Abstracts of 2001 Award Winners' Papers:

Third Gender: A Qualitative Study of the Experience of Individuals Who Identify as Being Neither Man nor Woman

Ingrid Sell
Institute of Transpersonal Psychology

The lives and experiences of 30 individuals ( ages 29 to 77, from across the U.S.) who experience themselves as neither man nor woman, but "more like a third gender," were explored using in-depth interviews and qualitative content analysis based on Grounded Theory. This group exhibited a high degree of resilience, courage, compassion and creativity developed through lifelong struggles with identity and authenticity issues, and by facing ostracism, pressures to conform, and actual or threatened violence. Parallels suggested by third gendered roles of nonwestern cultures, include a significant number (93%) reporting experiences of transcendent spiritual events or unusual abilities. Other parallels include considerable numbers of artists, healers, and acting in mediating and leadership roles.