Intermediate Types Among Primitive Folk

Intermediate Types Among Primitive Folk

by Edward Carpenter


This vintage book contains Edward Carpenter’s ground-breaking study of homosexuality, "Intermediate Types Among Primitive Folk - A Study In Social Evolution". It is a fascinating study of social evolution centered on the idea that there is a spectrum of ‘types’ of man and woman. The author postulates that there exists a range in sexuality, there being feminine bodies with masculine minds and vice versa. Expertly written in a manner that makes it readily accessible, this book is highly recommended for anyone with an interest in gender and sexuality, and is it not to be missed by fans and collectors of Carpenter’s seminal work.


In this ground-breaking study of homosexuality, Edward Carpenter reviews an extensive body of literature, including accounts of Shamans and Bedarches (transgenders) in tribal society, and same-sex unions in ancient Greece and feudal Japan. This book includes much that has a direct bearing on issues of gay spirituality, including a discussion of the Kedushim, the priests of the ancient Near Eastern Goddess religion, and target of the Levitical anti-sodomy and anti-cross-dressing regulations. There is also a mention of the sanctioned Christian male same-sex unions in the Balkans, which gives a new dimension to recent controversies. The chapter on same-sex unions in feudal Japan is also of particular interest, as it deals with a topic very rarely dealt with by western writers.