| Lame Deer, for example, made clear that adopting the role of the berdache among the Teton Dakota was not always an exercise in free choice. |
| On the contrary, they symbolically sacrificed the berdache before the newcomers. |
| Male berdache have been documented in nearly 150 North American societies, while female berdache appear in half as many groups. |
| The important role of the berdache in many Native American nations provides a useful example. |
