genetic variation

I understand that sexual reproduction causes genetic variation, but does hermaphroditsm cause it too? Is hermaphroditsm considered sexual reproduction? I was thinking yes and yes because hermaphrodites could mate with other hermaphrodites and both would have offspring.

are you talking about hermaphroditic self-fertilization? in that case, i don't think it would cause as much genetic variation as the offspring of two distinct individuals. In the case of hermaphrodites mating with hermaphrodites both parents would be offspring-bearing and would have genetic variation. Hermaphroditism as a term itself is not sexual reproduction so much as an anatomical term used to describe an individual with both male and female reproductive organs.

ohhh ok. gotcha. thanks.