Citation of The Spirit and the Flesh  in Sabine Lang, Men as Women, Women as Men: Changing Gender in Native American Cultures Austin: University of Texas Press, 2010.

Page 43:   “The most comprehensive and extensive description of the institution of the berdache is that of Williams (1986), who dealt with the subject in the framework of a historical investigation, supporting his presentation with his own fieldwork results, which are remarkably comprehensive….  Williams focused primarily on changes in the institution resulting from the pressure of dominating Anglo-American influences and also on the partial redefinition of the berdache tradition in the context of the Gay American Indians movement.  He is also one of the few authors who, in addition, considered for female gender variance / gender role change.  Although Williams described the berdache institution as the cultural integration of homosexual behavior, he largely escaped the temptation which has ensnared other homosexual authors— equating the berdache with the homosexual of our culture….  On the contrary, Williams clearly delineated the construction of an ambivalent gender status for women-men.  In general, his work functions as a plea for the cultural acceptance of sexual diversity, and it represents the most sensitive representation up to now of berdaches in their own cultural context.  The excerpts from his interviews with women-men and men, all cast doubt on earlier interpretations.  In addition, Williams’ work underscores the necessity of a cultural anthropological perspective instead of a psychological perspective on gender role change.”