Within women’s studies sex and gender are two of the main focuses. Sex and gender are often used interchangeably although they are two different concepts. Sex refers to the biological characteristics such as chromosomes, hormones, and genitalia; however, sex is largely based on your genitalia at birth (powerpoint 1, slide 2). Gender is socially constructed; gender is defined by behaviors, attitudes, meanings, and beliefs associated with being male or female (powerpoint 1, slide 3). Gender is largely learned through socialization. Sex and gender are largely seen as innate; there are only two options, male or female. Within The Gendered Society by Michael Kimmel one can see that gender is chosen by an individual, gender can not be chosen for someone. This is known as gender identity or a personal conception of oneself as a male, female or neither which is usually due to gender roles(Kimmel,Chapter 2). Within chapter one Kimmel states “anatomy, many of us believe is destiny… biological explanations offer perhaps the tidiest and most coherent explanations for both gender difference and gender inequality,” what Kimmel wants readers to understand is gender is a social construct and gender differences are just fabricated by western cultures by using what they define to be masculine or feminine to create a divide. Sex roles, or the collection of attitudes, traits, and behaviors that are normative for either boys or girls, are socially prescribed (Kimmel, chapter 1). Many people however can not conform to these “norms” that are instilled upon them. There are many people that are not born either male or female and western culture typically looks down upon them for their nonconformity. Society attempts to change the individuals who do not meet western cultured standards.
One baby in 2,000 is born with genitals that is so ambiguous that no-one can tell if the child is male or female(Intersexion). Individuals born with ambiguous genitals used to be referred to as hermaphrodites, now they are called intersex people(Intersexion). Since one baby out of two-thousand are born intersex that means that there could be as many as many as three-million intersex individuals living in a society which only labels people as male or female (Intersexion). Since western culture is strict with gender roles many of these ambiguous babies are forced to have gender assignment surgery early on in their lives. Doctors simply look at the baby and assume its gender for them, the baby has to be male or female there is no other option. Gender is believed to be needed so the child can be raised by a “normal” role. Gender assignment is nothing but a guessing game. For example, one intersex individual, Michel , was born with a penis, therefore at birth Michel was assigned male. Michel’s chromosomes were later determined to be female and Michel was then forced to be assigned female and Michel had to have his genitals surgically changed to resemble a vagina; Michel’s first surgery was at the age of one (intersexion). Forcing children into multiple surgeries just to make them live up to social norms can be detrimental to their health and can take away from their sexual pleasure as adults.
During reassignment surgery intersex people who are determined to be female have their genitals reconstructed to suit the needs of their future husbands, not to suit their needs. One individual, Jen Pagonis, had her clitoris removed because it was determined by doctors to be too large for a normal girl. When removing Jen’s clitoris doctors stripped Jen of most if not all of the pleasure Jen could have gotten from sexual situations (intersexion). As well, Jen had to receive multiple surgeries to widen her vagina in order for her future husband to have sex comfortably (intersexion). Jen’s genital reconstruction surgeries are proof that the wants and needs of women are seen as inferior to the wants and needs of men.
The wants and needs of intersex people are usually ignored and never taken into consideration.Intersex individuals were forced to conform and become male or female no matter the jurassic measures that had to be taken. However, According to Anne Fausto-Sterling within The Five Sexes: Why Male and Female Are Not Enough there is a spectrum of five sexes, not just the two that western culture has pushed upon society. The first two sexes are male and female, who’s outside genitalia match with the organs on the inside; a male would have a penis and testes and a female would have a vagina and ovaries. The other three sexes, Hermaphrodites (herms), male pseudohermaphrodites (merms), and female pseudohermaphrodites (ferms), are what would be referred to today as intersex. Fausto-Sterling states”…true hermaphrodites… possess one testis and one ovary… male pseudohermaphrodites… have testes and some aspects of the female genitalia but no ovaries; and the female pseudohermaphrodites have ovaries and some aspects of the male genitalia but lack testes” (Fausto-Sterling,The Five Sexes: Why Male and Female Are Not Enough). If western societies would take these five sexes into consideration genital mutilation and traumatizing of young individuals would be a thing of the past, intersex individuals would no longer have to struggle between their sex and gender identities, their paths would not have to be chosen for them.
One of the many issues all individuals face, no matter their sex or gender, is conforming to social norms. In the scientific world, many studies and theories are made in attempt to reinforce the western idea of what gender and sex is supposed to be. One theory on sex and gender is Sigmund Freud’s psychosexual development theory. The psychosexual development theory states that boys must identify with their fathers and become masculine and controlling, while girls must identify with their mothers and become more passive and submissive(Powerpoint 4, slides 4-6). Although Freud removes gender from biology, seeing gender as a result of how an individual is raised rather than gender being innate, his theory reinforces gender stereotypes ( Kimmel, chapter 4). The psychosexual development theory is not particularly effective today because it discredits a female’s ability. Freud’s theory suggests that women have to be passive sexually and have to be possessed by a man(KImmel, chapter 4). With the modern feminist movement women are defying their assumed gender rules which make Freud’s theory null and void. Today many women initiate sex and do not rely on a man for every aspect of their lives; women maintain their own jobs and make decisions based on their individual needs not based on the needs of a man.
In order to understand the inequalities that women face in society one must also look at the other groups of individuals that are suppressed in society. By observing the cruelty done to intersex individuals one grasps a deeper understanding of the deep struggle to conform to social norms that women face as well. All of society is based around the wants and needs of a man. Individuals are only defined by their amount of masculinity. If an individual is lacking masculinity they are seen as “ feminine” and looked down upon . Much like intersex people who are looked down upon for not being able to conform women struggle everyday to change western culture and have society change from being a man’s world to a people’s world. The needs of one should not outweigh the needs of the many.