The Identity Borders

Word Count: 1326

The distinction of gender and sex has been a point of debate, even up until today

that its use of terminology has been used interchangeably, though, according to the

reading module, there is a distinction because of many factors such as separation of

cultural and social identity to that of the biological register of an individual. Some of the

terms I have encountered during this assessment allowed me to broaden my terms and

keep an open mind, while also maintaining my own stand, in should there or should

there not be a distinction of gender and sex. Many claim that sex (biological identity of a

person) can be a hindrance as it is somewhat different because of the variables

included such as: genitalia, gonads, chromosomes, whereas gender is the non-

conformity of the society's old standards and used often to express as "an identity of

freedom" compared to sex as "an identity of necessity." Despite all that, many

arguments lead to those two distinctions.

 In some theses, there are those which argue that the body is "neutral" in the

formation of gender identity of an individual. Some example would be that if we are to

assume one's sex is male, yet is hairless, or the physical features one would think of a

male, or maybe having a "feminine" body, then the individual is not necessarily a

female, and it also depends how the person distinguishes themselves, and as such the

body alone cannot determine the gender identity of a person and many variables are

supposedly to be considered as well like behaviorial patterns, characteristics and all of it

falls under such a complex criteria, while confusing, can also be a good idea to

acknowledge the many factors that influence the situation. Next, I have also understood

that the body are always "somehow" situated, in the social context, that it thrives from

different social interpretations, meaning, and significance. A term "Philosophical

Separatism" pops up into mind, where men and women are separated quantitatively.

There is subjectivity present, and I have noticed that even until today, society upholds

this separation of both sexes and that automatically everyone is a sexed subject,

designated in the roles given to them, to follow and obey characteristics which are

considered standard in the said society. Having been able to live among those that have

fluid identities or does not fall in the category of straight gender, many individuals have

different experiences, for those that are gay men or bisexual, in a societal standpoint, it

also differs depending on what their sex is. As an example, one can be called "sexy" or

"naughty" if there is a romantic relationship between two women, whereas if it is two

men, society views it as "immoral" or "wrong". As such, expectations and responsibilities

are so ingrained in such cultures that there are expectations involved despite of the

gender you identify as.

 There are questions that are yet to be answered from my understanding of the

reading for this assessment. Some of these are the concept of a shared social story of

one’s body. One example is that an object, a product made from a single source, is told

of its importance not because of what it is made of (about a shirt not because of its

fabric, for example), but because of its social significance. While there are other

arguments that the body is neutral, not contributing to the gender identity of an

individual, some give the body a role where it is imagined “socially”, also being given the

term the intentional body. Degendering, in one way, is the sort of “revamp” of a set of

philosophical ideals that revolve around gender and this action, which shuffles the

responsibilities and changes the way femininity and masculinity is viewed, having this to

be change can somehow create confusion among what is already established, the

different identities and the socially accepted beliefs especially from the community of

the LGBTQIA+. Lastly, there is also what I’ve learned which is gender segregation, that

gives little to no value of the term “separated but equal” and instead “inefficient and

unfair” (McGrew, 2016), this then, would contrast to the aim of a dualistic and dimorphic

system, as what the “degendering” intends to do.

 For me, though there is little relevance of an argument of whether there should

be a distinction of sex and gender, the topic given gave me a chance to learn more

about the contemporary genders of today and how it has evolved, while it is also not

limited to such topics like queer theory, it also tackles feminism, especially the roles of

women and how there has been active discrimination just because of what a person

identifies, despite their sex, and in such, I believe the body contributes to how the

consciousness thinks of itself, whether as a masculine or feminine individual or neither.

Next, I used to think that there were little to no difference with the different genders

created and gathered in the past years that have developed into what is now called a

community. Like a male transsexual given as an example, there is what they call a

“female in a male body”, because of the misrecognition of the individual due to his

observation to his own mother, and it conflicts with the bodily identity of the man and

projected to an imaginary female body, which results to a separate identity. This then,

broadened my perspective of how such identification of each gender starts differently

and is affected greatly by many factors. Lastly, I used to think how it was difficult to

memorize all the terminologies used and for the sake of appropriateness of each

gender, but in a sense this is also in a way respecting and giving significance to the

hardships and the struggles the individual experienced, and like the feeling of people

being “trapped in the wrong bodies” (Mikkola, 2008), it is important to separate such

terms in order to allow and observe more the significance of transsexuality.

If the human identity is multifaceted, automatically one’s own gender cannot be

summed up by singular aspects but rather a clump of many things that arrived in its own

conclusions, therefore making them who they are right now. As such, what other
aspects are there to include when forming an identity of an individual, provided that

there are already acknowledged influences such as biological sex and the gender

identity of the said individual? Secondly, how can individuals be sexed in different

contexts, that it can either produce any shared experiences? This then, would be able to

help find a common ground, a basis for the community. Lastly, if the body cannot be

separated from its social meaning, then what would be the sense of the biological body

staying neutral from its contribution to the development of one’s identity?

Even up until today, there are still questions that I haven’t been able to come up

partly because of how fresh the topic of gender and sex is to me. While there are certain

topics already solidified to me because of beliefs, it’s clear to me how distinguishing

genders and many identities created today from the result of our own consciousness

and feeling of belongingness can culturally and socially impact the way we view gender

and how it’s still able to contribute to what we know of identity today. The distinction of

such two terms can bring about a new reformation of different identifications and

possibly help those who are unable to identify themselves to give a recognizable name

to what they feel and what they think who they are, but there is also a chance that

regendering, which is to gender someone in a different way than what we have right

now, can be more confusing and allow more uncertainty to other individuals.

Nevertheless, distinction of sex and gender allows for people to think things through and

consider where they want to place themselves in their society.