Cronk Week 5 Blog Post

A person does not need to accept society’s definition of them as being male or female; a person can claim any gender identity they wish. Our Western binary system diminishes the complexity of gender, as it is a spectrum (Walters). Instead, this system is black and white–male or female–and disregards the reality of any grey area, such as identifying as transgender. Whether a transgender individual, such as Caitlyn Jenner, tries to conform to society’s definition of them or openly challenges this definition by identifying differently, there is no way to escape some level of adversity. When Caitlyn tried to conform, she did not feel like her true self, and in return, was living a lie. When Caitlyn finally came out as Caitlyn, instead of Bruce, for the very first time, she was met with confusion, disbelief, and disapproval.

Anyone who believes being transgender is a paradox is clinging to a binary view of gender (Burkett). Our society uses social categories such as gender to place people within a hierarchy. When someone does not fit into the binary system, it causes distress because it becomes harder to place them. For Caitlyn, there was an immediate backlash of public scrutiny as to whether this newly exposed deviant behavior was a publicity stunt (20/20). It was even harder for people to wrap their heads around this particular secret because of Caitlyn’s prior Olympic success when they understood and celebrated her as a male. Men are more bound by gender stereotyping because of society’s toxic expectations of masculinity (Burkett). Caitlyn tried to transition hormonally in the ’80s but inevitably decided to keep her secret until 2015 because of those toxic expectations. Gender roles are limitations of identity because many people, including myself, have both masculine and feminine characteristics. Although I identify as a woman, I find enjoyment in activities that society considers to be masculine such as home improvement projects that require the use of tools.

“The transgender community for years has been trying to get the public to understand that genitalia is not a determinant of gender” (Bissinger). Sex is a biological form of identity, whereas gender is a socially constructed form of identity. Concepts of gender fluidity and gender nonbinary all fit on the realistic spectrum of gender. It is important to also note that sexual preference has nothing to do with gender identity, nor does love (Bissinger). Sexuality is just as much a spectrum as gender, as we have recently uncovered concepts of bisexuality, transsexuality, asexuality, et al. Love is similar to gender, only in that you cannot choose who you love, just as you cannot choose what gender you feel your soul is. This is why people as young as eighteen months-old can understand that they might not be what society defines them as (20/20). Many will try and debate nature vs. nurture, but gender dysphoria has been around long before there was a scientific name for it.

A person’s gender, just as their race, cannot solely be determined by physical attributes. One should not assume a person’s gender, nor should one ask a person what gender they identify as. In a progressive sense, society must learn to accept that a person’s gender should not factor how to act or talk around, towards, or about them. This is another reason why it was so hard for people to grasp that Bruce is now Caitlyn–they treated Bruce differently than they would treat Caitlyn had they met her originally as Caitlyn–even though she has always been there. A person does not have to follow society, but going against the grain is not always safe to do. Many of those who fit within the grey area of our Western binary system are bullied for being different and are at high risk of committing suicide. A person can identify as any gender they feel best describes them, but because gender is actually a spectrum, some will choose the gender that best describes them given the choices available, but could potentially feel as though the gender they picked does not completely align with their individuality. In America, we have the freedom to express ourselves, so if we identify as a gender that is not the same as society’s, and that causes society to feel uncomfortable, then there is an obvious flaw in the original foundation of our social system.

References

Bissinger, B. (2018, March 22). Caitlyn Jenner: The Full Story. Retrieved from https://www.vanityfair.com/hollywood/2015/06/caitlyn-jenner-bruce-cover-annie-leibovitz

Burkett, E. (2015, June 06). What Makes a Woman? Retrieved from https://www.nytimes.com/2015/06/07/opinion/sunday/what-makes-a-woman.html

Walters, K. L., Evans-Campbell, T., Simoni, J. M., Ronquillo, T., & Bhuyan, R. (2006). “My spirit in my heart”: Identity experiences and challenges among American Indian two-spirit women. Retrieved from https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16873218

20/20: Bruce Jenner – The Interview Watch Full Episode: 04/24/2015. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://abc.go.com/shows/2020/listing/2015-04/24-bruce-jenner-the-interview

One thought on “Cronk Week 5 Blog Post

  1. This is a really fantastic post, you did a great job discussing transgender identity and Caitlin Jenner’s experience. I don’t blame Caitlin for delaying her transition until now, if she had tried to transition in the 80’s or even the 90’s she most certainly would have been killed. People had a hard enough time accepting gay people during that time, and that was often a death sentence for many.

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