Why do people say there are more than two genders?
There are Men. There are women.
36-40, M
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QuixoticSoul · 41-45, M
I'll actually post something serious for once. There are males. And females. That is universal in humanity, barring vanishingly few anatomical anomalies.
But how sex maps onto the concept of men, women, etc - and what those roles and terms actually mean, well, that is a lot more contextual.
The first scientists to start calling for separation of gender and sex in academic literature were anthropologists. They kept coming across cultures that don't have a strict mapping between genitalia and gender, or have more than two genders. Coming across a whole variety of ways these things are structured between different societies and cultures, made it hard to definitively pronounce one set of values as somehow intrinsic or natural. Turns out that left to themselves, humans are pretty damn flexible about these things, and what is normal or not in this regard, is more or less fashion.
But how sex maps onto the concept of men, women, etc - and what those roles and terms actually mean, well, that is a lot more contextual.
The first scientists to start calling for separation of gender and sex in academic literature were anthropologists. They kept coming across cultures that don't have a strict mapping between genitalia and gender, or have more than two genders. Coming across a whole variety of ways these things are structured between different societies and cultures, made it hard to definitively pronounce one set of values as somehow intrinsic or natural. Turns out that left to themselves, humans are pretty damn flexible about these things, and what is normal or not in this regard, is more or less fashion.
drymer · 56-60, M
@QuixoticSoul I didn't know about cultures with "more than one gender". Interesting....
QuixoticSoul · 41-45, M
@drymer There are hundreds of distinct societies around the world that don't fit into the two-gender paradigm - even now. And when the world was a larger and more isolated place, there were even more.
For example the Navaho have four - and explicitly accept certain types of fluidity.
For example the Navaho have four - and explicitly accept certain types of fluidity.
Nádleehi refers to the Two-spirit identity in Diné (Navajo) culture.[1] Nádleehi, in Diné culture, refers to an individual who is an "effeminate male" or "male-bodied person with a feminine nature".[2][3] However, the nádleehi identity is also fluid and cannot be described in only terms of the traditional, rigid binary.[2] Diné culture has four genders; asdzáán (feminine female), hastíín (masculine male), nádleehí (feminine male), and dilbaa (masculine female).[2] Traditionally, nádleehi people expressed their gender differently depending on the day and acted in both male and female roles.[1] One notable person that identified as nádleehi was Fred Martinez who was killed at the age of 16 in June 2001.[3]
QuixoticSoul · 41-45, M
drymer · 56-60, M
Since you are so curious about this topic, you'll find this informative:
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3740682/Should-runner-allowed-win-gold-woman-Tipped-win-800m-no-ovaries-nearly-testosterone-man-sparked-huge-ethical-debate.html
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3740682/Should-runner-allowed-win-gold-woman-Tipped-win-800m-no-ovaries-nearly-testosterone-man-sparked-huge-ethical-debate.html
QuixoticSoul · 41-45, M
@drymer The transgender debate really takes place outside of this particular one - at least how we treat these things, right now. Your story is still wrapped up in the two-gender paradigm. If we had a 3rd+ gender style construct like some cultures, all of that might be simpler to deal with.
drymer · 56-60, M
@QuixoticSoul I know. My point was that even within the limited field of scientifically/medical objectivity there isn't a clear-cut, simple definition of what is "female" and what is "male". Never mind the other more complex and harder to grasp issues of gender identity, etc.
carsonfry · 22-25, M
That is all there is. You got a penis or a vagina, and I love the vagina. Not sure how anyone can not understand this.
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QuixoticSoul · 41-45, M
SW-User
There is intersex, and a variety of other anomalies that technically can be sexes as well tbh :v
BayouBoudin · 36-40, M
SW-User
@BayouBoudin true
Probably true. It's just that sometimes the gender of your body does not match the gender in your head. Then You make a switch!
Rickg · 31-35, M
I’d agree. At the same time I don’t doubt people may genuinely feel like they belong to the opposite gender they were born as.