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Socrates Exchange: Should Gender Matter?
By Laura Knoy on Friday, September 25, 2009.
We know there are physical differences between men and women. We also know historically there has been gender inequality and in some cultures its believed that one gender has a subservient role to the other. But have we reached an age in 2009 America where these differences still mean anything anymore... or should they? Post your thoughts below and respond to other postings.
Guest
- Max Latona, Associate Professor of Philosophy at St. Anselm College
Background Reading
What is Gender?
The question concerning gender is one most of us, no doubt, have strong feelings about. Gender is relevant to each of us in the most personal of ways; everyone identifies with their gender in some way or other. Whether one is male or female, a little of both, or post-gender, gender is one of the central facets of our identity.
Considering the original meaning of the word gender was “kind” or “type,” from the Latin genus, the importance of the term should not be surprising. Gender originally implied that a distinction was being made in a general sense. The term has simply transformed into a distinction of particular kinds of human identity, namely the masculine and feminine kinds. The gender distinction is not only used for self-identification, but to identify or classify those around us as well. For example we use gender to identify possible partners for relationships. Based on this, it seems each of us has an innate understanding of gender.
Or - maybe not. This July at the world track and field championships the issue of gender distinction played a prominent role. The winner of the women’s 800 meter race, Caster Semenya, blew away the field by more than two seconds This, coupled with her low voice and masculine appearance, had many questioning whether she should have been competing in the men’s race. The event raises an important issue. Before discussing the prescriptive question “should gender matter?” one must have an answer to the descriptive question “what is gender?”
One might be tempted to suggest simple biological or physiological tests. Men and women have different bodily structures and thus gender is determined by empirical observation of such things as the width of the hips and reproductive organs. But science recognizes a great diversity of levels of development that makes it hard to tell simply by looking the difference between a man and a woman. Perhaps gender is determined at a deeper physical level than outward appearance – the genetic level. As everyone learns in their high school biology class, men and women are separated by a difference in chromosomes: women have an XX chromosome and men have an XY. But even this is not a black and white method of determining gender. Certain women can be born with an XY combination but, because of hormone levels, develop exactly like a female. And as with external bodily structures, science recognizes a great diversity of hormone levels which can be present in either sex. All of these issues contributed to a difficult situation for those asked to test Caster Semenya’s gender and it forces us to look outside the physiological realm to understand what determines gender difference.
Perhaps, then, gender is determined along sociological or behavioral lines. From the time we are young children, performing certain actions equates us with one gender or the other. For example little girls choose toys which are pink and purple, and little boys prefer the blue, green and red ones. But here we can see why this kind of behavioral suggestion is dangerous – anyone who has walked down the aisles of a toy store will understand that little girls choose pink and purple toys because these are the only colors offered to them. Gender behaviors have as much to do with society’s arbitrary conceptions of gender as with the actions that gender elicits on an individual level. Also, these socially determined gender behaviors are constantly being torn down by both genders. As Sojourner Truth expressed it in the mid 19th century:
Nobody ever helps me into carriages, or over mud puddles, or gives me any best place! And ain’t I a woman? Look at me! Look at my arm! I have ploughed and planted, and gathered into barns, and no man could surpass me! And ain’t I a woman? I could work as much as a man and eat as much as a man – when I could get it – and bear the lash as well! And ain’t I a woman?
There are probably many other answers to what comprises gender difference, many of which are probably as unsatisfactory as the ones offered here. But perhaps, in line with the Socratic process used on the Socrates Exchange, we should acknowledge that having an answer is not as important as asking the questions. What the questions provide us with is our own ignorance; it makes clear our presuppositions and unquestioned assumptions. If we attempt to answer moral questions, such as “should gender matter?”, recognizing that we have these assumptions will help us to keep an open mind and perhaps bring us closer to truth.
Suggested Readings
On Being a Woman:
The Second Sex by Simone de Beauvoir - In this monument of feminist philosophy, de Beauvoir examines what it means to be a woman in contemporary society. Using personal experience and the existentialist vocabulary of friend and lover Jean-Paul Sartre, de Beauvoir concludes that the female gender plays the role of "other gender" in contrast to the dominant "male gender." Her famous proposition "one is not born a woman, one becomes one" from the second sex is the groundwork for much of contemporary gender studies.
The Female Eunuch by Germaine Greer - Using a comic and aggressive style Greer examines the many facets of being a woman - in body, soul, and emotional tendencies. Greer takes the feminist conclusions that society is dominated by men one step further by suggesting that woman are actually mutilated in this power struggle, losing and misunderstanding much of what it means to be a woman.
On Being a Man
Iron John by Robert Bly - An examination of the Grimm tale "Iron Hans" or "Iron John" in an attempt to break through contemporary stereotypes of masculinity. Bly combines psychiatry, mythology, and poetry in an attempt to understand the important role the mentor figure has played historically in the initiation of boys into manhood, and how the lack of such figures is wounding today’s young men.
Fire in the Belly by Sam Keen - In Fire in the Belly, Keen explores many of the stereotypes of masculine roles currently existing and throughout history. Keens goal is to allow men to reconcile themselves with the many demands and struggles faced everyday as men, as well as to find a way to live in harmony with women without conceiving of the relationship as a tension or war.
Other Fiction/Nonfiction
Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides - A fictional account of a young girl, Callie, struggling to understand herself and her gender, a struggle that eventually turns Callie into Cal.
Iron Hans by the Brothers Grimm - A tale of a young boy who is forced to leave his parents home and undergo a life journey that will take him through trials and tribulations in life and love.
Kabul Beauty School by Debbie Rodriguez – Soon after the fall of the Taliban, author Debbie Rodriguez went to Kabul, Afghanistan to start a beauty school. Within the walls of the school, Rodriguez learned of the lives and harrowing stories of these women, stories that soon gave her the strength to leave her own husband and find new love. Kabul Beauty School is the story of a community of women from different cultures who come together and learn about “perms, friendship and freedom”.
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First, a minor terminology point, that "gender" refers to languages in which some nouns are masculine and some feminine. To me, when used more broadly it's a prissy way to avoid the word "sex," which refers, among other things, to the difference between male or female humans.
But to get on to the main issue: Gender, or sex, does matter, but it matters greatly in some areas and not at all in others. Both men and women have the ability to perform many tasks well--for example, cooking, typing, driving a car, caring for a child, raking the lawn, barbequeing a steak.
In other areas, sex makes a huge difference. Obvious areas are a woman's unique ability to give birth and a mother's ability to nurse her child. And children have different responses to Mom and Dad that are more subtle. Fathers can be wonderful nurturers, yet sometimes a crying child just wants his or her mother's arms.
The controversial areas are more societal and cultural---in other words, tasks or roles that we mentally assign to a man or a woman. House cleaner, truck driver, operator of construction equipment, day care helper, surgeon, receptionist--all these are jobs that we associate primarily with one sex or the other. Yet sex really has no bearing on who can do them well.
Should one sex be subservient to the other? I think we have reached the point in society where we would say No.
Should one sex be forced into lower-status or lower-paying occupations? Again, to be fair we would have to say No. In the United States most opportunities are, and should be, open to both men and women.
The challenge is to open our minds to the wonderful abilities we all have as humans and avoid stereotyping others based only on their sex.
We specifically used the word "gender" and not "sex" for the fact that sex just means men and women.
Read the background material above ("What is Gender") and you'll see where we are coming from here. Using "gender" complicates the question more (and we think makes it more interesting and compelling). It opens the door to bring transgendered and those who have different chromosome makeups into the conversation.
How does a woman born with a woman's body who identifies herself more as a man fall into being a good/better nurturer of children?
Based on my experience on Boards of Directors of several corporations, yes, gender DOES matter. In general, women approach business and make decisions while weighing the human factor more heavily than pure numbers/statistics. Again and again I have seen Board discussion and votes dominated by the male gender (due to the dominance of males on the Board), while the female position was deemed "too soft" and "not business enough". Yet, when discussions were heated (by both genders), the male position was termed "strong" and "determined" and "showing leadership" while the female position as "shrill" and "whining" and "pushy". Yes, gender matters in leadership and business, and until MORE women reach the Board Room to be able sway the Corporate decisions in this country and around the world, business decisions will continue to be dominated by the male perspective.
Muriel, I thought your comments on the show today were superb, as you brought to light both some of the differences of style between men and women in the world of business, but also some of the stereotypes that still exist--stereotypes that many of us thought had gone away. Still, your comments on the show, and here, have got me wondering: if there are indeed (generally speaking) real differences between the way women and men think, speak and act in the workforce--does it make really make sense to highlight them or celebrate them, since doing so might only feed existing or new stereotypes? In other words, because of the tendency of our society to oversimplify each and every issue, I worry that any acknowledged differences will end up overshadowing the uniqueness of each individual, and causing inequities of the sort you allude to (e.g., "Women shouldn't be assertive and aggressive, since that is not their nature.)
The reason I think acknowledging and celebrating the differences in how men and women think and make business decisions is that as a society we want to hear the voices of all. We as a society think that men and women have good prospectives to bring to the table in all aspects of society. So by celebrating the differences, we would not be perpetuating the myth that men and women approach business "the same way", and therefore a senior management team or BOD comprised of 95% + males would be deemed completely unacceptable (and considered unrepresentative and unbalanced).
Interestingly I have observed women in both law school and the business world literally play dumb when a man comes around. The same women who were articulate and intelligent when discussing an issue with a group of women, would change not only the content of their speech, but their physical demeanor and vocal inflection to literally project a different image of themself- one not as INTELLIGENT as the presentation they had just moments before the man entered the scene. That phenomena absolutely fascinated me, in particular as I then noted that when it came to actual interpersonal ATTRACTION, men seem to be drawn to women who appear NEEDY in some way- less intelligent requiring their assistance, less capable requiring a man's mechanical skills etc,when in REALITY the women were in actuality QUITE CAPABLE in their own right. It seemed the seeking of the male to explain the tough theory, or change the tire, had more to do with wanting ATTENTION, and men are draw to that feeling of being NEEDED and VALUED. So where does that instictive provider/protector urge men are said to have originiate from: Innate or Learned Behavior? Do those women who learn the skill of flirtatiously capturing a man's heart (albeit perhaps subconsiouly) do so out of socical conditioning or instinct because it works! Why do women play into that male provider/protector instinct? And why is it that men seem so threeatened by intelligent women so much so that they can accept woman as highly intelligent only by ignoring her sexuality, femininity and the very fact she IS A WOMAN. Thus studies have shown that women lawyers with masculine names are far more successful than a female lawyer with a name like "Daisy", and many women in the legal profession who DO succeed wear drab suits and dress in a masculine manner. This to me indicates the worst bias of all still exists: The lack of ability to accept that intelligence and femininity can co-exist in a woman.
Hi David,
I agree with you that gender matters in some cases more than others. But if someone is trying to get a job it shouldn't matter. Everyone should have an equal opportunity without their gender getting in the way. On sports teams there are reasons that teams should and shouldn’t be separated by gender. In sports if a girl can play just as well as the guys they should be able to play. But if a girl was to play with guys then it might change how the guys would play. If a guy was to play against another guy they would each play rough, but if a guy was playing against a girl, he might not play as rough. “If I knew the goalie was a girl, I wouldn’t have gone into the tackle as hard,” (anonymous). I also agree that gender matters in cases where a child would go to their mother for different reasons than their father. All and all I agree that gender shouldn't matter in most cases.
One thing I learned while putting together this show was how complicated the issue of gender is. It’s not just sex… male and female. My intern Ryan Manley put together an excellent write up (above) on just how complex it is.
When I think of this question, it makes me think of my passion …distance running. Generally in sports, take the best man and best woman and the man is better… football, basketball, and baseball. In distance running however, the longer you run the quicker the tables begin to turn. Although, men still hold longer and/or faster world records in every recorded race, women have been catching up. Look at the world records in say the marathon and the gap between the men’s and women’s world record is shrinking.
In 1989, Ann Transon became the first female ever USA Track and Field Champion by beating a field of men and women in a 24-hour race. In some of the toughest ultra-marathon races she’s placed second or third outright. Scientists say that the way a woman store fat is what makes them naturally better at running the ultra marathon distance. It’s the same way in which men who can generally build more muscles excel better in sports that require more upper body strength.
Using sports, I would say that gender DOES matter… but should it?
If it shouldn’t then it begs the question “Why have a women’s record and why a men’s record have?” Most races award the top finishers for men and the top finishers for women. To say that gender shouldn’t matter would mean that you should just award the top finishers no matter what sex they are. I think it’s an interesting way to look at it.
As a transgender person I am concerned about the use of the word "gender," all to often people use the term gender when they mean sex. In our community there is a saying "sex is between the legs and gender is between the ears." I think that people use the term "gender" in a misguided attempt to be "politically correct" because they think that the word sex is offensive to some. Gender is fluid while the term sex although not binary is limited to fewer interpretations. Using the terms interchangeably reinforces that one is either all male or all female. When asked for my gender on any document and seeing only the two choices M or F it makes me feel uncomfortable as if people like me don't exist. I suppose I would need a sliding scale to answer honestly. While not wishing to make light of the inequities suffered by genetic women when will society stop seeing "gender" as a black or white issue? Gender politics will not change until we stop dividing ourselves into xx or xy camps. To make an analogy there are a lot of independent voters out there, perhaps the acceptance of a multiple party system would benefit us all. If you choose to take your discussion in this direction maybe for your show you could use the song Masculine Women & Feminine Men by the Savoy Havana Band it's from the 20's.
Interesting post. I am both a biological and adoptive mother and looked at adopting a child who had been raised for four years as a boy before it was determined that she was a girl. I think that the child looks like a girl, but since she has both sex organs, she was raised otherwise. She is in a Chinese orphanage, which is very lucky (I know that sounds crazy) for her. In China there is no blue/pink distinction. In fact, my Chinese son loves bright pink. In children's clothing and toys there, they are completely interchangeable. Had that same child been raised here, I think a lot more damage would have been done in those first few years. A lot of this is the result of ultrasounds predicting the sex of a child-and people shopping, as a result, for non-neutral colors. It is very difficult to find the greens and yellows that baby sections used to be filled with.
i'm i 27 year old pipefitter. at first glance you might hink i was a male....no. i'm the only women in the local union 131 in service. i'm 5'7" 134lbs but as i said in my interview i'm like an ant. i have previous formal college training, but realized i didn't want to be in an office. i am treated and paid the same way as my union brothers. i do find that i get pointed out for talking. my voice carries, being a female. i do get some crap from some foremans, but for the most part i can lift my body weight or over, completeley competent in classes, and mechanically inclined. i am straight and do not anticipate a marriage or kids at anytime soon. i mostly have guy friends and get along with other trades. we get the same rate of pay and benefits being union. one downside is my voice is very different from men. i get reports that i'm mouthy. what does that mean. i just have a neon sign over my head because i have a female small voice. i get told i'm mouthy. i talk as much crap as any other apprentice, i just stand out. plus other trades come up to me and talk to me and i get crap for that. i continue my work, but other brothers see as that i'm trying to pick up guys and not working. they approach me, slow your roll men in construction. but my foremen see it as my fault. ok i think i said my piece unless u would like an essay.
thanks
sarah
Like Sarah I work in a male dominated field. I am a truck driver. I have learned in my eight years of driving that I have to be very mindfull of how I relate to men. In the beginning of my career I observed the guys at the dairies (I pick up and deliver milk) they were freindly and heplfull with each other, this was the norm. I took my cues,and responded in kind, like any other driver. I found that some men thought I was interested, some men (thankfully) treated me like "one of the guys" and others were just disrespectful.
I love my job, I do not like having to put up a wall or act callous because I am afraid of putting out the wrong signals. I find sometimes this makes me feel bitter in general.
This leads to the question about men and women in the workplace, is it different personalities, upbringing, or religious beliefs that make it difficult to sometimes work together? Or is it a ongoing learning process. Is it a matter of evolution, that some have evolved to relate equally between genders? I realize that we, as the human race, have come along way and a long way we still have to go. Thanks, writing this made me feel better and I look forward to the discussion.
I came to this page to comment because I'd just read an article about Caster Semenya (http://www.slepton.com/slepton/viewcontent.pl?id=2803) and thought it was something that should be part of this discussion. Arriving at the Socrates Exchange site, I found out that NHPR was already onto this story.
I think the article I reference makes excellent points about our at times perverse fascination with chromosomes and body parts and our need to define and classify for certain what or who someone is. The same goes for scientific classifications of plants and animals - the platypus makes some people very uncomfortable because it isn't easily categorized - it's therefore 'weird'. It's our insecure need for rational order that makes issues of sex and gender and sexual preference (and race and class) so powerful. It used to be (and still is in some parts of the world) that people descended from parents of two different races (derogatorily referred to as "mulatto") were viewed as inferior to the race of either of the parents. This kind of discrimination derives ultimately from fear and insecurity about our own place in the world.
To the main question of 'should gender [sex] matter?' I would answer "of course". It matters to me that I am a woman, with certain benefits and challenges deriving from that physical and cultural fact. I am comfortable and happy as a woman, and recognize that my life experience would be very different had I been born with different chromosomal make up (or with a different existential sense of who I am gender-wise). I value the broad differences between men and women, and the world is a richer place because of our distinctions. In eastern cultures, yin does not exist without yang, they are equally important and balancing. They are not the same, anymore than men and women are the same, but they are infinitely complementary.
But should gender, or sex, matter in terms of how much someone is paid, or what careers are open to them, or how much someone is expected to do household work, or what sports one can participate in, or what color or kind of clothing they are expected to wear? The fact is, gender IS relevant in those and many other areas. My view is that these culturally developed (and evolving) expectations should not be imposed on any of us (men or women) from society at large. If my co-worker wants to wear pink - fine, male or female. But if they can't pursue a profession because of their sex, then even though it may be all too common, we should collectively recognize that such discrimination limits and therefore weakens our collective well-being.
I never thought of or used mulatto in a derogatory way; in fact, I always thought it was better to be so identified than to deny one half of your heritage. Is anyone called mulatto besides children of black and white parents?
I would not put forth a biological explanation for a social phenomenon but it is hard to argue that there are substantive differences between the genders that ought to matter in some circumstances. Men and women have different bodies and, from my casual perspective, different minds as well. It makes little sense to deny those differences.
Our problems emerge when people make too much of those differences or craft employment opportunities that artificially benefit one gender over another (more often to the advantage of men, but not always). Biology is not destiny. The natural talents of both genders can be applied successfully to the same challenge but that application might take different forms. For example, my wife and I are both good parents but I happened to be better at holding the kids upside down. Since I see just about every parent doing this, I assume it plays a key role in the mental development of children and it fell to me to do it.
I've simplified the issues by focusing on biological differences. I suppose one could argue that differences based on nurture ought also to make a difference if they imbue each gender with different and complementary talents. Whether it is rooted in biology or sociology, my wife has given much more thought to the process of child rearing and has done a much better job than I of articulating rules for the kids to live by.
I could go on but I need to get back to work. This should be a good show.
First off, biologically speaking, I'm Intersexed. Somatically neither 100% stereotypically male, not 100% stereotypically female. A matter of biology.
My Gender Identity - whether I'm a man or a woman - is female. I fit in well with the grossly oversimplified model that states all people are one or the other, not both, not neither. Some people don't though.
That too appears to be a matter of biology. Neuroanatomy, to be precise. I'll quote Prof Sidney Ecker, after he gave a presentation to the American Psychiatric Association's annual meeting detailing the hundreds of experiments we have on animals - and the more limited ones on humans - that deal with this issue:
----
Hi Zoe,
Yes, we gave our presentation to 60 plus psychiatrists from the US, AU, FR, IT, EU, UK, Holland etc.
We spoke for 2 1/2 hours on why cross gender identity was a normal inherited variation of humans. We showed how Transgender Brains think, smell, and hear like the opposite sex.
----
Yes, the sexes differ in their neuroanatomy, though there's some overlap. Few things in biology are clear-cut. But Men do tend to smell, hear, think, and emote differently from Women. That's not a matter of social construction, but how the brain is organised on sexually dimorphic lines.
It's complicated because so much - the vast majority - of what we call "gendered behaviour" is a social construct, which differs both geographically and historically. There's neither a gene nor a brain structure that determines "blue for boys, pink for girls", that's mere fashion. In the 19th century, the reverse was true.
However, if a "gendered" behaviour pattern is common from Patagonia to Pittsburg, from Sarawak to Saskatchewan, amongst Aleut Eskimos and Andaman Islanders.... then it has a biological basis. Sometimes an obvious one - as in women breastfeeding infants - sometimes a more subtle one, such as the "ladies sewing circle" or male bonding after work or hunting.
Thus Gender Roles can mostly fall within the philosopher's realm, but not completely. And sex is no more a matter for philosophical debate than vulcanism, chemistry or astrophysics.
This has particular impact on those of us whose biology when it comes to sexual differentiation is atypical. Our own views are ignored, we get arrogantly told which sex we are, usually on the basis of some religious or political theory with no evidential basis, and often completely ignoring not just our own narratives, but basic biological facts.
This has severely impacted two groups: first, those infants born with ambiguous genitalia. It has been the practice to surgically "normalise" such babies as soon as possible. Not for the child's benefit - some die in the process - but so as not to upset either the parents, society at large, or the medics themselves.
They get it right 2 times out of 3. The third time though, they've castrated a boy, a child who will always think, feel, smell, hear, emote and identify as a boy, and surgically assigned him an approximately female body, often simply because his genitalia didn't match what the surgeon thought was an acceptable length. Or removed a girl's only chance of motherhood, sterilising her because her external genitalia didn't look feminine enough.
The second group to suffer are those born with relatively usual bodies, but cross-gendered neuroanatomy. The Transsexuals - though perhaps 10% end up in that situation as the result of well-meaning but tragically mistaken surgical "normalisation" when young.
Should these people seek to modify their external appearance to match their brain, hence mind and gender identity, they are anathematised. It's no longer acceptable to have a headline saying "Nigger slain" or "Yid murdered". But "Tranny killed", that's fine. Pastors and politicians rail at them as "threats to society"... "mentally ill perverts" and regardless of whether they're attracted to men or women, they're considered Gay.
I know.
You see, some Intersex conditions can cause a "natural sex change". The child looks (somewhat, mostly or completely) like one sex at birth, but changes to look (somewhat, mostly or completely) like the other later in life. Such people are often mistaken for transsexuals, when in fact such a change can either cure, or cause, a mismatch between brain and body.
Mine cured it. I lucked out. Of course I have a 17 times greater likelihood of being murdered now, compared with most. My marriage of 28 years is on very shaky legal grounds, as it's now become a same-sex relationship. It took a 20 month legal fight just to be (grudgingly) granted the right to return to my country after leaving it. And various religious groups have described me as a "weapon of mass destruction" (that from the Exclusive Brethren) or a "threat to Humanity" (that, unfortunately, from the Pope), not for anything I've done or said, but merely for existing.
A sense of humour is a survival skill. I hope Ms Semanya has a well-developed one, to help her cope with a very public sexual assault. Rape by media. That happens to us too.
You need to be able to appreciate the absurdity of it all, and to have some compassion for the ignorant and fearful. To be able to say "Forgive them, for they know not what they do."
I think that the differences in gender ARE, therefore Gender MUST matter.
That does not mean people of different genders are not capable of accomplishing the exact same tasks, thoughts, or results in most areas. Cultural and social evolution demonstrate the blurring of 'acceptable gender behavior' in thousands of examples.
At the same time, ignoring the unique nature of each gender is at least foolish ignorance. The unique ability our gender differences contribute make it clear that we all can accomplish more together than any one individual can achieve alone - and humans have been doing that - and exploiting it - since before caves started looking comfortable.
In a more negative aspect, humans (among many other species) have learned to seek out and exploit differences in others in order to promote their own personal level of survival. Since gender is usually easy to identify, it is easy to exploit. That this behavior exists might not be politically correct, but that does not make it less true. Ignoring that prejudice, bias, and exploitation of perceived weaknesses exist does not make the prejudice, bias, and exploitation disappear.
So an emphatic Yes - Gender HAS TO matter, because differences in gender and what those differences mean impact all of us.
There are genetic and physical differences that impact thought, behavior, and motive - and ignoring the differences won't make them disappear.
Those differences are not within our power to control. What is within our power to control is HOW we allow gender to matter.
I agree with you that gender does matter, but it is in the way we treat this difference that matters more. By ignoring these differences, in some cases being "politically correct", we are not solving the problems, but hiding them.
This is an interesting thought. What differences are you referring to? What problems do these differences create? In what way has ignoring these purported differences hidden or exacerbated these problems?
The concept of gender has been the major factor in all of my life's decisions to this point. Growing up I was told that I was a boy, and "girl" things were wrong. I was told that if I wanted to be a girl rather than a boy, that I would surely go to hell. My parents threatened to send me to the state psychiatric hospital simply because I didn't "feel" like a boy.
So I tried to bury my feelings, to "be" a boy. This led me down a road that ultimately nearly cost me my life. I tried living as a man, joined the military, got married, had kids and the marriage failed. I sought refuge in drugs and alcohol, and finally found myself waking one day in the intensive care ward. At this point I realized that being honest with oneself, regardless of genetic programming is the most important goal of any individual.
Today I host a weekly radio program on Portsmouth Community Radio called "PaganFM!" I'm quite open about being both pagan and transgendered on teh program. I think that the only way the difficulties I encountered as a youth can be countered is by making more people aware of our differences, showing them that the fear we have of each other is our greatest obstacle. I also told my story in an essay in a newly released book called "Out of the Broom Closet".
Gender differences matter. I experience them each day, from others wondering if I'm a boy or a girl, from having to decide how to dress depending on the occasion, and then which bathroom might be safest. Still in transition, these issues pose grave difficulties.
I recall going to court to change my name when the judge seemed quite put-out at having one like me in his court room. Appearing more female than male, but being required to carry legal identification that states I'm still male can make for difficult situation when ID is required. International travel can be even more daunting.
While gender does matter, whether it should matter is another question. There are biological differences between men and women that make each of us, for the most part, more or less well-suited for some tasks, but there are always a few of us who break these stereotypical molds.
I think that we may not ever rid ourselves of certain expectations based on gender, but that we should at least be open to understanding that there will always be those of us who are not bound by those gender norms. Joan of Arc is an archetype, she reminds us that there are, and always will be women who are strong leaders. What's truly sad is that her counterpart, the softer, gentler male is far more likely than even Joan to be met with violence.
Gender will, and should matter, but it should be with understanding and openness to the great variety that makes our world interesting.
In my opinion, gender shouldn't matter. In many cases, a person should be accepted for who they are. There shouldn't be special treatment for a man or woman. Growing up, I was taught to believe that a man should never lay hands on a woman; however, I personally believe it should be a mutual thing. A woman or a man should not hurt another. The situation should never be put into a relationship of any sort. All in all, gender shouldn't matter. we were all brought into the world the way we are. If a woman wishees to join the army, she should be put through the same training as men are put through. We can all aquire equal strength and intelligence.
I fully agree with you. Gender should not matter EXCEPT in the locker rooms. If we allow girls in the mens locker room and vice versa, then we would have chaos. there would be a massive increase in locker room "issues" and it would be very uncomfortable for both sexes. Other than that, gender should not matter.
Would the same principle of "separate space" that you allude to apply to combat troops? Do you think the proximity of soldiers in battle would make it difficult for fully integrating the armed forces? In short, do you think women should be able to fight on the front lines of combat--sleep, eat, live, and fight alongside men? I suspect you might say yes, but what would you say to those who object that (a)women are not as physically suited to combat; (b)women should not be asked to witness and engage in the kinds of brutality that war involves; (c)the presence of women in battle will draw out the natural chivalrous (and amorous) instincts of men, undermining their ability to carry out their duties? I'd like to hear your thoughts on this.
I agree also that your gender shouldn't majke life easier or harder for you but that you should get the same treatment as the opposite gender.
Gender is a biological fact. The introductory text introduces word games to separate abstract rational thought from clear scientific fact. Humans have not separated themselves from the facts of what they share with the rest of the mammals, gender permeating the whole of an individual.
One does not build logical or legal cases on the outlier examples. The biologlogical material that is part of a human being can contain errors and issues, whether disease or missing elements or enzymes. The biological elements that are present in male or female instance can be malformed, and, as in other cases, we should treat those cases with compassion, not ridicule. However, we do not build a case for "gender neutralization" from biological missteps We cannot form general conclusions for the from the existence of a number of required transgender operations or treatments.
This sounds like the "unisex" discussion of decades past, and to assume it's truth is as silly a concept as this discussion.
Good points here: it would be a mistake to treat exceptions and abnormalities as the rule. However, sometimes it can be useful to examine certain exceptions to the norm because they can reveal questions or principles that help us in treating the norm. For example, would you agree that the experience of some individuals of having been "trapped in the wrong body" (an experience many seem to have had from a very tender age, suggests that one's gender (one's masculinity or femininity) is not always as fixed and definitive as one's biological sex? In other words, some men exhibit so-called "feminine" characteristics-- sensitive, intuitive, nurturing, and some women exhibit so-called "masculine" characteristics--aggressive, competitive, protective, etc. In short, the outlier case here might suggest that gender and biological sex are not necessarily in direct correlation.
Gender differences should never be a reason why a person isn't able to get a job or do certain things in their life. Athletics is a different story though. It is easily provable by looking at professional sports or just watching the Olympics that men do better in sporting events then women do. Some sports in the Olympics and in everyday life (such as softball/baseball) are made for teams of only one gender.
If women were to compete against men in certain events, some women would be physically able to compete and stay with the men, but others who would have a chance in a women's-only event would get destroyed by the men.
I agree with your statement. Some believe that gender shouldnt matter in sports either. I believe that Highschool sports, should remain seperate, only because of certain ego issues, or comfort issues as well. However, i also believe that travel, or AAU teams, can be coed. I feel this way because High School Sports are extremely competetive, and should remain seperated due to this. I feel as if i would not be as competetive on the playing field, it is kind of hard to explain, but I believe that high schools have the personel to have a male team, and a female team. If a school does not have enough kids for two teams, then it is completely okay to combine the two genders.
Yes, to everybody in my class who comments on this, I know that I am so dead.
Its not that guys are better than girls at sports, and it is absolutley not obvious that they are. Some females are quite obviously better than some males at sports. It is true that men TEND to have a bigger physic than many females which could be a big reason that genders are speparated. Girls and guys should have the opritunity to play on sports teams togeather, alot of girls could keep up with many guys on sports teams. People should not be limited based on their gender.
Most people that see differences in gender in terms of ability are ignorant. I play soccer and I would be embarrassed if I was beaten by a girl, but I was ignorant about that sort of thing. Then I played on a travel soccer team, the team had a couple of girls that hold their own exceeded many other players. Now one of those girls plays on a boy’s football team. Gender hasn't affected the performance of these girls.
I have realized that girls can do anything that boys can do and some even better. Ability should be judged by the individual and not by a group. Boys can have a wide range of ability at a wide range of tasks. Girls also have a wide range of ability at a wide range of tasks, gender does not define or limit someone’s ability or specialty.
I agree that gender shouldn't matter when it comes to things outside sports. Regarding to sports, there are woman that can compete with men in some sports such as track and field, gymnastics, and volleyball, but otherwise sports that are more physical like football and hockey, women aren't able to compete at the same level. As far as sports like basketball and baseball, there are women that are as good if not better than some men out there. If there was a woman who was better than a guy at the sport, I'd rather have the woman than the men.
I believe though that teams should stay guys and women because there are ego issues and comfort issues.
I agree that gender should not be an issue if someone is seeking a job or occupation. However, in the agrument that the two genders should be seperated when they are practicing or competing in sports, I have a different opinion. While children run around and play sports at a young age, they are still placed on the same teams becasue they all are developing at different rates. I wonder if the same players remained on the same team (both boy and girl) for a few years and increased the intensity as they progressed through their sporting life. Then, would the goys be any more stronger than the girls? If they all had the equal amount of training and intensity rate then they numbers in speed, distance, agility, and other fitness related measures would most likely come out about the same. As of right now, the men train longer and harder than the women, thats why the men are usually faster and stronger. Many guys would argue that they wound't want a female on their sport team if they were better than them becuase it would make themselves look bad. But then again, if the guy was better, then he would complain about the girls 'slowing the guys down'. In my opinion, there is no end to this disgussion and it will never really get resolved. If you just accept the sport teams systems (ex: girls play softball and guys play baseball) then there really is never going to be an issue.
Johny boy, im going to have to disagree with you because some women are way more physical than men. I think that if girls are good enough to play on a boys team then they should have the opportunity to try out. If the boys soccer coach thinks that a girl is good enough to play on the boy's team, then she should be able to take the risk to play on the team.
However, this will change the way that most boys play against the girl on the team. Most guys won't be as physical during the game becuase they wouldn't want to hurt the girl. That's the one thing that I agree with you about. If girls did start playing on the boy's team sooner or later the rules would change about slide tackling, and if you do tackle someone you will be more likely to get a card.
For an example say somebody ran for the ball and ended up colliding into the goalie. If that goalie was a girl then that guy wouldn't have done that because they would feel bad. I think that any guy would feel bad if they slide tackled a girl. If a girl did get taken out by a boy on the other team then the fans would get way more mad then if it was a guy getting slide tackled.
I agree with the statement that gender should not matter in subjects like occupation and pay grade. I do not agree with the statement that women should be restricted to sometimes less competitive women only teams. I think that teams should be based on skill level rather than gender, and that physical advantages are sometimes overcome by expertise and skill.
The problem with that idea is the social implications of it. Socially, many boys have been taught by parents, teachers, and other mentors that hitting girls is not acceptable and is completely different than hitting another boy. This ingrained idea becomes a problem when sports where physical contact and risk of injury are part of the game. Many boys would not play as hard if they were up against a girl rather than another boy.
Another problem with this is the idea of a girl using her gender to her advantage. If a girl got hit during a game she could use her gender to try to get sympathy from a referee and maybe get a more severe penalty. The same bias that would work on the referee would also influence the fans. Many of them might get angrier if a girl was hurt rather than a boy.
First, women's teams should be just as competitive as men's teams. There is no reason why the segregation of the two should suggest a difference in intensity, unless you assume that men are somehow more competitive, aggressive, or talented than women (precisely the claim that you wish to deny!). Second, your other point about the socialization of males is very interesting. I think you are right that boys are taught not to hit girls, and to be more "protective" of them. I wonder if this isn't a good thing; afterall, society has enough problems with domestic abuse of women that if the social stigma against males hitting females were removed, the problem could be magnified.
First of all, I agree that men and women should have equal opportunity and pay when it comes to jobs...but I completely disagree that it is "easily provable that men do better in sporting events then women do" or that "others who would have a chance in a women's only event would get destroyed by the men". I think that separating sports teams is fine, but teams are definitely not separated because the women would get "destroyed". You can go ahead and think that, but I know some really talented girls that could, without a doubt, "destroy" some men. I can see how a guy wouldn't play as hard if a girl was on their team (because they'd feel bad if they hurt a girl, or they'd be embarrassed if they got beat), but if a girl was talented at a sport she should get a choice to play for a boys team or not.
I completely agree with you that there are more than a few sports where a woman could take on a man and "destroy" him.
I also think that woman should have the opportunity to play on a sports team if she had the chance too and wanted too (such as a football or baseball team).
However, there are also some sports where men are clearly superior, and where a co-ed approach would not work.
Take the 100 meter Olympic finals from the 2008 Summer Olympics:
Mens
1 ? Usain Bolt - Jamaica 9.69
2 ? Richard Thompson - Trinidad and Tobago 9.89
3 ? Walter Dix - United States 9.91
4 Churandy Martina - Netherlands Antilles 9.93
5 Asafa Powell - Jamaica 9.95
6 Michael Frater - Jamaica 9.97
7 Marc Burns - Trinidad and Tobago 10.01
8 Darvis Patton - United States 10.03
Womens
1 ? Shelly-Ann Fraser - Jamaica 10.78
2 ? Sherone Simpson - Jamaica 10.98
2 ? Kerron Stewart - Jamaica 10.98
4 Lauryn Williams - United States 11.03
5 Muna Lee United - States 11.07
6 Jeanette Kwakye - Great Britain 11.14
7 Debbie Ferguson - Bahamas 11.19
8 Torri Edwards - United States 11.20
The winning woman (Shelly-Ann Fraser) in the 100 meter dash in the 2008 Olympics would've finished dead last by a rather large margin if she had competed against the men, but instead she stayed and competed against the women and won a gold medal.
I fully agree with this posting. I think that on sports like football and baseball, if a woman is good enough she should be able to try out just like men can. But in things like olympic events, it's good that they're seperated. Gender really shouldn't matter at all because it's what a particular person feels like inside (their thought process). People usually confuse gender and sex, and that may have caused some misunderstandings in the post. As funny as it is, the term "sex is between the legs and gender is between the ears" is definitely right on. It's a term that people should pay more attention to.
There are obvious physical differences in men and women, so it should not be a problem that we have seperate sports teams. I believe that if there are sports teams available for both genders to compete in then it should be fine that they are seperated. In other cases, where teams are not available for either men or women (ex: football) then it shouold be ok for the girl of guy to have a fair try-out. The try-out will show if they have to ability to compete on that team, and the ability is all that matters as long as that certain sports teams isn't available to your gender.
A word being thrown around in society today is Gender, what does it honestly mean though? Gender is just a different in male and female chromosomes. Males have an XY chromosome and a female has an XX chromosome. In sports I don't think it matters if a girl wants to play sports on a guy team. If shes good enough then she should be able to play. What if someone was transgendered and they wanted to play sports what would happen then?
To me I think that women are equal to men in many ways and in some ways were completely different. We all should be accepted the way we are. So what if we look different or we act different that's just the way were made. So to me I think that gender shouldn't matter, its no big deal these days! Just stay true to yourself and what you believe, don't be that type of person that gets all defensive when it comes to women playing on men's teams, its really not a big deal if a woman if better than you.
Should gender matter? In most cases gender only matters if you want it to. It is simple, with the right amount of practice or training a woman could do just about anything a man could do, and the other way around. People preach equality between men and women yet the only thing that creates an overall difference is that people want there to be a difference. There are slight differences. Men are more naturally strong and women are more naturally caring. This does mean that there are certain jobs a man can do better than a woman, and there are jobs a woman can do better than a man. Though as stated before there are exceptions, with the right training people can learn to do just about anything. Men and Women are equally important. However in today's world whether people want to believe it or not, gender does matter.
Many years ago I transitioned from male to female and did what is called the real life test, ie, living in desired gender 24/7. After a year, I re-transitioned, however not back to male. While I felt more comfortable living as a woman than as a man, I came to the conclusion that I am neither of the binary genders, an androgyne. While some androgynes express their androgyny outwardly with clothing, hormones, etc., not all do. In our society it isn't necessarily safe for non-binary gender people to fully express who they are without possible repercussions of discrimination. I hope for a world in which we recognize and celebrate the diverse spectrum of gender that exists.
Gender most definitely matters, its just one of the many characteristics that makes us who we are. Historically, I see women as being the "lesser" sex. This could be partially due to the fact that their biological capabilities make it more difficult to build muscle, a necessity throughout our past. Yet in this modern day, the gap between men and women is diminishing, as this matters less and less. Yet gender is still important, because men and women are still different. As a women, I care very little for the thought of there being no discretion between males and females. I am proud to be what I am, proud to look back on the trials my fellow women have endured, as it is a part of our history. As for the future, I hope gender is still woven into our culture, and that our differences continue to be celebrated, not discriminated.
I agree with you. If you are determined enough, you can accomplish anything. But, as we all know, humans are not invincible and there are limits to what we can physically do. Each gender is anatomically different. That's why, in physical tests, the scale by which men and women are graded are so different. Men's muscles develop more than a female's does and females tend to be more flexible than men. Our brains are wired differently, too. Females can sense people's feelings better and can feel subtle changes in their environment more than a man can. Men usually have a better sense of direction and tend to follow their instincts more than a woman would. Basically, no gender is considered "better" than the other, there are simply differences in how we are evaluated because we are each built differently. Of course, there are always exceptions to every situation.
Well it depends what you're talking about. If you are referring to athletics or any kind of physical competition, then of course gender matters. Whether women would like to admit it or not, men generally have a more muscular make-up than women, and that gives them the advantage in physical activity. Men and women have such different physiques, that it would be unfair to compare their results. But this does not mean that a woman can't beat a man in a competition, because this varies from person to person. On the other hand, in politics, gender shouldn't matter. Both men and women are human beings, and by law, should have equal rights. But society teaches us differently from the day we are born. Generally, little girls are brought up lovingly and with care, and are also taught to play with dolls, while boys are brought up to be more tough, and are taught to play with trucks. Also, in society, a man usually holds the door for a woman, while a woman would not usually hold the door for a man. In regards to careers, the public has their stereotypes as well. More men are truck drivers, while more women are nurses. But this does not mean that a woman couldn't be a truck driver or a man couldn't be a nurse. This is just how society perceives gender differences, and this isn't something that can be changed so quickly. Overall, "should gender matter?" doesn't have a black and white answer. It all depends on the situation.
This question seems to be thrown around a lot lately. I’m sure that most people would like to think that gender shouldn’t, and doesn’t matter, but the fact that this question is constantly being asked means that it does matter in our world. Many people think of gender as a black and white thing, you are either male or female, but it isn’t, there are gray areas. A small percentage of people are born with different qualities from both genders, and these people continue on with their lives and try to accept who they are. If gender itself isn’t set in stone, then should assumptions about each gender be? All genders can learn to take on any role they want to, it’s just a matter of stepping away from the status quo and pushing the boundaries to open minds.
Should gender matter? Well isn't that a question we should all ask our selves and see what kind of response we get?
Gender is a part of your identity, it makes up what you are, not WHO you are. Males and females do own varying physical attributes, but not emotional. Both genders use their brains to think and both genders as well bleed blood. We all strive for things and we all have had our difficulties. The only reason there are two different genders is for the purpose of reproducing. If that wasn't a factor, we'd all be equal. However we aren't treated equal because of stereotypes. For instance, women seem to be the nurturing sort with young kids and animals. But, that doesn't say a man will never be able to do so as well. And a man is often found as a typical farmer because ever since back to the revolutionary time, women were house hold wives. Who was to say women couldn't take the summer heat and carry bundles of cotton across the fields?
Gender is rather an identity purpose than anything else. Gender is what you are, not WHO you are. Men think differently than women, as do the Afghan's from the American's, yet we are all still people. Both genders are still people and capable of the same things.
I feel like people make too big a deal over gender equality these days. Gender does matter, as it should. But this is not a bad thing, because men and women are different. That's not to say that there should be a double standard on everything in life, but men and women do hold different roles in society. Equality isn't what we need, because I think if men and women were treated exactly the same no one would be happy,what we really need is fairness. You can treat two groups differently and still have it be fair to both parties, and I think that's a better solution.
Gender is describing what you are, rather than WHO you are. People of different genders both have brains to think with and blood to bleed with. Doesn't that make us equal? Not according to stereotypes in the past. Women are thought to be less superior to men and that we can't accomplish anything that of a man. Yet when in reality, women have come just as far as any man has. If women are so less superior, why do men look out for the women today? Such as hold the door for them on their first date or giving them the emotional support they may need at times. The truth is however, men in some aspects are less superior to women. Both genders in general have their biological strengths and differences, yet you can be whoever you want to be, regardless of gender. Women can be farmers and men can be nurses, thus look at the diversity of the gender jobs today. Gender is what you are, not WHO you are.