So what is gender and why is it linked to sex? How can someone born male %26quot;know%26quot; what it feels like to be female, or vice versa? You only know what it feels like to be you, you can't know what it feels like to grow up the other sex, so why label how you feel with a gender? Dress how you like, live out whatever role you like, change your name and your body however it makes you happy, and I will support it. If it makes you happy to be called a certain way, then I will. But why must we connect certain roles with %26quot;male%26quot; and %26quot;female%26quot;?
How can someone know what another gender feels like?
Great question! =)
It is obvious that people are born with certain genitals, and mostly with either XX or XY chromosomes. (Though there are exceptions. Some people are XXY, for instance.)
However, there are people who are XX and who have a vagina, but they still feel male and prefer typically %26quot;male%26quot; things. And there are people who are XY and have a penis, but they still feel female and prefer typically %26quot;female%26quot; things. ..So obviously gender and biological sex do not ALWAYS align. But it seems like it does in MOST cases. If you observe the MAJORITY of bio-females and bio-males, you'll see that they tend to adopt different gender roles and different patterns of behaviour, etc.
Of course one could easily argue that it might be due to nurture more so than nature, however. I don't really know what scientific research says about it. If someone does, please enlighten me! I think it is very exciting. =D ..But I guess it would make sense from an evolutionary standpoint that bio-males and bio-females DO have certain natural differences, at least for the most part. Because it might have reproductive advantages, etc, as well as other ones.
As for figuring out what YOUR gender is: I don't know. Personally I identify as female, because that is what I feel comfortable with. I urge everyone to be whoever THEY want to be, and identify as whatever THEY feel comfortable identifying as. And if you don't feel a need to identify as ANYTHING at all, then guess what, that is fine too, and you won't have to. =)
I also agree with you that, even though a majority of males and a majority of females tend to act a certain way, in no way should such roles be seen as a REQUIREMENT you have to follow in order to %26quot;prove%26quot; that you are male or female. If you feel male, but you like wearing pink frilly dresses and being called Susan, then great! That's fine with me! If you feel female, but you like driving trucks and watching sports, and you'd rather be referred to as Jack instead of Jacqueline, then that too is great, and I will respect it! =)
Diversity FTW.
How can someone know what another gender feels like?
Because women are there to do the cleaning and men go to the pub . That's the way it is .
the bolder of the two beings (of different genders) fondles the other a litlle, then asks: how does it feel?
Why you want to understand? Why can't yo just accept fact that's way they feel..
I don't like gender stereotypes as well but I don't think that's the issue here..
I suppose they just want to feel whole.
As you said you never know what others feel, even if you try to describe it in any possible way you'll never understand properly unless you experience it for yourself...
Who cares if you're transgender, do what ever makes you happy. Your body, your choice...
We don't claim to know what the other gender feels like. We only know how we feel.
Without pointing to your body or your birth certificate how do you know YOUR gender? If you're honest you'll say %26quot;I just know%26quot;. It's the same for us.
If you want to know more about gender identity and transsexualism I suggest reading the %26quot;Gender Basics%26quot; section of Lynn Conway's web site:
http://ai.eecs.umich.edu/people/conway/T…
It's not about clothes, that's gender EXPRESSION. It's not about gender ROLES either. Gender identity is about how you feel about yourself internally. I know I was never male, I always felt female. After years of pain and confusion I finally transitioned. The years since I did so have been the best of my life.
What are you on about?
Male/female. Simple enough isn't it?
Gender is a descriptive of one's sex. Though it's gotten a tad more complex, gay, tranny etc.
gender is a word written by a homo-sapien, so. . . like anything else
it's subject to philosophy.
Everyone has a gender identity. The reason you don't realize it is because like most people yours matches the sex you were born. You've never had to think about it everything just made sense.
The brains of males and females are different and that's what determines how we identify. In the case of transsexual people we were literally born with a female brain in a male body or a male brain in a female body. When your brain doesn't match your body it makes life incredibility difficult.
It has nothing to do with certain roles. We know what it's like to be %26quot;another gender%26quot; because that's what our brain tells us we are.
ok the easiest way to explain what gender is , your sex lies between your legs while your gender lies between your ears . the male , female roles are what the majority of the society percieve as male female roles .
