Julia Y
cut paper and colored pencil
5×7

Hermaphroditos is the child of greek deities Hermes and Aphrodite, and Their name is a combination of the two. I consider Them as a deity of queer, trans, and intersex people, although the ancient Greeks were very binary in their descriptions of gender and didn’t use these terms. They were usually portrayed in Greco-Roman art as “a female figure with male genitals” and having “a body which is beautiful and delicate like that of a woman, but has the masculine quality and vigour of a man. ” They were a deity presiding over marriage, “by embodying both masculine and feminine qualities, (they) symbolized the coming together of men and women in sacred union. “

I’ve depicted Them here using the caduceus, winged ankles, and broad-rimmed hat representative of Their father Hermes, God of communication and trade. Their mother Aphrodite, Goddess of love and beauty, is represented by the flowing hair, drapery, and sea foam common in her imagery. “Aphrodite” comes from the Greek word “Aphros” meaning “foam” as she was born from the white foam on the sea.

The symbols on the bottom are the planets Mercury (Hermes) and Venus (Aphrodite). In astrology, Mercury represents thoughts and communication, and Venus is attraction, love, money, and aesthetics.

REALLY IMPORTANT NOTE:
The name of Hermaphroditos is the origin of the term “hermaphrodite” which is used in science to describe plants and animals that posses male and female characteristics and can reproduce on their own. This term has historically been used to refer to people who are intersex, but is now considered a stigmatizing and misleading term and SHOULD NEVER BE USED TO DESCRIBE INTERSEX PEOPLE.