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From: R. Halevi
Subject: Gender
Date: 2 Av 5783
Dr. Stern asks the right question.
The Talmudic categories are biological and observational. The androgynos has physical characteristics. The tumtum's sex is hidden but presumed to exist.
Contemporary categories often separate gender identity from biological sex. A person may be female-bodied but male-identified, or neither.
These frameworks do not map onto each other. The Talmud is not discussing gender identity. Modern discourse is not discussing halakhic obligation.
If we try to combine them, we may satisfy no one.
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