longer.blue

5-5 The Middle East 
In the history or heritage of the Middle East, ‘intersex’ or ‘non-binary’ instances were described in many ways: in Hebrew, for instance, <אַנְדְּרוֹגִינוֹס> ‘intersex’, <טומטום> ‘unrecognizable/undetermined’; in Arabic, for instance, <خنثى> ‘intersex/hermaphrodite’ all of which refer to a non-binary. 
 
There also 7 ways of description in reference to ‘gender’ in the Talmud, which includes: Zachar ‘male’, Nekevah ‘female’, Androgynos ‘intersex’, Tumtum ‘undetermined’, Aylonit ‘female not developing secondary female sexual characteristics at puberty’, Saris hamah ‘male not developing secondary male sexual characteristics at puberty’, & Saris adam ‘male not developing secondary male sexual characteristics because of castration’.
 
References Supplementary Data Scheinerman, R. (2022). "The Seven Genders in the Talmud". My Jewish Learning. Retrieved on: 19 Dec, 2025:. https://www.myjewishlearning.com/article/the-eight-genders-in-the-talmud/ 
Whitaker, B. (2016). “Transgender issues in the Middle East”. Medium. Retrieved on: 19 Dec, 2025:. https://brian-whit.medium.com/transgender-issues-in-the-middle-east-9f40d0559afa