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Physiology & Psychology: Anima, Animus, Gender, Sex, & Identity

Intermediate Sex Research is Not New:

Full text of "The intermediate sex; a study of some transitional types of men and women" by Edward Carpenter 1918
“It may be that, as at some past period of evolution the worker-bee was without doubt differentiated from the two ordinary bee-sexes, so at the present time certain new types of human kind may be emerging, which will have an important part to play in the societies of the future even though for the moment their appearance is attended by a good deal of confusion and misapprehension. It may be so; or it may not. We do not know; and the best attitude we can adopt is one of sincere and dispassionate observation of facts.”
Alt access: https://archive.org/details/intermediatesexs00carpiala/page/n5/mode/2up Copyright Status - Public domain in the USA.

New times may require old ways of talking about touchy subjects. Thus, instead of gender identity, perhaps it would help to review Jung's anima and animus research.

“Until you make the unconscious conscious, it will rule your life and you will call it Fate.” –Carl Jung

The Anima And Animus: The Gender Dynamics Archetype (personality-type.com)
Anima and Animus Explained
"In Carl Jung’s model of the psyche, the anima and animus are contrasexual archetypes that represent the unconscious feminine side in men and the unconscious masculine side in women, respectively." What happens when the alter ego that is usually unconscious - becomes not only conscious but compelling?

Ignoring or denying parts of yourself makes you weaker rather than stronger.

Self-Actualizing People in the 21st Century: Integration With Contemporary Theory and Research on Personality and Well-Being
"Every human being has both sets of forces within [them]. One set clings to safety and defensiveness out of fear, tending to regress backward, hanging on to the past . . . afraid to take chances, afraid to jeopardize what [one] already has, afraid of independence, freedom and separateness.

The other set of forces impels [one] forward toward wholeness of Self and uniqueness of Self, toward full functioning of all [one’s] capacities, toward confidence in the face of the external world at the same time that [one] can accept [one’s] deepest, real, unconscious Self . . . This basic dilemma or conflict between the defensive forces and the growth trends I conceive to be existential, imbedded in the deepest nature of the human being, now and forever into the future.
—Abraham Maslow (1962/1998)"
The rest of the story: "Which Wolf Will You Feed? Or, the unedited story of the two wolves" (jean-michel-wu)

This story is familiar at the beginning, but the rest of the story is more important.

"The story continues...

“If you feed them right, they both win.” and the story goes on:

“You see, if I only choose to feed the Light wolf, the Dark wolf will be hiding around every corner waiting for me to become distracted or weak and jump to get the attention he craves. He will always be angry and will always fight the Light wolf.”

“But if I acknowledge him, he is happy and the light wolf is happy and we all win. For the dark wolf has many qualities — tenacity, courage, fearlessness, strong-willed and great strategic thinking–that I have need of at times. These are the very things the light wolf lacks. But the light wolf has compassion, caring, strength and the ability to recognize what is in the best interest of all.”

“You see, son, the light wolf needs the dark wolf at his side. To feed only one would starve the other and they will become uncontrollable. To feed and care for both means they will serve you well and do nothing that is not a part of something greater, something good, something of life.”

“Feed them both and there will be no more internal struggle for your attention. And when there is no battle inside, you can listen to the voices of deeper knowing that will guide you in choosing what is right in every circumstance.”

“Peace, my son, is the Cherokee mission in life. A man or a woman who has peace inside has everything. A man or a woman who is pulled apart by the war inside him or her has nothing.”

“How you choose to interact with the opposing forces within you will determine your life. Starve one or the other or guide them both.”So what about you – which wolf have you been feeding lately?"

Links of interest

5 key findings about LGBTQ+ Americans (pewresearch.org)
Allsides.com News from different perspectives: LGBTQ Issues
Gender & Sexuality Dictionary (dictionary.com)
LGBTQ+ Travel Safety Index: 203 Countries Ranked in 2023
The love letter generator that foretold ChatGPT (bigthink.com)
" In 1952, decades before ChatGPT started to write students’ essays, before OpenAI’s computer generated writing was integrated into mainstream media outlets, two gay men—Alan Turing and Christopher Strachey—essentially invented AI writing. "

TED Talks: Is anatomy destiny?

Alice Dreger: Is anatomy destiny?

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