In the Western world we are coming from a long mainstream tradition of two distinct genders. So it is not difficult to understand the underlying cultural resistance in general, and that of more conservative people in particular, to the expansion of gender boundaries and the diversification of family structures.
However, many indigenous cultures are way ahead of us, and have lived with three, and even five, genders forever, modeling a non-binary gender system. Not that there is necessarily total acceptance on all fronts, together with complete equality of status and full legalization. Minorities always seem to have it rougher, unfortunately. But the fact that these gender fluid roles exist in other cultures openly, and are part of the cultural fabric, is cause for reassurance.
While their situation is not easy - they are pioneers in many ways - the role gender fluid people have accepted to play in our culture is extremely valuable. They model a more open and accepting gender definition; they show us that people don't only come in black or white, but in all colors of the rainbow; that families don't have to be wedged exclusively into the mom/dad/kids model, but that the idea of family can also encompass all colors of the rainbow so to speak (see a previous blog post on increasing family structure fluidity). After all, love is love, human is human, and on a spiritual soul level there is no gender, period. Besides, we all carry our individual mixes of feminine and masculine in us. Some women are extremely feminine, others much less so. Some guys are real he-men, others feel more comfortable expressing their feelings. It's about defining the boundaries less rigidly, allowing for more fluidity, no longer boxing people into a simplifying and simplistic gender definition that is becoming quickly outdated.
We live in culturally extremely creative and exiting times, if perhaps unsettling for more traditional thinkers, when many values are being questioned and redefined, and boundaries pushed out. If we can begin to see the humanness in whatever expression people chose to live, the sheer endless creativity we humans are able to express, we are better for it, we'll have expanded our tolerance and our consciousness.
Remember, on the food front we have moved so far beyond meat and potatoes in just a century. We now have so many wonderful choices from all over the world, and we are so much richer for it. You don't have to like it all. But let your mind be blown open in amazement and wonderment and acceptance at the beauty and diversity of the human condition and its incredible diversity.