Science Chats Forum

are they fixed, or are they fluid?

It depends on who you ask. There was a case of twins many years back. A botched circumcision resulted in one male child being transitioned to a female child physically. The researcher proposed that gender was based on environment and how the child is raised. The twin with the gender reassignment was raised female, but it didn't work. The child was in fact "male" regardless of being raised as a "female." It is my understand the twin had to be transitioned back in adulthood.

However, I have met individuals who were born biologically male or female and their gender identity is different then their biology. One chose gender reassignment. The other two simply live as the other gender, regardless of what body parts they do/don't have. Of the three of them, I would not have known was not biologically male in seeing pictures and speaking to him on-line. In fact, I make biology-based male bashing jokes at him. His gender is not based on his biology.

From what I have read, research on the subject is often biased in one direction or the other. Culture, in the US at least, tends to discriminate against individuals whose gender identity or sexuality is not what the majority expect. A woman going through her transition to being physically female was treated very well when I was in Alaska; I was very impressed. However, in Illinois, I know an individual who wears skirts and dresses and obviously was not born female and is treated rather badly. I feel guilty it took me so long to say something to her about the beautiful purple coat.

Is gender fluid or fixed? It depends on who you ask. For me, I believe gender is a combination of things and is set regardless of what body parts a person might have.