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BBC news article – “Do we need more than two genders?” – to discuss
Do we need more than two genders?
From the BBC
http://www.bbc.com/news/health-35242180Quote:A growing number of people refuse to be put into male or female categories, either because they do not identify as male or female, or because they are going through transition to the opposite gender.Germany, Australia, Nepal and Pakistan now offer a third gender option on official forms with other countries set to follow suit. And scientists are finding more evidence to suggest that even biological sex is a spectrum.
Do we need to re-imagine our binary world and rethink one of the most basic parts of our identity?
Four experts talk to the BBC World Service Inquiry programme.
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7 Replies
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I’ll probably get dumped on for this but I think the male/female dichotomy is necessary for those who want to be neither. Otherwise what are they choosing not to be?
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It is a silly question really as we obviously have more than two already!!
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For me it depends on what day and sometimes what time what part of the spectrum I am on. Juliette
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There is absolutely no doubt in my mind that gender is a spectrum. The people at the extreme ends should be perhaps be called gender extremists a. because they are there and b. because many of them seek to oppress those who are not.
The third gender is already there; it just needs to be recognised.
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As this post is under Media-Watch and refers to a BBC News article
Could we perhaps now discuss the media article and not the general concept of gender????? -
oh wow great pod cast.
For me it so makes sense not have sex on any official document in terms of a driver license, a birth certificate, passports ect. When you think about it serves no purpose.
But the pods final propositions:
“Should we, could we then get rid of gender all together? Everyone we spoke to thinks that gender is a part of our identify part of how we relate to other human beings in one way or another it will always be with us Scientist say that male and female hormones do effect our brains though no one knows quite how perhaps what we need to do is imagine gender more fluidly not as a set of categorises but something that shifts and changes perhaps like civil rights feminism and the gay rights movement the transgender movement will eventually change life for all of us”
No sex on official documents no gender categories where is this wonderful place? Such beautiful dreaming.
To respond to Carol’s thoughts that “the male/female dichotomy is necessary for those who want to be neither” would not having a dichotomy make it easier to be ourselves or is it a part of being ourselves the fact that we transgress?
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The article is good in that it, like other articles and television programs about gender issues (which are appearing more and more frequently) educates and raises awareness in the general community about a problem that has existed since time began. In so doing, one hopes that the mindsets that have entrenched themselves over the same period of time will start to crumble.
One is left wondering why do we have our gender on our driving licence. Is it that hard to tell what we are? Does it matter? I like the reference to male/female discrimination which suggests it was perhaps originally a status thing implying that males were superior to females. I can see feminists marching in the street carrying placards demanding that this clearly discriminatory piece of information be removed from our driving licences!
I also like the idea that we should strive to achieve a more “gender fluid” world. Viva la revolucion!
