Angel Gender

[Drusilla]

My six year old attends an all girls' school and is refusing to play the Angel Gabriel in the forthcoming nativity play, protesting; 'It's a boy's part! I played a boy last year! (King) I want to be a normal angel!' She got me thinking though. Are angels supposed to have a gender, or not?

[El D]

I believe they are supposed to be asexual although normally assigned the male gender, so technically it is not a boys part but neither is it a girls :)

[smudge]

I collect angels & cherubs, but have never really thought of that one before - all mine look feminine enough to be females, so assumed they were!

It wouldn't surprise me if nativity plays, along with Angels are completely phased out over the next few years. Sadly, it has started to happen in some of our Christian schools already - thanks to the PC brigade.

I know it's not always wise to intervene, but as your daughter played a 'boy' last year & has been asked again to do so this year, perhaps you could have a little word with the teacher & ask if there is a possibility of her playing a 'girl'. I hope she eventually gets to play the part she'd like to Drusilla. Good luck.

[dotjhawkes]

Why not ask if she can be the Angel Gabriella? I think a little lightheartedness would not go amiss, and anyway, all nativity plays are meant to be written fresh each year!

[Tatty Rollox]

...... and here is the Archangel Gabriel. Perhaps if you got her to concentrate upon developing the ability to glide around on a cloud she would forget about being turned into a boy .........

[kaktus]

As have been said about I think they're supposed to asexaul. However I have seen Gabriel as a woman in some movies, so I really think she should be allowed to be a girl gabriel. It's not going to ruin the play that's for sure!

I think that smudge got a point about talking to the teacher. He or she probably hasn't thought about it that way and will listen to you I'm sure!

[kaktus]

Hmm just read the last part of my post and I thought I was a bit vague. What I meant was, that the teacher probably has forgotten your daughter played a boys part last year too and will listen if you tell her your daguhter was a bit sad about playing a boy's part again

[elpresdentde]

angels are sexless beings. but i dont think it will help your situation

[delboy3]

I was going to suggest she watch the Keanu Reeves film 'Constantine' but on second thoughts maybe not! The angel Gabriel in the film is played by a woman (Tilda Swinton) made to look asexual, so tell her that in Hollywood the Angel Gabriel is a girl!

[ursula62]

Be careful when you speak to the teacher, it might backfire.... this happened to my niece at the sunday school nativity years ago. She was a King one year and allocated Gabriel the next. She asked to have a girly part as she was in a "girly pink" phase. She ended up where nobody could see her - as a "twinkly star" in the back row of the last scene while her ex-best friend got the speaking part. It's never easy!

[Gnisy]

hi drusilla, in Constantine the movie ( with keannu reeves ) Gabriel was played by a woman who was somewhat androgynous. A Christian friend of mine told me that Gabriel was not suppose to be a boy or a girl, hence the need for someone to play an androgynous role.

However, Charlie's Angels were girls and they were pretty cool angels.

[OBonio]

In Dogma, Alan Rickman played Metatron who was an Angel. No genitalia. And he/it proved it.

[Drusilla]

Thank you all for your answers. Apparently, her young teacher did some checking up as well. If I'd told my daughter they were assexual, I bet the little minx wouldn't have believed me, but when 'miss' says, everythings ok. Mums can't win!

[Scylax]

I suppose that one could ask some rather pointed questions about the gender of God too. For those who believe in such things, angels,gods,saints, fairies and goblins must be suitably sexed, and there is a lot of androgenous thinking about.

In Spanish, the US city is called Los Angeles, denoting the male gender. Yah boo to all Spanish ladies perhaps? Poor girls, you will never get a fair deal,but 'What are little boys made of ? .......Rats and sails and puppy-dog's tails.....that's what little boys are made of'....