Judaism has recognized nonbinary persons for millennia

Thought nonbinary gender was a modern concept? Think again. The ancient Jewish understanding of gender was far more nuanced than many assume.

The Talmud, a huge and authoritative compendium of Jewish legal traditions, contains in fact no less than eight gender designations including:

• Zachar, male.

• Nekevah, female.

• Androgynos, having both male and female characteristics.

• Tumtum, lacking sexual characteristics.

• Aylonit hamah, identified female at birth but later naturally developing male characteristics.

• Aylonit adam, identified female at birth but later developing male characteristi...