Gender varies in all cultures, but in all cultures:
Gender is constructed on the basis of sex
Division of labor linked to gender
Division of Labor is based on the resources available.
The economic system is the basis of DOL
There are 4 major economic systems
Foraging/hunter-gatherers
Interdependence
Women are most
responsible for food
Men follow herds of large
animals for skins b/c they
are expendable.
Women do local hunting,
Settled
Agriculture
Men and women
equally
responsible for
farm. Illegal for
single person to
inherit a farm-
death sentence.
Maternal
mortality very
high, men had to
know how to do
everything in the
home/childcare.
Cannot rely on
gendered tasks.
Children work
ASAP.
Industrialization/
Capitalism
1840.
Dependence.
First time across
the world that
there were
gendered traits.
Darwin 1859,
1880 linking
gender to
biology. Men-
providers,
women-
nurturers.
Opposites.
Information/ Late Capitalism
Dependence/interdependence.
78-88% of all American
households are dual earner.
There has never been a time
when the majority of families
have a stay at home mom.
We are here. B/c of globalization.
Sexuality is regulated based on gender
2 Patterns Across Cultures
Dichotomous
Multiple Gender Categories
Two Spirits
Gender Neutral,
Spiritual,
“Men-Women”, High
Status, Power &
Blessing, Dress &
Traits of Women,
Tasks of both Men and
Women, Biologically
Male, Married Men,
Can’t Marry other
Two-Spirits, born sex
is less important than
gender in this culture
Mohave
4 Gender Categories: Men, Women, Alyha, Hwame
Alyha
Biologically male. Shift at
puberty. Dance/Ritual shedding
of boy clothes and putting on girl
clothes, Right of passages of
women, Simulate menstruation
by slashing thighs, Simulate
childbirth by constipation, Ritual
to celebrate the “baby” and the
life it did not live.- same as
stilbirth.
Hwame
Similar ritual of
dressing/undressing.
Would go on long
hunting trips with the
men, Marry women
In Inda
3 Gender Categories: Men, Women, Hijra
Hijras
Some intersex, some
made intersex by
castration, “Man minus
maleness” Dress in
women’s saris, wear long
hair, popular at blessing
ceremonies, do not think
of themselves as women.
Albania
Sworn Virgins
Women who can’t marry.
Tasks of men.
Transgender (America)
Language is fluid.
Definitions (current)
Gender incngruence:
incongruence between sex and
gender identity. Also known as
Disjuncture/Gender Variance
Gender Dysphoria: Diagnosis of gender
incongruence. Can be stigmatizing, but
helpful. Used by insurance companies-
can’t get surgery w/out diagnosis.
History
1950’s: “transsexual” describes people who are
transgender. Language develops with gender
reassignment surgery discoveries.
1980’s “Transsexual” in DSMIII- can be
clearly diagnosed.
1994: “Transgender” and “Gender Identity Disorder” in DSMIV
“Transsexual” specifically refers to people who have had sex
reassignment surgery.
2013/Current: “Gender dysphoria” is used for any kind of
medical intervention. But stigmatizing. “Gender reassignment
surgery” NOW called “Gender Confirmation Surgery"
Theories of Causes of Transgender:
Brain-Sex Theory: androgen wash and the second trimester.
Neuoro-anatomic theory: how neurons and
anatomy came together. Cells, and the
terminals within cells in the hypthalamus.
1.4 Million Americans are
LGBTQIA+. Only 4.2 %.
Americans way overestimate
this population.
Gender Dysphoria throughout the life span
Childhood
Roughly 75% of children who
are gender non-conforming do
not continue into adulthood
25% have persistent and consistent
dissatisfaction with: gender
identity, body characteristics, and
gender role. Persistent: at least 6
months. 6 out of 8
symptoms/patterns: Desire
clothes, play role, games, toys, and
playmates of opposite gender.
Rejects toys, games, sexual
anatomy of current gender. Desire
to change sexual characteristics.
Two ways children are
treated: Not change anything
b/c they’ll “grow out of it”. If
persistence, interventions.
Only legal intervention:
puberty suppressing
hormones. Gives families
more time to decide
treatment plan.
Adolescence
Of the 25% of children with
persistence, 70% are transgender
in adulthood
Significant negative reaction to shift in puberty.
Any pre-existing
medical/psychological
conditions have to be treated.
With puberty-suppressing hormones,
don’t develop secondary sex
characteristics. Without Puberty
Suppressing Hormones, have to be the
age of majority (16). Before age of
majority, parents can sign off on
therapies or surgeries.
Adulthood
Have to be able to show the
effects of any treatment side
effects, the time treatment
takes, and the three levels of
medical intervention.
Three levels:
1. Fully reversible: only
puberty suppressing
hormones. 2. Partially
reversible: hormone therapy
and some surgeries. 3.
Irreversible: Gender
confirmation surgery.
Anyone who wants
medioplasty/phalloplasty
have to live for 12 months
as desired gender. For
gender confirmation
surgery: have to be under
the care of mental health
professional for 12
months.
Even for
transgender who
have had surgery,
suicide rate is 5X
higher than
broader
population.
Transitioning: The
process of becoming
the preferred gender.
Less than 2% of those
who transition, transition
back. Almost all of those
who have, converted to
conservative christianity.
Religious
Freedom
Laws:
Doctors can
refuse to
treat those
who are
transgender.
Overview:
CDC/ Williams Institute Data: LGBTQIA+ is
overestimated. Only 1.4 million in America-
0.6% are transgender. 1.0% growth in 4 years in
LGBTQIA+ community. Not quite 10 million
people. Millenials significantly more likely to report being LGBTQIA+.
Cross-dressing: not usually in public, not exaggerated.
Transitioning: usually in public. Drag: Gay men claiming
more power at the expense of women. Now an art form.
Coaching: “Dialing” gender down. Not paying
attention to the full woman experience, just
the super feminine part when crossdressing.
Transgender is not about creating a
third option- it’s switching from one
to another.
Virtually every culture has a history of more than 2 genders.
Biological females don’t shift as much because the society is
dependent on childbirth. Shifts happen more when they’ve given
birth a certain # of times.