Interesting, actual conversation with my adult daughter the other day:
Me: the Negro people in America...
Daughter (interrupting): Dad, you can’t say “Negro.” It’s offensive.
Me: Okay, the Black people...
Daughter: You can’t say Black either.
Me: Then what shall I call them?
Daughter: You have to say, “African American”.
Me: What if I’m talking about my friend Ed Zayzay, from Ghana. He’s not American.
Daughter: You can’t mention race at all. You just have to talk about individuals.
Me: What about other groups of people?
Daughter: You also can’t talk about LGBTMNOQ people either. You can’t group people at all.
Me: What if I want to compare Republicans and Democrats?
Daughter: That depends. If you are saying anything bad about them, you can’t group people at all.
I must stress, this daughter is the mother of four children, is smart, and active socially. If she is repeating stuff like this, it must be common. How far we have come from, “I do not agree with what you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it!”
Saturday, January 28, 2017
Tuesday, January 24, 2017
Gender ? or Sex?
One’s biological sex is genetic. It is determined by the DNA in every cell of the body. It is determined at the moment of conception and never varies throughout life. Sex can also refer to the physical expression of this DNA in an individual’s reproductive organs. In nearly all live births, this physical sex matches the genetic sex. Intersex individuals, whose reproductive organs are ambiguous, or even opposite to their genetic sex, are extremely rare, on the order of 1 in 10,000 live births.
“Gender” refers to the way an individual is treated, socially, culturally, and linguistically. It is determined by the culture or language of those with whom they associate. There can be more than two genders, and genders may or may not be fixed, depending on the individual, the society, the culture, or the language.
Great confusion is caused by confusing gender with sex. A person’s genitals can be surgically altered, but this does not change their sex, which is present in every cell of their body. Recognizing this, surgeons now refer to this as “gender reassignment” surgery, instead of the older, and incorrect term, “sex-change surgery”.
There are characteristics that are determined by a person’s sex, besides the appearance of their genitals. Males in any breeding group tend to be larger than females, on average, have greater upper body strength, larger muscles, and lack a subcutaneous layer of fat possessed by females. They tend to have deeper voices, more robust bones, more facial hair, and to lose their hair in certain patterns later in life. They reach puberty later, and die of old age sooner than females, on average. Only males produce sperm cells, the smallest cells in the body. Lacking intervention, a mature male’s testes continue producing sperm cells until the end of his life.
Females mature faster than males, live longer, have a greater tolerance for “g” forces and pain, greater physical stamina, and greater ability to multi-task. They tend, on average, to have greater linguistic and social abilities. Their bones are less robust, their hips can spread in childbirth, and they lack an adams apple. They are more flexible than males. Most can touch the middle of their own back; most males cannot. Females have many bodily structures associated with gestation and suckling of babies. They have a uterus, ovaries, and breasts. Mature females have a monthly menstruation cycle. Only females have egg cells, the largest cells in the human body. A female is born with every egg cell she will ever have. When they are used up, menstruation ceases.
Medical and surgical intervention can alter some of these physical structures, but not all of them. A genetic male cannot be made to produce or gestate egg cells, or carry and bear babies. There is no way to give an adult female the skeleton of a male. There is no way to make a female’s muscles bulk up like a male’s, even using steroids. There is no way to make a female produce sperm cells. In short, while it is possible to make a female look like a male, and vice versa, it is not possible to turn a female into a male, or a male into a female.
Gender is a different matter. Fully grown females in every society can and sometimes do adopt the roles of males, and vice versa. Some have been discovered only upon death. Doubtless many more have never been discovered at all. Many cultures provide ways for individuals to change their gender. For example, in many Native American, African, and Indian cultures, there are males who are assigned to the female gender. Modern Euro-American cultures are beginning to recognize the need for such transgender norms.
Along with recent changes in gender-specific roles, there is now a movement to recognize individuals as changing their actual sex, not merely their gender. We hear that a person can be any sex they want, and can change their mind repeatedly, even regularly. This absurdity depends on the idea that a person’s sex has no biological foundation, but is assigned at birth by the doctor who delivers the baby.
This idea has no basis in fact. A person’s sex (not gender) is not assigned by anyone-- it’s an innate characteristic. The idea that one’s “true” sex is determined by their feelings goes beyond absurdity. For an individual with a penis and testicles to declare that he is “really” a girl, based entirely on his emotions, and then change his mind regularly, is to cast aside all notions of physical reality. Wishing for something does not make it so.
I certainly do not advocate discriminating against such individuals. Let them claim whatever gender status they wish. Treat them according to the gender role they have chosen, consistant with the gender norms of their society. But do not expect those of us, who believe in physical reality, to accept their wishes as facts.
Cultures have gender norms because they need them. In Japan, unisex bathrooms are the norm, and do not cause problems. The people using those unisex bathrooms are steeped in Japanese culture, where public nudity is not taboo, but where women are protected by a strict prohibition against public display of feelings. In the United States, public expression of affection is normal, but mixed nudity is not. In both cases, women are protected, though by opposite means. In Arabic culture, women in public must always be accompanied by a man, and must always wear a hijab. Anything less is seen by Arabic men as an invitation to rape. The norms are different, but the purpose of protecting women is the same.
In the past, American women were protected by gender-specific restrooms. If American restrooms are to become unisex, then some other protection for women will arise. It may be harsher than gender-specific restrooms. For example, women, and even young girls, may begin carrying guns into restrooms, and using them for self-protection. I can foresee serious problems with such a custom, but a solution will be found, as long as women need to relieve themselves. When seeking to change a culture’s norms, beware of unintended consequences!
“Gender” refers to the way an individual is treated, socially, culturally, and linguistically. It is determined by the culture or language of those with whom they associate. There can be more than two genders, and genders may or may not be fixed, depending on the individual, the society, the culture, or the language.
Great confusion is caused by confusing gender with sex. A person’s genitals can be surgically altered, but this does not change their sex, which is present in every cell of their body. Recognizing this, surgeons now refer to this as “gender reassignment” surgery, instead of the older, and incorrect term, “sex-change surgery”.
There are characteristics that are determined by a person’s sex, besides the appearance of their genitals. Males in any breeding group tend to be larger than females, on average, have greater upper body strength, larger muscles, and lack a subcutaneous layer of fat possessed by females. They tend to have deeper voices, more robust bones, more facial hair, and to lose their hair in certain patterns later in life. They reach puberty later, and die of old age sooner than females, on average. Only males produce sperm cells, the smallest cells in the body. Lacking intervention, a mature male’s testes continue producing sperm cells until the end of his life.
Females mature faster than males, live longer, have a greater tolerance for “g” forces and pain, greater physical stamina, and greater ability to multi-task. They tend, on average, to have greater linguistic and social abilities. Their bones are less robust, their hips can spread in childbirth, and they lack an adams apple. They are more flexible than males. Most can touch the middle of their own back; most males cannot. Females have many bodily structures associated with gestation and suckling of babies. They have a uterus, ovaries, and breasts. Mature females have a monthly menstruation cycle. Only females have egg cells, the largest cells in the human body. A female is born with every egg cell she will ever have. When they are used up, menstruation ceases.
Medical and surgical intervention can alter some of these physical structures, but not all of them. A genetic male cannot be made to produce or gestate egg cells, or carry and bear babies. There is no way to give an adult female the skeleton of a male. There is no way to make a female’s muscles bulk up like a male’s, even using steroids. There is no way to make a female produce sperm cells. In short, while it is possible to make a female look like a male, and vice versa, it is not possible to turn a female into a male, or a male into a female.
Gender is a different matter. Fully grown females in every society can and sometimes do adopt the roles of males, and vice versa. Some have been discovered only upon death. Doubtless many more have never been discovered at all. Many cultures provide ways for individuals to change their gender. For example, in many Native American, African, and Indian cultures, there are males who are assigned to the female gender. Modern Euro-American cultures are beginning to recognize the need for such transgender norms.
Along with recent changes in gender-specific roles, there is now a movement to recognize individuals as changing their actual sex, not merely their gender. We hear that a person can be any sex they want, and can change their mind repeatedly, even regularly. This absurdity depends on the idea that a person’s sex has no biological foundation, but is assigned at birth by the doctor who delivers the baby.
This idea has no basis in fact. A person’s sex (not gender) is not assigned by anyone-- it’s an innate characteristic. The idea that one’s “true” sex is determined by their feelings goes beyond absurdity. For an individual with a penis and testicles to declare that he is “really” a girl, based entirely on his emotions, and then change his mind regularly, is to cast aside all notions of physical reality. Wishing for something does not make it so.
I certainly do not advocate discriminating against such individuals. Let them claim whatever gender status they wish. Treat them according to the gender role they have chosen, consistant with the gender norms of their society. But do not expect those of us, who believe in physical reality, to accept their wishes as facts.
Cultures have gender norms because they need them. In Japan, unisex bathrooms are the norm, and do not cause problems. The people using those unisex bathrooms are steeped in Japanese culture, where public nudity is not taboo, but where women are protected by a strict prohibition against public display of feelings. In the United States, public expression of affection is normal, but mixed nudity is not. In both cases, women are protected, though by opposite means. In Arabic culture, women in public must always be accompanied by a man, and must always wear a hijab. Anything less is seen by Arabic men as an invitation to rape. The norms are different, but the purpose of protecting women is the same.
In the past, American women were protected by gender-specific restrooms. If American restrooms are to become unisex, then some other protection for women will arise. It may be harsher than gender-specific restrooms. For example, women, and even young girls, may begin carrying guns into restrooms, and using them for self-protection. I can foresee serious problems with such a custom, but a solution will be found, as long as women need to relieve themselves. When seeking to change a culture’s norms, beware of unintended consequences!
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