This may seem silly to many people, but how exactly is a man or woman defined? Seems pretty simple right? How often do we ever think about it? Sure we can easily point out men or women, but do we think deeply into why? What is it about them that we say what they are? How are they defined? Isn't it their chromosomes? Genitals? Sex hormones? How do intersexual people fit into this, since they have are usually born with features they don't fit male or female or a combination of both? Might not be thought about for most people since all those factors and more go hand in hand. This usually only comes up with the issue of transsexual people. Have they not proven that the brain's gender and body's sex doesn't always match up?
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My take on it.
Many people would simply say only one single factor makes up a man or woman. Genitals is one of them. Ever heard of the case of David Reimer? His penis was destroyed before he was a year old and it was thought he would best be raised as a girl. However, he still had the mind of a boy, acted like one, had XY chromosomes, and otherwise was still male on the inside, regardless of those around him trying to raise him as a girl. Later on, he finally reverted back to a man like he originally was. Well, there is more to the story, like him having a twin brother and the situation being a case study, but there's beyond the scope here. If someone being male or female was solely based on genitals, then does that mean all men who lose their penis either through Penectomy or getting it cut of are suddenly no longer men?
Chromosomes is also a single factor I don't agree with. While it may be rare, there are in fact XX males and XY females. So if sex was totally based on chromosomes, where do those that have something like XXY (or other unusually combinations) fit in? Are they just some totally different sex altogether? As for hormones, don't the hormones differences in older people start to blur a bit, making old men and women closer in appearance and hormone make up? Are men and women simply not either of those anymore after reaching a certain age?
I'm not saying those ain't factors in determining someone's sex, but I wouldn't say their the sole factor in doing so. Even if one of those factors didn't quite match, I think it's pretty much unheard of for none of them to match up. I would argue that all the factors together does in fact determine a man or woman, but not a single one by itself. Besides, don't most people determine what sex someone is suppose to be just by looking at them? How is it possible to know what's on the inside of someone by looking or even what their genitals are?
I'm aware that with the majority of people it's no problem to tell what sex or gender they are, as they go usually go hand in hand. Because people accepted this as the norm so much, anything else, like a man acting like a woman, throws off people's ideas of gender roles so much. Also, intersexual people are likely never heard of because they usually get "correctly" before ever leaving the hospital. Even if their not "correctly", it's likely their parents will just raise them and expect them to be one gender and the child will just accept that, possibly never learning they are in fact not quite male or female.
Voted for by
Ievianty.
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two ways
physically and mentally... pick which on you care about cause they dont always coincide.
Voted for by
pnktrky.
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Men Penetrate, Women Absorb
The love is of two natures for men and women. Men seek eros: a directional love towards something higher. Women seek agape love: a relational love enveloping all that is present.
Another way to say it is that men build the houses, women make the homes.
Voted for by
Brew Kline.
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Applehead
February 8, 2007
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ok
So yeah there are various syndromes such as De la Chappelle which may cause problems on an emotional level in relation to their physical appearance. This may at some point cause confusion or doubt in their minds as to which sex they really are but this would be a phase as the notable traits are not expressive of opposite gender behaviour.The main thing to remember here is the difference between gender and sex. Gender being feminine or masculine, sex being male or female.
To define a man or woman would mean different things for different folks.
Ievianty
February 8, 2007
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For whatever reason, a lot of society uses sex and gender interchangeable as if they were the same thing. As for masculine and feminine, don't most men have even a little bit of feminine traits in them and vice versa? Isn't being 100% masculine or feminine rare, just like being 100% heterosexual or homosexual? What about people who have heavy signs of both? As for sex, for just male or female, how does this include intersexuals or rather, hermaphrodites? Well, hermaphrodites seem to only be limited to the animal kingdom, but either way, I have a feeling gender and sex are not quite so binary as they seem to be.
Applehead
February 8, 2007
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Well my answer has to be that they are hermaphrodites.
Transgender can only be described as a man or woman who was born physically designed to be one sex or the other. For what ever reason emotionally, mentally they experience a need or want to be somewhat opposite to the traditional role their sex takes in society. If surgery or simply outward appearances change their gender more then they would be understood to be more feminine or masculine. Surely with this in mind it shows that they will always be the same sex but just varying in gender qualities depending on personal need.
Ievianty
February 8, 2007
As for outward appearance, they could change it over to not look like the sex they were born. If they pass well enough, no one will likely be none the wise. So in their gender expression and appearance, their different then what their body is on the inside. What really counts here? The fact that on the outside their one gender, but on the inside, their sex is different?
To make things even more confusing, what about men who go on to become women as much as possible except for their genitals? For example, a shemale or a transwoman who can't pay for or doesn't want to change their genitals. Their otherwise a woman on the outside (including their male makeup on the inside) except for genitals. I know, many people would call them freaks since to my knowledge, it's impossible to be born like that.
Applehead
February 10, 2007
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Dictionary.com
1. the female human being (distinguished from man).
2. an adult female person.
3. a female attendant to a lady of rank.
4. a wife.
5. the nature, characteristics, or feelings often attributed to women; womanliness.
"Their otherwise a woman on the outside "
This does mention womanliness which transgender males more than likely possess but this does not make them a woman. Underneath the surgery and dress is a man. I feel for them i really do, help is needed to straighten out whatever causes them to feel this way. As for bein freaks, well what is a freak but a deviation from the norm so yeah maybe they are, along with an awful lot of individuals in this presently colourful world we live in. Isn't it the in thing to be freaky anyway? Fashionable without even tryin.
Ievianty
February 10, 2007
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They likely do try to get help to feel like the body their born in, but usually it won't work and they realize that they have to match their body (on the outside at least). Might not be anymore helpful then getting a gay person to not fall in love with someone of the same sex. The brain can only be changed so much right?
I guess being seen as a freak is better then being "normal" sometimes. I know in my case, that is very true, rather then fitting into a narrow box of the norm.
Applehead
February 18, 2007
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