Anatomy And Gender Essay

927 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Gender role as social construction of gender

In Germany, if a child is born, the first words it will probably hear, are: “It’s a boy!”, or “It’s a girl!” After this, its life will be determined by the expectations the society have of its gender. Our anatomy determines how we act socially, which profession we will probably take, on which institutions we could use, which people we should marry. We are raised with the thought, that a certain anatomy comes along with a particular identity. But should our anatomy determine our fate? In western culture we are familiar with the idea of being either male or female — two gender identities at opposite ends of a binary concept. Anthropology could give us an interesting insight in other cultures and a different conceptualization of gender. There …show more content…

Regarding to gender theorist Judith Butler (1990), humans are far too complex and diverse to enable all seven billion of us to be evenly split into one of two camps.
If anatomy would dictate us, who we are, if biology would determine our gender, then the comprehension of gender should be equal all around the world (Ortner,1974). There should be just male and female and nothing in between. But when we look at other cultures, it’s not like that. There are cultures who have a different understanding of the relationship between sex, gender and sexuality.
Sharyn Graham Davies (2007) examined the gender concept of the Bugis and shows that they are one of those cultures. The Bugis recognize five genders. As in most other cultures the majority belong to one of the main genders: either people who are biologically female and identify themselves as women (makkunrai), or people who’s gender identity is male and they were born with the male sex (oroane). But additional they have three more gender categories: calalai, born as female, but live and work more as men and calabai, who are born male but act more like females. The fifth gender is called bissu. Bissu are a class of traditional priest experts in pre-Islamic Bugis belief systems and rituals. Some bissu are born intersexed, although that’s not always the case, most bissu have a gender ambiguous

Show More
Related

  • Paradise Bent Film Analysis

    1524 Words  | 4 Pages

    In the films Paradise Bent, Muxes–Authentic, Intrepid Seekers of Danger and the Gender and Sexuality section of Explorations in Cultural Anthropology explore the identification of gender and sexuality (Croall and Altmann 2000)(Islas 2006)(Boyd and Lassiter 2011). The introduction to gender and sexuaity in the book Explorations in Cultural Anthropology, Boyd and Lassiter (2011) discuss how once a baby is born, they are being socialized “into one of the two ‘appropriate’ roles- male or female” (Boyd and Lassiter 2011: 218). The baby is expected to meet the expectations he/she is born into (Boyd and Lassiter 2011). For example, in the films, it is greatly commented by the muxes and fa’afafines that they didn’t follow the gender ideologies, the

    Read More

  • Gender Roles in Dakota Culture

    923 Words  | 2 Pages

    To begin, I think it is important to analyze the difference between “sex” and “gender”. Up until researching for this paper, I though that the two terms were interchangeable in meaning, rather, they are separate ideas that are connected. According to Mary K. Whelan, a Doctor of Anthropology focusing on gender studies, sex and gender are different. She states, “Western conflation of sex and gender can lead to the impression that biology, and not culture, is responsible for defining gender roles. This is clearly not the case.”. She continues with, “Gender, like kinship, does have a biological referent, but beyond a universal recognition of male and female "packages," different cultures have chosen to associate very different behaviors, interactions, and statuses with men and women. Gender categories are arbitrary constructions of culture, and consequently, gender-appropriate behaviors vary widely from culture to culture.” (23). Gender roles are completely defined by the culture each person lives in. While some may think that another culture is sexist, or dem...

    Read More

  • Learning Gender In a Diverse Society

    999 Words  | 2 Pages

    This article was written to bring attention to the way men and women act because of how they were thought to think of themselves. Shaw and Lee explain how biology determines what sex a person is but a persons cultures determines how that person should act according to their gender(Shaw, Lee 124). The article brings up the point that, “a persons gender is something that a person performs daily, it is what we do rather than what we have” (Shaw, Lee 126). They ...

    Read More

  • Anatomy History Essay

    725 Words  | 2 Pages

    The earliest beginnings of anatomy could be traced back to the Egyptians in 1600 B.C.E., when early examinations of sacrificial victims were taking place. From this time, scholars have found the earliest medical document, known as the Edwin Smith Papyrus, in which it described early anatomical observations made by the Egyptians, most likely due to their knowledge gained from mummification. The papyrus displayed organs such as the bladder, uterus, kidneys, liver, spleen, heart, and blood vessels.

    Read More

  • Problems with the Gender Binary System

    2310 Words  | 5 Pages

    Across the globe, gender systems vary in ways that often exclude individuals who don’t identify within their realms. From the binary structure of the West, to the ternary system of India, there are many ways in which societies conceptualize gender. Gender systems are generally considered inherent to humanity, and are seldom questioned or altered. This has led to the marginalization and discrimination of individuals who diverge from the implemented structure.

    Read More

  • Sexuality Is Gendered Essay

    1580 Words  | 4 Pages

    Sexuality is a fundamental part of our self-discovery, involving much more than just being genetically or anatomically male and female and it is not defined solely by one 's sexual acts (Ministry of Education 1989, p.79 cited in Gourlay, P 1995). The notion that sexuality is fixed and innate disregards the social aspects that impact ones’ sexualities. Gagnon and Simon (1973) further commented that sexuality is a feature of social

    Read More

  • Gender Binary Essay

    981 Words  | 2 Pages

    The sex and gender binary is a socially-constructed classification of sex and gender into two distinct and biological forms of masculine and feminine. The binary is a restricting concept that enforces the ideology that solely two genders exist—it is a social boundary that limits people from exploring gender identity or mixing it up (Larkin, 2016). As Mann depicts it, the binary constrains us to take on one gender identity, and to follow through with the expected roles assigned to that gender. The implications are that it compels people to fit into the binary and follow the patriarchal, heteronormative traditions of society (Mann, 2012). However, the binary was not always so clear-cut, but certain concepts from scientific research such as the

    Read More

  • The Social Construction of Gender and Sexuality

    1346 Words  | 3 Pages

    Gottlieb, Alma. "Interpreting Gender and Sexuality: Approaches from Cultural Anthropology." Exotic No More: Anthropology on the Front Lines. Ed. Jeremy MacClancy. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 2002.

    Read More

  • The Social Construction Of Gender

    3360 Words  | 7 Pages

    Kessler, Suzanne J, and McKenna. Gender: An Ethnomethodological Approach. Chicago: University of Chicago Press, 1985.

    Read More

  • Sociological Perspective On Gender Roles

    959 Words  | 2 Pages

    Human beings have been, and always will be, dichotomized into either male or female. When determining a person’s sex we often look for differences in facial features, body shape or mannerism’s, but another promising way to determine a persons sex and one that is most often used today, is through gender roles. Gender roles are behaviors that portray masculinity or femininity. The theory behind gender roles through multidisciplinary viewpoints is the focus of this paper. Throughout history and in every culture these roles have shifted and transformed into what society says is expectable. In this analysis, gender roles will be examined through a sociological, biological and evolutionary scope.

    Read More

  • Essay On Anatomy And Physiology

    1054 Words  | 3 Pages

    The history of anatomy and physiology dates back to ancient Egyptian times when humans were mummified after death and bodies would be stripped of their internal organs during the embalming process. It was not until much later when Hippocrates II, known as the father of medicine, was the first to write about human anatomy. Shortly after that, the Alexandrian Medical School was established, where human dissection was allowed for the first time, which promoted research and new discoveries in the field. From there, many other influential researchers came up with theories regarding the cardiovascular and nervous systems, etc; however, the missing links in some of the earlier theories was found with the discovery of the microscope, which changed the focus of research and led to many advancements in the field.

    Read More

  • Sex And Gender Essay

    2354 Words  | 5 Pages

    The relationship between sex and gender can be argued in many different lights. All of which complicated lights. Each individual beholds a sexual identity and a gender identity, with the argument of perceiving these identities however way they wish to perceive them. However, the impact of gender on our identities and on our bodies and how they play out is often taken for granted in various ways. Gender issues continue to be a hugely important topic within contemporary modern society. I intend to help the reader understand that femininities and masculinities is a social constructed concept and whether the binary categories of “male” and “female” are adequate concepts for understanding and organising contemporary social life with discussing the experiences of individuals and groups who have resisted these labels and forged new identities.

    Read More

  • Gender Identity In Everyday Life

    1884 Words  | 4 Pages

    Identities are an important part of the human experience. One of the many identities that creates a person is gender. Society, being the entity establishing social norms and social roles, plays a part in effecting the individual’s gender, and how they choose to express themself. The underlying or overlying identities also have the same effect. Gender is not only an identity, it is a lifestyle inside and out. Gender, like race, class, and sexuality; is not limited to the binary scale, and that is normal, natural, and human. The concept of gender is man-made, but it forces one’s hand to analyze the thought processes behind an individual's perception on gender through self, through society, or through the dichotomy and/or correspondence of the

    Read More

  • What Is The Characteristics Of Third Sex Groups?

    734 Words  | 2 Pages

    For example, some men and women may identify themselves as transvestites which are men who dress in women’s clothing. Others may consider themselves as transgendered. Transgender individuals are men and women who wish to or have undergone genital surgery to become the opposite sex. Lastly, citizens are able to associate themselves with the intersex group. Intersex groups are people whose genitals are not clearly male or female. India identifies individuals that fall into the third sex category as hijras. Some believe that hijras are men who worshiped a Hindu goddess by sacrificing their genitals and promising to live without sexuality (Brannon 2015). Hijras are also believed to have power to confer fertility and are often invited to special events (Brannon 2015). India is not the only country that believes third sex citizens have spiritual callings on their

    Read More

  • Sex, Sex Category And Gender

    1357 Words  | 3 Pages

    There is a difference between sex, sex category and gender. Sex is the assigned title at birth based on genitally. West and Zimmerman (1987:127) define sex as “…a determination made through the application of socially agreed upon biological criteria for classifying persons as females or males. The criteria for classification can be genitalia at birth…” Sex categories are the categories (male, female) people are placed into on the basis of their genitally. West and Zimmerman (1987:127) elaborate on this definition, “Placement in a sex category is achieved through application of the sex criteria, but in everyday life.” Sex and sex category can be independent

    Read More

More about Anatomy And Gender Essay

Open Document