Defining s*ex is difficult because human biology varies widely.

Key traits overlap extensively and rarely fall into two discrete types. Ultimately, the definition of s*ex is culturally constructed.

The ancient Roman sculpture Sleeping Hermaphroditus depicts the long-acknowledged variability of sex. According to Greek myth, Hermaphroditus (child of Aphrodite and Hermes, from whom his name is compounded) melded with the nymph Salmacis to create one intersex person.

Although hermaphrodite was once a term used to describe people with genitalia that is not obviously male or female, the term is now generally considered outdated and offensive. Intersex is a more expansive term that encompasses multiple ways of defining sex.

Sculptures such as Sleeping Hermaphroditus demonstrate the integration of biology, history, and culture in definitions of sex.

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A great story about a little bit of 'humanity' during a terrible war.

A great story about a little bit of 'humanity' during a terrible war. In April 1945, 2nd Lt. Peter During was a South African fighter pilot (N.7 Squadron) running missions over Italy when his Spitfire was shot down by German AA fire. He managed to crash land his plane behind enemy lines where he was immediately captured. Whilst been escorted to a German Lufwaffe Prisoner of War (POW) camp (he was a pilot and thus his interrogation and imprisonment was the responsibility of the German airforce), he opened a conversation with his captors. He was quickly able to establish that they could already see the writing on the wall, that the war was at an end and Germany would lose it. ...

He said the family were "acutely aware" there were "extremists of all sides who are keen to hijack this incident for their own ends".

The family of a man who was kicked in the head by police at Manchester Airport has appealed for "calm in all the communities", an MP has said. Paul Waugh, Rochdale MP, said the "traumatised" family wanted to make it clear they had "no political agenda whatsoever" and did not condone political violence. Anger over the video led to protests outside Rochdale police station on Wednesday and Thursday nights, with another protest also held in Manchester city centre on Thursday. Mr Waugh said the family would not be attending any protests or giving any media interviews as they wanted their privacy protected. "The strong message they wanted to give is that they have no political agenda whatsoever," he told BBC Breakfast. "They wanted me to issue an appeal for calm among all sorts of different communities in Rochdale. "We've had a history of unfortunate division in our town and we do not want to go back to those days." He said the famil...

A grieving family has paid tribute to their “simply irreplaceable” teenager with "a heart full of gold" who died in a reservoir this week.

A grieving family has paid tribute to their “simply irreplaceable” teenager with "a heart full of gold" who died in a reservoir this week. Tyrese Johnson, 16, had finished school for the summer when the tragedy happened. The teenager got into difficulties at Lodge Farm Reservoir in Netherton, Dudley, on Tuesday evening His body was recovered from the water the next day by police divers. Emergency teams raced to the reservoir in the West Midlands, but were unable to find the youngster. A major search was launched involving police divers and a helicopter and his body was recovered the next day by an underwater team. In a statement, his devastated family said: "Tyrese, words can't describe what you meant to us as a family, your loving devoted mom, your brother, dad, your niece and nephew. "You were a kind loving young man with a heart full of gold. Your warm, gentle, kind hearted soul, simply irreplaceable." Dozens of tributes and flowers were left near the s...

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