Hi! I just wanted to politely inform you that hermaphrodite is not the correct term you're looking for! (it can actually be rather offensive and is outdated now)
Hermaphrodite refers to your actual sex, but now the term has been changed to inter-sex!

But the term you're looking for referring to feeling like both genders is gender-fluid or non-binary!
I feel the same about myself and I'm gender-fluid so I just wanted to pass that on to you!

But yea hermaphrodite is now an outdated and sometimes offensive word for having two physical sexes not two genders.

I know all of this, and I've thought of all of this, and actually I get offended when others assume and tell me this. Hermaphrodite is the actual biological term, and tbh non-binary, inter-sex, and genderfluid can all mean things I don't feel are true to my sex. I won't take offense now, because you didn't know, but I truly feel I belong in a biological hermaphroditic body. I don't get why people freak out over the word so much either, often enough it's a good example of why those against any gender/sex identity saying it's not natural are wrong, because it's everywhere in nature without even being just a mutation.

Anyway, I appreciate you trying to inform me, but I actually had this long talk with a non-binary not too long ago, and they actually got it, so hopefully you will too. I'm not upset, but if you insist upon correcting like my sister does, I will be. AKDJFSLDJDGLS this is so hard to explain without coming off like I'm ready to bite your head off, and I'm not!... Ah, I'm just being calm and politely explaining myself while giving a respectable warning, but any way I type it sounds mean FFFFFFFFF I HOPE YOU GET WHAT I'M TRYING TO SAY WITHOUT FEELING PROVOKED I honestly just want to be peaceful about this kind of stuff. ; A;

As i understand it it's hermaphrodite if you mean literally that you are essentially physically two bodies and they are fully male and fully female, which includes hormones, chromosomes, etc and such, but intersex is the socially and medically acceptable term for having aspects of both sexes one way or another in a feasible way, or something, not having, say, a clitoris and a penis at the same time because those are constructed of the same tissue and so you'd essentially have to have an extremely well placed internal siamese twin to have both? I'm not sure how to phrase that. If you had testes and a clit it'd work because they aren't analogues, but having things made of the same stuff is basically fantasy so its basically correct to call it by its actual name because hermaphroditism is a god thing kinda like priapus and his giant permarection?

Not to get overly clinical. Cuz permarection is totally clinical.

http://www.isna.org/node/979
http://www.isna.org/faq/hermaphrodite

If i'm wrong and I might be i'm totally cool with it but i'm just letting you know cuz ive read a bit on it.

Sorry if i'm all on your grill on a personal thing.

I'M MOSTLY JUST HOPING THAT INFORMATION CAN POINT YOU IN A DIRECTION WHERE YOU CAN FIND INFO AND PEOPLE TO CONNECT WITH.

Also sorry if you already knew all that.

I've looked into hermaphroditism a lot actually, even before I realized who I was, I was always fascinated with it, and one of the reasons I chose it over the other names is because the others are a lot more black and white than human Hermaphrodites actually are both physically and chemically. They're not 50/50, more often than not they're more 60/40 or even 80/20, if I truly felt like a perfect combination of both genders I would call myself what it is, but that's not it at all. Genderfluid might still fit, but it's a rather vague term in comparison to explain myself with considering the few different kinds of people I've seen it used for, so I went with Hermaphrodite because it suits exactly who I feel and is more exact for explaining myself than the others.

I also honestly hate that for some reason herm and hermaphrodite have become seen as a very negative word now, when I grew up with it just being scientific, and still is for animals, the fact that it's only offensive when used for humans makes me feel the whole "human species superiority" thing/vibe again, plus I get sick of people turning science into offensive. While it might not actually enrage me on most cases, those who get offended when I use the term for myself and insist on a term that I actually don't like, who actually are the people preaching about stuff exactly like that (my sister is a constant example of this), it actually ticks me off more because hypocrisy is one of the behaviors I hate the most in this world. I know you're not any of these things I listed above, but I felt like saying it cause I forgot to when I posted, plus I tend to go on rants sometimes. ANYWAY the main reason I brought those up is because I plan on taking back the word for a more positive use, along with weird, and freak! >:3c *pumped* (I'll probably fail for any part outside my friend group but I still wanna try!)

I'm glad you know who you are! As I study biology I would call literally any species with elements of both sex but not complete ones intersex because of the clinical issues with the term hermaphrodite, but I am personally of the opinion that you [general you], personally, can call yourself whatever you'd like, as offense is subjective and identity is extremely personal and it has no fucks to give about what is offensive sometimes, and try to call individual people what they prefer to be called (or not called.)

I'm glad I didn't come off accusatory! haha. I feel like semantic drift should be addressed in primary school or something.

No, no worries you didn't come off as anything negative! It can certainly be hard to tell through just text though, a lot of tone of voice is lost without an actual voice to hear the words through. ; v;

I feel the same way, as much as I've always viewed the original scientific term to be just fine, others may not see it that way, and as long as they don't force it on others I'm fine with it~ Honestly I always like the Sound and spelling of Hermaphrodite cause it makes me think of precious stones and also Aphrodite~ u wu

Makes sense to me, I'm sorry you're uncomfortable in your body, no-one deserves that.
By the way, this and several of your recent art pieces, are absolutely beautiful and I love that you're sharing them with us.
Thanks so much.

Luckily I'm becoming more comfortable with coming out about it instead of not caring, so I'm really glad I did this piece, it was almost more like a transformation for me than venting~ Q vQ
Thanks so much! I did most of these for an art show that was last Friday, and as much as I was afraid of being vulnerable, I really liked how the pieces turned out, so I felt I had to share them on FA, so it makes really happy to hear you like them~! > u<

I'm glad to hear more from you, and "see" you being you.
It's more healthy to be who you are instead of hiding ^.^
I bet you really made a splash at that show =D These are beautiful and heart felt.

Thank you again for sharing!

Yay, I'm so glad! I'm always afraid of sharing too much of me online, especially since a lot of people tend to complain about artists being to unprofessional, or being "full of drama" for making occasional emotional journals, so even most of my vent journals were huge landmine fields to me. @ w@;;;

Sadly only one person showed up, but he bought two of my pieces, and had been looking forward to my show for an entire month! ; v;

Meh, don't worry too much about people who complain.
Too many complain too much. It gives them something to do, and putting others down makes them feel important.

Aww~ At least he enjoyed ^w^
And YAY~! You sold 2 pieces =D

True! I can't blame em for complaining, I don't like the putting others down part, but it can feel pretty good to just let out things you'd normally bottle up. I'd probably rather just do it in a journal or with a close friend though than make a scene out of it. xD

Yeah, makes sense *hugs*

*hugs* :3

You're free to identify however you want to. Nobody can invalidate your identity just because they don't like the particular word you chose. It's your identity, so only you can give it a label - you're the only one who has any right to. There have been lots of people using words that aren't necessarily the most "popular" to identify themselves, as a way to reclaim those labels and empower themselves in how they really feel. I think that's a great thing - words only have the power you give them, so you can choose what effect they have on yourself. Use whatever word/label/identity you feel fits you best, and if anyone else doesn't like it, then that's their problem of choosing to be upset over literally some letters put together in a particular order. Discovering yourself is such a deep and important process, and I'm so happy for you that you're able to come into your own a bit more and figure yourself out. The way you identify may be less common, but that doesn't make it any less valid. There are infinite options out there to resonate with, and this one is yours. So you own it, no shame, and hold your head high because you now know something about yourself that a lot of others spend their whole lives trying to figure out. There is nothing wrong with you, you're not broken or defective. You are unique and different and wonderful. Never let anyone - including yourself - tell you any differently.
Also, although I don't personally identify as otherkin, I am the host of a multiple/plural system that has a few otherkin members. Granted, none of them use part of their otherkin label as their gender identity...but yeah. We're all cool with pretty much everybody that's not a douche-canoe lol. :3

Oh wow, that's amazing! All the otherkins I've found act like whiny teen douches attacking others over just about anything and call it gender identity, and even attack furries for being "otherkin wannabe posers", which I find odd since most I've found are animalkins, aside from that one starkin dude! I have nothing wrong with their choices perse, just more of how they chose to act and how the ones I've found seem to only be doing it to be different/cool/get attention. So that's really cool that you guys are much more level headed and cool about it. :0c

Thank though hun, omg, so many wonderful supportive words from you today~! TT wTT

Wow, that's....wow. I'm sorry your experience with otherkin folks has been like that, that sucks! People just need to let other people do their own thing and not get all kerfluffled about it (unless what the other person is doing is harmful, but you know what I mean). I figure as long as you're not hurting anyone, do whatever you want with your life lol~! But yeah, I completely agree with you on that - doing things just to get attention is stupid and being an ass-hat to others about it is even worse. Some people are just like that, I guess. :T Lol yeah, we're all pretty mellow. There's a few that are more outspoken than others, but not rude or anything. XD
You're very welcome, friend~! I know I word-vomited at you a lot lol, but I wanted to be supportive 'cause you deserve it. I'm always happy to lend a listening ear and stuff. :3

Ah, well I might be a lot more comfortable around them, then~ And thanks again oh gosh! ; v;

Lol yeah, everyone else that's had contact with them so far has been comfortable too. They're not out that often, but they do front occasionally. Currently, there's about 20 or so of us. XD And you're welcome! Feel free to message me or anything anytime, I have skype too~
(Pfft, hid the other comment 'cause I replied in the wrong spot. Whoops~!)

Oh wow, that's a lot~ :0c

It can get pretty interesting lol X3

Your vent art looks way more magical then mine. XD

Yeah, this one is pretty uplifting for vent art lol, the others are more dark, though. xD;;

Maybe because I went through a vet course and in the world of science things and terms are used differently from animal to human so I don't really understand how and why people get jumpy at the word "Hermaphrodite" and fight to use other words. Even in the scientific point of views. Such as autopsy vs biopsy. Where auto is "self" "oneself" or whatever but basically you're doing the same thing.. cutting something open for scientific reasons. /shrugs And from my understanding of Hermaphrotism it's posessing either in part or in whole both genders. Whether from a mutation of the genes or chromosones. Such as XYY or XXY... Best example would be over all male looking body but has ovaries instead of testicles so they never drop. While some will then argue that person is then a female for the lack of testes but it's still a form of hermaphrotism... and vise versa. Female look with internal testes instead of ovaries... and very rarely containing both sexual organs of ovaries and testicles. And I've always understood "Gender-fluid" as someone who can identify as everything or anything they feel at the moment and not specifically as a herm which is both genders at the same time. And then non-binary... 01010111 01010100 01000110 !!!???? Does that mean that person identifies as not having DNA??? >@ A @< I don't get it!! If someone identifies themselves as not having DNA... then... ooze? Alien? Robot!? /rubs head confused like Maybe it's because I'm out of the loop I don't understand certain terms used now and how my generation is the generation who started the "We hate labels so let's make up a bunch of new ones and argue about who is what while at the same time saying we hate being labeled as something!"

Not trying to sound mean or anything... I'm really just naive and not ignorant. I just don't know or understand.... but willing if told in simple terms I guess...

Also... I love the word Hermaphrodite as well. Hermes and Aphrodite... Makes me think of Cupid though his parents are Mars and Venus... (Ares and Aphrodite.. and Hermes in Roman is Mercury... )

Oh Cupid's Greek name is Eros! :D And the Child of Hermes and Aphrodite I was thinking of was Hermaphroditus which is sometimes shortened to just Aphroditus.

Yeah, it's pretty confusing... non-binary is supposed to mean they're neither of the main binary (two) genders, female and male. Which is why I don't like that term, it's too vague, there's so many other kinds of genders that fall between and outside the two main genders, and as far as I know, genderfluid is almost the same but a lot more lax on the exactness of the gender they feel, basically they just don't feel like they're one single set gender, but not anything specific in most cases from those I've met. It's why I chose Hermaphrodite, not only cause I find a fondness and nostalgia with the word itself, but also because it's just far more specific than others.
Oh man, I dunno much about most of the God's children anymore, I haven't read any stories about them in a LONG time. ; v;

I've mostly been reading up on Loki and his three kids... sooooooo it's been a LONG time ago since I last looked into Greek or Roman deities... Maybe I should start using those names to help influence some Jeracals since I already use Norse. XD Odin, Tyr, Garm...... Lol.

Well I guess the binary thing makes sense but as you said it sounds very vague. Like when you're commissioning someone and you say "I like blue." and it's like... "WHAT SHADE OF BLUE!?" "Oh just any I like. Cus I don't like too dark but too light is weird unless it's that one shade...." "WHAT SHADE!?" /flips tables. Also one of the reasons I got so angry at that one jacket commissioner. "Yah that colors good." /finishes the work while missing sleep for 4 days. "Uuuuh I don't like this color anymore. Can you change it in like 1 day?" /foams at the mouth.

But then being too specific can be confusing too if you're not used to the terms or even how they're using the term. "Yeah, I'm transfluid paramagnetic, but mostly iridescent meganta-esk with a hint of pearl, super wubb loving florally embellished, with a bit of bioluminescence, gold fish." Cus slang is a thing in each group. "Better sissy that walk! Too much fish up in here! Why don't you go check out my big pink furry box? Now don't be shady and tell the T! And make sure your dress isn't campy oh Kaaaaay?" Words that those who aren't familiar with that group and use of the slang would be lost. Usually I'm in the outside group going... "The hell are they talking about? Please use the word in a sentence one more time please?"

Oh man, I use Greek, Roman and Norse mythology names SOOO MUCH with my characters, and the occasional Egyptian mythology too. lmao

OMG RIGHT?! I've learned to hate cryptic descriptions unless they state the words "artistic freedom" or "just have fun with it" because otherwise it's on MY head if it's not perfect to what they wanted out of it. Dx

Oh gosh yeah, I'm awful with slang, especially cause most around me that use it also get lazy with pronunciation, so it just ends up sounding like Aramaic to me! xD;;

Well... with me they can pronounce it any way they want.. If I don't know the phrase or word I just don't understand. >O o< But lately I've just gone... "Hmmnnn a word I don't understand why they're using it or I've never encountered that word. I bet it's something perverted." And I'm usually correct. XD So I just smile and sit there. There are times they realize I have no idea what they're saying and clearify for me but when it's on TV or in a song just going "Must be a word for a vagina, dick, or having sex." And if I get curious enough to uber dictionary it I'm correct. XD Such as the word "Taco"... when not being talked about as something you can purchase at Taco Bell. >= A =< I think I learned that one while in College... but I heard the phrase of similar meaning "Peach" or "Clam" back in middle school. And how fish are related to woman... /shrugs I think most terms I learned in middle school or later. Before then it was "Pookie" and then when in middle school I heard someone call their boyfriend that and I just laughed. Turns out maybe that's a Northerner thing while in the South it's the same as calling your boyfriend/girlfriend or someone you're close to your "Boo." Which my luff only recently learned what "Boo" meant. He thought for the longest time it was racial harassment like the word "Cracker" since people at his work kept calling him "Boo." XD He was also called "Dawg" which confused him as well. :3 Soooooooo much slang! XD And a lot of it gets out dated pretty fast and new words appear. Such as "Twerking" the dance move has been around forever but when I was little it was just called "Bootie shakin'" it wasn't until recently everyone has been calling it that. But it was mentioned in songs back then too I guess... "Whistle while you twerk" buuuuut yeah. Kids were more into doing the butterfly. :x Or being a bully... which ever.

I never knew pookie was used as a sexual slur, I've only ever heard of it as a pet name like baby and boo, and the now popular "bae". All those others I've heard before though, and I never got why guys came up with the whole vagina's smelling like fish thing though, but then again, most slurs for the female genitalia are rather weird or gross. Like "beaver" and "man in a boat"... LOOKING UP VAGINA'S SLURS IS JUST AN AWFUL IDEA DON'T DO IT lol

As for twerking, I really don't get it either. If there's already a name for the butt seizure you're having on the dance floor, why rename it and confuse everyone? Plus the word twerk just makes me think of muscle spasms, like if someone was describing a character having a spasm in their eye over something in a book, I could imagine them using that word. xD

In the north it's just a cutesy name for a female's while "wee-wee" is for the boys. XD But that might actually be a Minnesota thing since that's where my mom is from even though she lived and met my dad in Michigan.
As for the fish thing... if a woman is on her period and doesn't clean properly it smells sorta like fish. /shrugs I'd imagine so since a period is flesh too.. yuck. But fish all the type is just a joke I think... /hope.

Ah, I've heard wee-wee as a guy's penis before, I always makes me giggle. xD
Whenever I'm on my period, my cooter just smells like something dead. ; A; Collin seems to thin I just smell like fresh dirt and metal though, so maybe it's different for everyone. lol

Maybe... idk... I agree with the mineral smell though... D: But that just means we try and keep ours clean?

Yeah blood usually smells/tastes like metal anyhow so it's not a surprise. As for the clean thing, maybe...? I've heard that they can actually smell like fish when they have a yeast infection, idk if you can get one on your period, but it seems rather likely that it may just be a cleanliness thing.

Yeaaaah. I know that old pads hanging out in the trashcan get a weird almost fishy smell so I toss the bathroom trash out pretty often during such times. That's how I kinda know the "fish" legend is true... sorta.

Did you ever hear the joke about the blind old man walking through a fish market? "Good morning, ladies~! *smiling widely*" o wo;; lol

LOLOLOL! No I haven't! But that's great! XD

Right? So gross, but so awfully funny! xD

I think the smell could also be influence on the presence or lack there of with perfume in each type of fem product... :x

Possibly, I use scentless tampons myself. Just way less messy, and less rash inducing, too. ; w;