determined by carefully examining the complexion, which always indicated underlying male or female sex —p 21 Same link as above.

The surgeon Lanfranco da Milano in 1296 CE wrote about "treating" hermaphroditism:

"hermaphrodite is one who has each perfect sex in such a way that the hermaphrodite is able to be active and passive. Some of these have one [sex] that is fully formed, the other not fully formed, and some have neither fully formed. On the contrary, they have in the oriice of the vulva some added lesh, which is sometimes soft, leshy, of a small and weak character, other times of a strong and sinewy character," [it goes on to explain what surgical procedures should be done to "fix it" redacted for triggers; its on page 22]". — Same link as above

That entire above paper is about identifying and preforming surgery on intersex people in the 12th and 13th Centuries CE.

Jewish scripture & literature explains people born ambiguous, born with both characteristics, born female but then developing male characteristics naturally or by human actions, born male but then developing female characteristics naturally or by human actions.

"The classic Rabbis did not understand sex and gender to be separate phenomenons, but rather understood a single concept best described using today's language as gender-sex. That's not to say it was at all binary though. While it's true that the classical Jewish texts understood gender-sex to exist within a binary axis, they understood very well that not everyone fit into these categories or within the axis at all". — Ayn Kol Chadash Tachat HaShemesh - Nothing New Under the Sun: A Guide to Intersex Justice Through a Jewish Lens Link

Intersex—that is, non-endosex — bodies have always been here. Not just that, but Judaism knows it and shows it loudly and proudly. — Same as above.

Matthew 19:12, written some point in 1st or 2nd century CE, mentions eunuchs "born that way" Jesus doesn't explain a physical description of what he is referring to, (probably because his audience would have known) regardless its something that diverges from binary sex and is present at birth, some translations mention "from the womb." — Link

Monk Otto of Freising in the 12 Century CE:

"For Otto, it was crucial that individuals be reunited with the sexed bodies that they possessed in life; that is, they would 'without a doubt return to the original substance that they had when they lived in the world Not so, however, for 'hermaphrodites [...] whom a mistake of nature has badly joined or badly divided'. While bodies forged in the resurrection would arise 'free from every defect and spot', hermaphroditism was a 'deformity' resulting from a deviation in the regular course of nature, which Otto grouped together with other supposed defects of the body..." p 138 Heavenly Hermaphrodites: Sexual Difference at the Beginning and End of Time by Leah DeVun Link

🟡 Harmful Rhetoric 🟡

it was so rare, they never even heard of anyone who looks like [Hermaphroditos statue] this irl. so rare and unexplained, so "unnatural" to the way they see the world, that it might as well be mythological. a figure that exists due to cosmic events, not bc of the inherent diversity of human biology

The above was surface level research that shows it more than likely wasn't seen as something so rare, so unexplained, so "unnatural" that it just had to be mythologically created by cosmic events not inherent within the population.

Intersex people did not suddenly appear with modern medical science, they have always been here and are still here. Hermaphroditos body can be seen as a perisex trans person, but they can also be seen as an intersex person. This is not a "modern people see trans body" vs "ancient people see intersex body," situation. Hermaphroditos can be seen either way in modern times— just as many mythical and literary figures can be seen in different ways by different people.

The ancients were well aware of the diversity of human biology. Do not erase intersex history like this, it is harmful.

I want people to be allies to intersex people in pagan/polytheist and queer spaces, rendering Hermaphroditos, Aphroditos, Inana, and Nanaya as all "perisex trans/enby people" and rejecting the idea that they can be seen as intersex—which showcases the history of intersex people—is not being an ally.

Please be an ally to our Intersex siblings.

-Dyslexic, not audio proof read-

Cut because this is contextual and not necessary for post.