Reference no: EM132347153

"Every identity comes with labels" (Appiah, 8).

In this discussion post, I will dig into the labels of male and female.

I am referring to sex as "the structural and functional differences by which the male and female are distinguished" (dictionary.com). And gender as "the range of characteristics pertaining to, and differentiating between, masculinity and femininity" (wiki).

Societies around the world abide by a gender system to make clear distinctions between sexes (12). However, the reality is more complicated than the system allows. Appiah notes, "even at the level of physical morphology, there just isn't a sharp division of human beings into two sexes" (14). He provides a quick overview of the diverse physiological outcomes that are more commonly identified as intersex. These individuals do not physically fit into the strict definitions of male and female. The relationship between gender and sex is oversimplified and constricted by the labels and the behavior associated with each. Unfortunately, identities are not strictly selected and shaped by the identifier (18). Appiah discloses surgeons desire to conform to a binary system by "'[tidying] up' the genitalia of babies born with nonstandard sexual bodies soon after birth" (15). Surgeons can choose genitalia that does not strictly correspond to the identity of the individual. (I struggled to word this in the way I am hoping to express. I am talking about the connection between the physical body and the identity imposed by society.) The babies may grow up uncomfortable in the body selected for them. They may even go through transformative surgery to rectify the decision. In my anthropology class, I learned that surgeons often decide without consulting with the parents beforehand. There are even situations where surgeons choose not to reveal their decision at all. In alignment with Appiah's argument, it is clear that labels shape the thoughts and actions of both the individual and people who surround them.

"Buddhist teachings on nonduality emphasize that there is no 'male' or 'female' in any absolute sense," yet our lives our gendered, "in our own eyes and the eyes of the world we are shaped by 'male' and 'female'" (Hidden Lamp 5). Humans seem to think an identity for a person's sex is necessary as it is present in all societies; even those that go beyond the strict male and female label. Do you think a gender label is also needed?Appiah touches on an interesting argument for why gender is used, but I am curious about what other classmates think.