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The gender binary, also referred to as gender binarism (sometimes shortened to just binarism),^[1]^[2]^[3] is the classification of sex and gender into two distinct, opposite and disconnected forms of masculine and feminine. It is one general type of a gender system. As one of the core principles of genderism, it can describe a social boundary that discourages people from crossing or mixing gender roles, or from identifying with third (or more) forms of gender expression altogether. It can also represent some of the prejudices which stigmatize intersex and transgender people, especially those that are genderqueer-identified — individuals who may not always fit neatly into the gender binary.^[4]

The term describes the system in which a society splits people into male and female gender roles, gender identities and attributes. Gender role is one aspect of a gender binary. Many societies have used the gender binary to divide and organize people, though the ways this happens differs between societies.^{[citation needed]} A universal aspect of the gender binaries is that women give birth. Gender binaries exist as a means of bringing order, though some, such as Riki Wilchins in GenderQueer: Voices from Beyond the Sexual Binary, argue that gender binaries divide and polarize society. Certain notable religions are often used as authorities for the justification and description. Islam, for example, teaches that mothers are the primary care givers to their children and Catholics only allow males to serve as their priests.

Exceptions have widely existed to the gender binary in the form of specific transgender identities. Besides the biological identification of intersex individuals, elements of the both or neither sexes have been taken by people biologically female and male such as Two-Spirited Native Americans and hijra of India. In the contemporary West, transgender people break the gender binary in the form of genderqueer. Transsexuals have a unique place in relation to the gender binary because in many cases their gender expression transitions from one side of the gender binary to the other but still conforms to the gender binary itself.

Limitations

Many scholars have contested the existence of a clear gender binary. There is an increasing amount of research that illustrates that the evidence for dividing humans into the two distinct categories of men and women is problematic and a self-fulfilling prophecy. For example, Judith Lorber explains the problem of failing to question dividing people into these two groups “even though they often find more significant within-group differences than between-group differences.”^[5] Lorber argues that this corroborates the fact that the gender binary is quite arbitrary and leads to false expectations of both genders. Instead, there is growing support for the possibility of utilizing additional categories that compare people without “prior assumptions about who is like whom.”^[5] By allowing for a more fluid approach to gender, people will be better able to identify themselves however they choose, and scholarly research will find different similarities and differences.

A further issue with the gender binary is the insistence that men are masculine and women are feminine. This reduces options for people to act outside of their gender role without coming under scrutiny. Moreover, male and female do not directly translate to masculine and feminine as those terms are laden with ulterior meanings that have been “politically contextualized and constructed” and are not mutually exclusive categories.^[6] Therefore the assertion of femininity applying solely to women and masculinity solely to men is fundamentally flawed. It is important to distinguish femininity and masculinity as a descriptor for behaviors or attitudes without tying them directly to the genders man and woman. By employing masculinity and femininity as adjectives, they are helpful tools for understanding human actions.^[6] Gendered descriptors have uses, but by connecting them to specific sexes they become oppressive terms that enable continued discrimination.

References

^ Marjorie Garber (25 November 1997). Vested Interests: Cross-dressing and Cultural Anxiety. Psychology Press. pp. 2, 10, 14–16, 47. ISBN 978-0-415-91951-7. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
^ Claudia Card (1994). Adventures in Lesbian Philosophy. Indiana University Press. p. 127. ISBN 978-0-253-20899-6. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
^ Rosenblum, Darren (2000). "'Trapped' in Sing-Sing: Transgendered Prisoners Caught in the Gender Binarism". Michigan Journal of Gender & Law. 6. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
^ Serano, Julia (2007). Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity. Seal Press. ISBN 978-1-58005-154-5.
^ ^a ^b Lorber, Judith. "Believing is Seeing: Biology as Ideology." In The Gendered Society Reader, edited by Michael S. Kimmel, Amy Aronson, and Amy Kaler, 11-18. Toronto, ON: Oxford University Press, 2011.
^ ^a ^b Beckwith, Karen. "A Common Language of Gender." Politics and Gender 1(1) (2005):128-137. Accessed May 8, 2013, doi:10.1017/S1743923X05211017.

@@ Line 5: / Line 5: @@
 The '''gender binary''', also referred to as '''gender binarism''' (sometimes shortened to just '''binarism'''),<ref name="Garber1997">{{cite book | author = Marjorie Garber | title = Vested Interests: Cross-dressing and Cultural Anxiety | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=rCzYJisHWHAC | accessdate = 18 September 2012 | date = 25 November 1997 | publisher = Psychology Press | isbn = 978-0-415-91951-7 | pages = 2, 10, 14-16, 47}}</ref><ref name="Card1994">{{cite book | author = Claudia Card | title = Adventures in Lesbian Philosophy | url = http://books.google.com/books?id=_pIRGizLcMkC&pg=PA127 | accessdate = 18 September 2012 | year = 1994 | publisher = Indiana University Press | isbn = 978-0-253-20899-6 | page = 127}}</ref><ref name="Rosenblum2000">{{cite journal | author = Rosenblum, Darren | year = 2000 | title = 'Trapped' in Sing-Sing: Transgendered Prisoners Caught in the Gender Binarism | journal = Michigan Journal of Gender & Law | volume = 6 | url = http://papers.ssrn.com/sol3/papers.cfm?abstract_id=897562 | accessdate = 18 September 2012}}</ref> is the classification of [[sex]] and [[gender]] into [[binary opposition|two distinct]], opposite and disconnected forms of [[Masculinity|masculine]] and [[Femininity|feminine]].  It is one general type of a [[gender systems|gender system]]. As one of the core principles of [[genderism]], it can describe a [[taboo|social boundary]] that discourages people from crossing or mixing [[gender role]]s, or from identifying with third (or more) forms of [[gender identity|gender expression]] altogether. It can also represent some of the [[prejudice]]s which [[social stigma|stigmatize]] [[intersex]] and [[transgender]] people, especially those that are [[genderqueer]]-identified — individuals who may not always fit neatly into the gender binary.<ref name="Serano">{{cite book |title= Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity|last= Serano|first= Julia|year= 2007|publisher= Seal Press|isbn= 978-1-58005-154-5}}</ref>
-The term describes the system in which a society splits people into [[male]] and [[female]] [[gender role]]s, [[gender identity|gender identities]] and attributes. Gender role is one aspect of a gender binary. Many of known societies have used the gender binary to divide and organize people, though the ways this happens differ among societies.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} A universal aspect of the gender binaries is that women give birth. Gender binaries exist as a means of bringing order, though some, such as [[Riki Wilchins]] in ''GenderQueer: Voices from Beyond the Sexual Binary'', argue that gender binaries divide and polarize society. Certain notable religions are often used as authorities for the justification and description. [[Islam]], for example, teaches that mothers are the primary care givers to their children and [[Catholic Church|Catholics]] only allow males to serve as their priests.
+The term describes the system in which a society splits people into [[male]] and [[female]] [[gender role]]s, [[gender identity|gender identities]] and attributes. Gender role is one aspect of a gender binary. Many societies have used the gender binary to divide and organize people, though the ways this happens differs between societies.{{Citation needed|date=January 2010}} A universal aspect of the gender binaries is that women give birth. Gender binaries exist as a means of bringing order, though some, such as [[Riki Wilchins]] in ''GenderQueer: Voices from Beyond the Sexual Binary'', argue that gender binaries divide and polarize society. Certain notable religions are often used as authorities for the justification and description. [[Islam]], for example, teaches that mothers are the primary care givers to their children and [[Catholic Church|Catholics]] only allow males to serve as their priests.
 Exceptions have widely existed to the gender binary in the form of specific transgender identities. Besides the biological identification of intersex individuals, elements of the both or neither sexes have been taken by people biologically female and male such as [[Two-Spirit]]ed [[Indigenous peoples of the Americas|Native Americans]] and [[hijra (South Asia)|hijra]] of [[India]]. In the contemporary [[Western world|West]], transgender people break the gender binary in the form of [[genderqueer]]. [[Transsexual]]s have a unique place in relation to the gender binary because in many cases their gender expression transitions from one side of the gender binary to the other but still conforms to the gender binary itself.

Gender binary: Difference between revisions

Revision as of 03:25, 23 May 2013

Limitations

See also

References

Further reading