What is gender?

[Comrade Jacob]

I don't understand what gender is (other than the obvious).
What defines gender if not biology?
Isn't gender other than biological just a social-construct.("girly" things and "boyish" things).
What is there need for a gender identity?
I regard myself as a biological male but mentally human.
What is mentally a different gender? How would you know?


I deeply hope I am not offending any Trans person, could you please educate me on this I am ignorant.

[WilliamGreen]

I don't think you come off as offensive at all but that's just me.

Maybe take a woman studies course at your local university?

:)

[TheGodlessUtopian]

Sex is biological, the organs you are born with (penis, vagina, etc).

Gender is the social construct which encompasses what society has deemed relevant towards "males" and "females." Some cultures have a third-gender which corresponds to difference in social output (transgender and homosexual identities, for instance).

There is only "need" for a gender identity in bourgeois society, where class society has created deep rifts among the working class in order to satisfy commodity production and consumerism. In socialist society, where production is based on an alternative basis, there is (theoretically speaking) no base for gender identity as the material conditions relevant towards construction of gender no longer become relevant (this is not to say it simply vanishes, as reactionary forces still enjoy such divisions). The point, however, is that gender identity is socially constructed in relation to the point of which historical era humanity finds itself in.

I am oversimplifying matters, however. I just do not want to go off on a huge tangent involving gender and my views on it. That being said I think others would be willing to take the time to explain it in full along with their thoughts on it. Also, this is an important question to ask, so do not feel ashamed for asking about it.

[Sabot Cat]

I deeply hope I am not offending any Trans person, could you please educate me on this I am ignorant.


Not a problem! =)


I don't understand what gender is (other than the obvious).


Gender is a system of affiliation that is expressed through culturally designated external symbols. These external symbols needn't be extreme, just enough to be distinguishable for the purposes of association with a common group. This is because gender is generally divided into female and male, a set up akin to the two-party system; there are minor parties (other genders) but the two main ones get all of the attention and have most of the participants.


What defines gender if not biology?


While the cultural symbols used to express affiliation may serve as tokens of certain shapes of genitalia to some people, one rarely has the chance to sort everyone met into gender categories based on the genitalia; this makes the chosen symbols more important than the genitalia itself for what gender one is defined as.


Isn't gender other than biological just a social-construct.("girly" things and "boyish" things).

What is there need for a gender identity?
I regard myself as a biological male but mentally human.


Well, the prioritization of genitalia or genes as the salient factors for determining sex are as much of a social construct as gender. The former is useful for categorizing naked people with no ability to communicate or select gender symbols (babies), and the latter can be used in lieu of the former. Essentially, they're classifications built for expediency.

Now, without even affecting that system, it would be much more beneficial if we were to define gender and sex in their totality as whatever the person prefers to be associated with. The feeling that one needs gender stems from the personal feelings of affiliation with women as women, men as men, etc. that often occurs in both cis and trans people.



Sex is biological, the organs you are born with (penis, vagina, etc).


Sex is a social construct based on certain features of biology that some professionals have deemed salient for the purposes of expediency.


Gender is the social construct which encompasses what society has deemed relevant towards "males" and "females." Some cultures have a third-gender which corresponds to difference in social output (transgender and homosexual identities, for instance).


Genderqueer people among others qualify for the category of a third gender, but most trans, gay and/or lesbian people are usually either women or men.

For the OP, I can explicate more as need be. :)

[Invader Zim]

Basically what the Godless Utopian said.


Maybe take a woman studies course at your local university?

Which is the last thing anybody who wants to understand gender should do. Women's studies is not the same thing as gender studies.

[WilliamGreen]

Basically what the Godless Utopian said.



Which is the last thing anybody who wants to understand gender should do. Women's studies is not the same thing as gender studies.

That's true

Was just thinking that could provide some introductory material to the subject.

[Tenka]

An oft internalised identity by one's group based on shape of genitalia and/or cultural stereotypes associated therewith. That is what it is, but how it is experienced subjectively is variable and deeply personal. Many people fight tooth and nail just to be recognised as representing one stereotype as opposed to the other they were assigned at birth, and for this they have my sympathy.

off-topic(?) rambling about feminists and transwomen:
Many feminists seem to unduly disregard or even loathe transwomen, for reasons of varying legitimacy: on one hand, many (not all) transwomen want, and I think in some cases are even required, to present all sorts of awful "feminine" stereotypes just to be called by the name and pronoun they prefer, and to receive the surgery necessary for their mental well-being; on the other hand, there are the "Roseanne Feminists" who are biological essentialists and for this reason alone love to sling insults toward and monger fear of transwomen.

[Tim Cornelis]

I disagree with thegodlessutopian here.

Sex is based on the sex organs, primary sexual characteristics, and secondary sexual characteristics one is born into.

Gender is biologically determined (brain structure of men and women differ, someone whose sex is male but whose brain is female is in terms of gender a [trans]woman). Incidentally, some radical feminists deny this and subsequently harbour resentment and prejudice against transwomen as if they're males infiltrating the female gender.

Gender roles are socially constructed.

[Danielle Ni Dhighe]

on one hand, many (not all) transwomen want, and I think in some cases are even required, to present all sorts of awful "feminine" stereotypes just to be called by the name and pronoun they prefer
Gender roles for trans women can be enforced even more rigidly than for cis women.

[The Garbage Disposal Unit]

Sex is biological, the organs you are born with (penis, vagina, etc).

Sex is based on the sex organs, primary sexual characteristics, and secondary sexual characteristics one is born into.

I'd actually disagree with this thinking, which posits sex(ualization) as preceding gender(ing). Obviously, in reality, bodies are singular - unique - and at best their classification is a sort of convenient generalization. The terms upon which these generalizations are made, of course, are social, and conform to realities that are constructed rather than innate. See: the first chapter of Judith Butler's seminal Gender Trouble (conveniently summarized on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_Trouble#Chapter_1._Subjects_of_Sex.2FGender .2FDesire)).

On an unrelated note, I will seriously paypal $0.25 and/or leave my girlfriend for anyone who caught my weird pun before reading this sentence drawing attention to it.

[FreedomForAll]

The only thing that has been proven conclusively is that gender is a physical, biological trait. Any characteristics assigned to gender are entire social constructs and used to control people as collectives. It is really hard to envision a world without such barriers, but it can be done if we work hard enough. It just will be alien to us because of our indoctrination to what gender is.

[Sabot Cat]

I'd actually disagree with this thinking, which posits sex(ualization) as preceding gender(ing). Obviously, in reality, bodies are singular - unique - and at best their classification is a sort of convenient generalization. The terms upon which these generalizations are made, of course, are social, and conform to realities that are constructed rather than innate. See the first chapter of Judith Butler's seminal Gender Trouble (conveniently summarized on Wikipedia (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gender_Trouble#Chapter_1._Subjects_of_Sex.2FGender .2FDesire)).

This is precisely what I was trying to say! Thank you explaining this better than I could.


The only thing that has been proven conclusively is that gender is a physical, biological trait.

That is far from proven, let alone conclusively proven. I at least affirmed that gender is a social institution based on culturally defined symbols of affiliation.


Any characteristics assigned to gender are entire social constructs and used to control people as collectives.

The exception to this is the aforementioned affiliation symbols, which are not demonstrably coercive in their most basic forms.


It is really hard to envision a world without such barriers, but it can be done if we work hard enough. It just will be alien to us because of our indoctrination to what gender is.

A world where there is less or no patriarchal discrimination would be a better place, and is an achievable goal. Gender roles and hierarchy originate from division of labor in a class-based infrastructure, and absent that structure, only non-coercive gender should exist (give or take a lot of inertia). However, I do not believe that complete gender abolitionism is possible without authoritarian enforcement, and thus I remain skeptical of it.