I admit to
being an opinionated Neanderthal. But I call ‘em as I see them…and I find it
confusing when I hear that Facebook has now given me 58 choices for my gender
identity. The British Broadcasting
Company is telling primary schoolchildren that there are over 100
genders in a video series. When former Vice President Joe Biden was asked the
question, he said three.
So you can
see my confusion.
I’m going
out on a limb here and say, I think the answer is two, male and female. The
answer is in the chromosomes. They don’t lie.
Now, showing
you my hip, happenin’ and ultra liberal side----let me say I understand that
some people don’t want to be tied down to one gender. In that case, they have
the right to undergo procedures to change themselves. Fine with me. But the transition is from one
sex to the other. I guess Biden thinks the transition deserves a mention….I
don’t know….because when he was pushed on his answer he got physical with the
woman asking the question.
So I guess,
if push comes to shove, I’d even understand the answer being three—man, woman
and the transition from one to the other. But even then, there is a
destination---male or female.
But teaching
kids there are 100 different gender identities is just confusing---especially
for grade schoolers. I mean isn’t there enough to talk about what with math, English
and history?
Is there
really time to explain someone who identifies as “gender-fluid?”
I feel like you're trying to understand this, so I'll explain a little more about this issue. Sex is assigned at birth and gender are those aspects of personality and development we typically attribute to one sex or the other. So your basic assessment of three main gender categories is for the most part correct, but don't forget the people who were born intersex. There are also some people who aren't trying to transition but reject their gender, gender nonconforming folx.
ReplyDeleteWithin the myriad Facebook options and also with the BBC's 100 options, you'll actually see that multiple options are different ways of saying the same thing. I'll just use Facebook as my example. 10 options are ways to identify as cisgender, where you identify with the gender you were assigned at birth. 30 options are different ways to identify as trans, either gender or sex or both. The remaining options are mostly non-gender, or both gender, or rejecting the concept of gender.
Some people are really invested in the concept of their own gender identity, so they'd like to tell you exactly how they identify. Gender dysphoria is a really difficult thing to deal with. It messes with your sense of self, so having these identities is a way to take ownership of who you are again. For a brief example, I have a friend who is trans male. He was born a woman but is transitioning into a man, just started testosterone about a month ago. His dysphoria caused him to hate the body he was born into. He had eating disorders trying to force himself to fit the mold of what he was told women should be. He didn't feel quite right as a woman, but since he realized he was trans he has taken ownership of his life and, while he's still struggling with his eating disorder, he has made great improvements.
It's all an intensely personal process, and it's okay if you don't get it all. It's a lot to wrap your head around when you identify solidly as your assigned gender. I myself still don't understand the nuances of all the different non-conforming identities, but just keep an open mind about it and it'll work out.
Thanks
Delete