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The Intermediate Sex
An excerpt:
The subject dealt with in this book is one of great, and one may say growing, importance. Whether it is that the present period is one of large increase in the numbers of men and women of an intermediate or mixed temperament, or whether it merely is that it is a period in which more than usual attention happens to be accorded to them, the fact certainly remains that the subject has great actuality and is pressing upon us from all sides. It is recognised that anyhow the number of persons occupying an intermediate position between the two sexes is very great, that they play a considerable part in general society, and that they necessarily present and embody many problems which, both for their own sakes and that of society, demand solution. The literature of the question has in consequence already grown to be very extensive, especially on the Continent, and includes a great quantity of scientific works, medical treatises, literary essays, romances, historical novels, poetry, etc. And it is now generally admitted that some knowledge and enlightened understanding of the subject is greatly needed for the use of certain classes--as, for instance, medical men, teachers, parents, magistrates, judges, and the like.
That there are distinctions and gradations of Soul-material in relation to Sex--that the inner psychical affections and affinities shade off and graduate, in a vast number of instances, most subtly from male to female, and not always in obvious correspondence with the outer bodily sex--is a thing evident enough to anyone who considers the subject; nor could any good purpose well be served by ignoring this fact--even if it were possible to do so. It is easy of course (as some do) to classify all these mixed or intermediate types as BAD. It is also easy (as some do) to argue that just because they combine opposite qualities they are likely to be GOOD and valuable. But the subtleties and complexities of Nature cannot be despatched in this off-hand manner. The great probability is that, as in any other class of human beings, there will be among these too, good and bad, high and low, worthy and unworthy-- some perhaps exhibiting through their double temperament a rare and beautiful flower of humanity, others a perverse and tangled ruin.
Before the facts of Nature we have to preserve a certain humility and reverence; nor rush in with our preconceived and obstinate assumptions. Though these gradations of human type have always, and among all peoples, been more or less known and recognised, yet their frequency to-day, or even the concentration of attention on them, may be the indication of some important change actually in progress. We do NOT know, in fact, what possible evolutions are to come, or what new forms, of permanent place and value, are being already slowly differentiated from the surrounding mass of humanity. 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.
The subject dealt with in this book is one of great, and one may say growing, importance. Whether it is that the present period is one of large increase in the numbers of men and women of an intermediate or mixed temperament, or whether it merely is that it is a period in which more than usual attention happens to be accorded to them, the fact certainly remains that the subject has great actuality and is pressing upon us from all sides. It is recognised that anyhow the number of persons occupying an intermediate position between the two sexes is very great, that they play a considerable part in general society, and that they necessarily present and embody many problems which, both for their own sakes and that of society, demand solution. The literature of the question has in consequence already grown to be very extensive, especially on the Continent, and includes a great quantity of scientific works, medical treatises, literary essays, romances, historical novels, poetry, etc. And it is now generally admitted that some knowledge and enlightened understanding of the subject is greatly needed for the use of certain classes--as, for instance, medical men, teachers, parents, magistrates, judges, and the like.
That there are distinctions and gradations of Soul-material in relation to Sex--that the inner psychical affections and affinities shade off and graduate, in a vast number of instances, most subtly from male to female, and not always in obvious correspondence with the outer bodily sex--is a thing evident enough to anyone who considers the subject; nor could any good purpose well be served by ignoring this fact--even if it were possible to do so. It is easy of course (as some do) to classify all these mixed or intermediate types as BAD. It is also easy (as some do) to argue that just because they combine opposite qualities they are likely to be GOOD and valuable. But the subtleties and complexities of Nature cannot be despatched in this off-hand manner. The great probability is that, as in any other class of human beings, there will be among these too, good and bad, high and low, worthy and unworthy-- some perhaps exhibiting through their double temperament a rare and beautiful flower of humanity, others a perverse and tangled ruin.
Before the facts of Nature we have to preserve a certain humility and reverence; nor rush in with our preconceived and obstinate assumptions. Though these gradations of human type have always, and among all peoples, been more or less known and recognised, yet their frequency to-day, or even the concentration of attention on them, may be the indication of some important change actually in progress. We do NOT know, in fact, what possible evolutions are to come, or what new forms, of permanent place and value, are being already slowly differentiated from the surrounding mass of humanity. 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.
105 pages, Kindle Edition
First published July 16, 1908
9 people are currently reading
353 people want to read
About the author
Edward Carpenter
404 books66 followersEdward Carpenter was an English socialist poet, socialist philosopher, anthologist, and early gay activist.
A leading figure in late 19th- and early 20th-century Britain, he was instrumental in the foundation of the Fabian Society and the Labour Party. A poet and writer, he was a close friend of Walt Whitman and Rabindranath Tagore, corresponding with many famous figures such as Annie Besant, Isadora Duncan, Havelock Ellis, Roger Fry, Mahatma Gandhi, James Keir Hardie, J. K. Kinney, Jack London, George Merrill, E D Morel, William Morris, E R Pease, John Ruskin, and Olive Schreiner.[1]
As a philosopher he is particularly known for his publication of Civilisation, Its Cause and Cure in which he proposes that civilisation is a form of disease that human societies pass through. Civilisations, he says, rarely last more than a thousand years before collapsing, and no society has ever passed through civilisation successfully. His 'cure' is a closer association with the land and greater development of our inner nature. Although derived from his experience of Hindu mysticism, and referred to as 'mystical socialism', his thoughts parallel those of several writers in the field of psychology and sociology at the start of the twentieth century, such as Boris Sidis, Sigmund Freud and Wilfred Trotter who all recognised that society puts ever increasing pressure on the individual that can result in mental and physical illnesses such as neurosis and the particular nervousness which was then described as neurasthenia.
A strong advocate of sexual freedom, living in a gay community near Sheffield, he had a profound influence on both D. H. Lawrence and E. M. Forster.
A leading figure in late 19th- and early 20th-century Britain, he was instrumental in the foundation of the Fabian Society and the Labour Party. A poet and writer, he was a close friend of Walt Whitman and Rabindranath Tagore, corresponding with many famous figures such as Annie Besant, Isadora Duncan, Havelock Ellis, Roger Fry, Mahatma Gandhi, James Keir Hardie, J. K. Kinney, Jack London, George Merrill, E D Morel, William Morris, E R Pease, John Ruskin, and Olive Schreiner.[1]
As a philosopher he is particularly known for his publication of Civilisation, Its Cause and Cure in which he proposes that civilisation is a form of disease that human societies pass through. Civilisations, he says, rarely last more than a thousand years before collapsing, and no society has ever passed through civilisation successfully. His 'cure' is a closer association with the land and greater development of our inner nature. Although derived from his experience of Hindu mysticism, and referred to as 'mystical socialism', his thoughts parallel those of several writers in the field of psychology and sociology at the start of the twentieth century, such as Boris Sidis, Sigmund Freud and Wilfred Trotter who all recognised that society puts ever increasing pressure on the individual that can result in mental and physical illnesses such as neurosis and the particular nervousness which was then described as neurasthenia.
A strong advocate of sexual freedom, living in a gay community near Sheffield, he had a profound influence on both D. H. Lawrence and E. M. Forster.
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Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews
July 11, 2014
It’s an early 20th century work on sexuality and gender orientation, and I read it because in Regeneration by Pat Barker, a character mentions it as a book that “saved” him. They go on to discuss why - it made him see that he “wasn’t just a freak. That there was a positive side.” This conversational tangent was sandwiched neatly in the middle of a discussion about pacifism, and although I could guess at what it was getting at - The Intermediate Sex is a fairly difficult title to misinterpret - the conversation itself is just oblique enough to be a little mystifying, and apparently the book itself was extraordinarily influential for many people, possibly including the real-life Sassoon. So I looked it up, the e-text is available all over the place.
And it is an interesting read, though the combination of early 20th century pseudo-scientific prose and early 20th century psychology prose makes for hard reading. Basically, Carpenter explores the notion of a third sex, between men and women, who exhibit characteristics of both genders, and for whom it is natural to be attracted to the same sex. One thing I found particularly off-putting was the author’s very careful insistence that although it was perfectly natural for people to be attracted to their own sex, he himself was not one of them. On the one hand, it was certainly brave to write a book on the subject at all, at the time. As another character points out elsewhere in Regeneration, people suspected of homosexual practices or of being involved with those practicing homosexuality were at the time particularly susceptible to blackmail. On the other hand, that sort of distancing from this era comes across as a little disingenuous and a tiny bit patronizing. The best part of the book is, in my opinion, the collection of anonymous case studies at the end. It’s a bunch of stories about homosexual experience at the turn of the century, and it’s fascinating, evocative, and frequently touching.
But I don’t really recommend that you read it, unless you’re desperately academically inclined/have a JSTOR problem, which if you do, I’m not judging you at all. JSTOR binges happen. We accept that, eye the pile of PDF articles on obscure subjects with some skepticism, and move on.
And it is an interesting read, though the combination of early 20th century pseudo-scientific prose and early 20th century psychology prose makes for hard reading. Basically, Carpenter explores the notion of a third sex, between men and women, who exhibit characteristics of both genders, and for whom it is natural to be attracted to the same sex. One thing I found particularly off-putting was the author’s very careful insistence that although it was perfectly natural for people to be attracted to their own sex, he himself was not one of them. On the one hand, it was certainly brave to write a book on the subject at all, at the time. As another character points out elsewhere in Regeneration, people suspected of homosexual practices or of being involved with those practicing homosexuality were at the time particularly susceptible to blackmail. On the other hand, that sort of distancing from this era comes across as a little disingenuous and a tiny bit patronizing. The best part of the book is, in my opinion, the collection of anonymous case studies at the end. It’s a bunch of stories about homosexual experience at the turn of the century, and it’s fascinating, evocative, and frequently touching.
But I don’t really recommend that you read it, unless you’re desperately academically inclined/have a JSTOR problem, which if you do, I’m not judging you at all. JSTOR binges happen. We accept that, eye the pile of PDF articles on obscure subjects with some skepticism, and move on.
June 12, 2017
Much more open-minded and interesting than I was prepared for. Carpenter was revolutionary in some ways: he argues that most homosexual individuals are "normal" in a time when many sexologists believed they were pathological. More, he differentiates between sexual predators and homosexuals; "real" homosexuals are focused on relationships rather than sex in his thoughts. Carpenter is very anti-sex, as he is anxious to disassociate "inverts" with criminal sexuality, and he buys into the idea that every homosexual is a gender "invert" (what we would recognize as trans). Still, if you want to get some hope for the state of sexuality in Edwardian England, read this.
September 5, 2023
I'm not one for writing reviews, but this really surprised me, and I'm glad to have read it; especially this quote, which has stuck with me for a while:
"it may be said that they exist, and have always existed, in considerable abundance, and from that circumstance alone there is a strong probability that they have their place and purpose."
The modern queer community unfortunately has less "elders" than it deserves; So it feels really nice to have Carpenter, from so long ago, validate that queer people are around and have a role in society same as anyone else.
"it may be said that they exist, and have always existed, in considerable abundance, and from that circumstance alone there is a strong probability that they have their place and purpose."
The modern queer community unfortunately has less "elders" than it deserves; So it feels really nice to have Carpenter, from so long ago, validate that queer people are around and have a role in society same as anyone else.
September 28, 2019
A good, already canonical, book on sexuality and gender studies. A pleasure to read it again.
March 8, 2023
Given that this was first written over a century ago it is an amazing book [or, to be more accurate, collection of essays/papers]
It is not an easy read to a modern reader, not for the content or views expressed but simply that the language is unfamiliar to a late 20thC reader, let alone a 21stC one. The book covers a variety of views on the subject of same-sex relationships, the majority of which are not out of step with modern western law and societal opinion. Given that it was written around the time when Oscar Wilde was pilloried, jailed and disgraced this raises so many questions as to whether, even then, the law was out of step with society (or perhaps particularly intellectual society?)
While the content can sometimes become tedious where it examines in detail what various European psychologists were propounding, the Appendix provides a readable summary and some memorable quotations and is worth reading for its own merits, especially if the reader is 'enquiring' or 'questioning' their own gender identity
It is not an easy read to a modern reader, not for the content or views expressed but simply that the language is unfamiliar to a late 20thC reader, let alone a 21stC one. The book covers a variety of views on the subject of same-sex relationships, the majority of which are not out of step with modern western law and societal opinion. Given that it was written around the time when Oscar Wilde was pilloried, jailed and disgraced this raises so many questions as to whether, even then, the law was out of step with society (or perhaps particularly intellectual society?)
While the content can sometimes become tedious where it examines in detail what various European psychologists were propounding, the Appendix provides a readable summary and some memorable quotations and is worth reading for its own merits, especially if the reader is 'enquiring' or 'questioning' their own gender identity
August 15, 2025
A good example of how language has changed over the past 100+ years: I thought the title, Intermediate Sex: Transitional Types of Men and Women was about what we could call transgenderism. It is not, it is more about gays and lesbians.
For Carpenter, the intermediates are people who show personality characteristics and emotional traits of the opposite sex. Effeminate and emotional men and butch women, and who show sexual interest in members of their own sex.
Obviously very dated research. While it argues gays and lesbians are born as such, it still puts too much stock in stereotypical behaviors. Worse yet, the author actually defends pedophilia.
For Carpenter, the intermediates are people who show personality characteristics and emotional traits of the opposite sex. Effeminate and emotional men and butch women, and who show sexual interest in members of their own sex.
Obviously very dated research. While it argues gays and lesbians are born as such, it still puts too much stock in stereotypical behaviors. Worse yet, the author actually defends pedophilia.
July 14, 2025
Aunque existieron a lo largo de la Historia muchos libros que buscaron sutilmente mostrar el amor homosexual, Edward Carpenter (1844 - 1929) dedicó un ensayo completo a hablar directamente de la homosexualidad como una condición humana tan normal como la heterosexualidad.
A través de citas literarias y ejemplos históricos, Carpenter deja en claro que los homosexuales siempre hemos existido y hemos contribuido a la sociedad sin ser perversos o corruptos, como piensan los homofóbicos. Considero que este libro merece mayor reconocimiento.
A través de citas literarias y ejemplos históricos, Carpenter deja en claro que los homosexuales siempre hemos existido y hemos contribuido a la sociedad sin ser perversos o corruptos, como piensan los homofóbicos. Considero que este libro merece mayor reconocimiento.
January 5, 2025
Read this because the war poet Siegfried Sassoon said it was largely influential to him. This is more of a review of related literature with generalizations. Some observations are now outdated (even questionable) but it is one of the first essays to discuss the material in detail, for which it deserves credit.
October 29, 2025
I can call myself gay, or I can say I'm a Uranian💫
Crazy how advanced we were in the field of gender- and secuality-studies and then the two wars happened and all that work was for naught, only to be rediscovered much later...
Crazy how advanced we were in the field of gender- and secuality-studies and then the two wars happened and all that work was for naught, only to be rediscovered much later...
Want to read
June 7, 2023NA
Displaying 1 - 10 of 10 reviews