When it comes to the topic of gender, sex, and trans individuals, the world is completely divided. One half says they simply don’t exist, that there are only two genders; and the other half believes that gender is a social construct and a spectrum to which we all follow. Whether or not those two sides are correct, there is now science to support the claims of trans people and of gender being a spectrum. The world is moving forward; traditional ideas have no place in a modernized world.
When arguing about gender and sex, there is always a phrase that emerges: ‘gender is a social construct’. Whether or not one agrees with this, it’s simply empirical sociology. This means that gender is determined by societal roles and that individuals internalize gender roles that are then exhibited accordingly. This also means that gender falls under social constructivism, a concept where everything people know or assume about reality is actually entirely fabricated by society.
A famous example of this would be the social construction of money. The paper bills themselves have no value, but when society assigns value to it, it becomes precious and sought after. The dollar only has worth because Americans are willing to give it worth. However, it only works in its own market; a dollar would be useless in a country with a different currency but is still powerful within its own realm. Something only has value once it is ascribed to it, meaning that it can also be changed at any time. The meaning of gender roles is constantly changing because society decides it should―what it means to be a ‘man’ or a ‘woman’ is continually adjusting and readapting itself.
Gender roles are also never innate because if it is something decided by outside culture, it cannot be an inherent property of an individual. If society can determine what it is to be masculine or feminine, then society can also change what it is considered as. It has also been known since 380 B.C. that there are at least three genders (reminder: gender is also a spectrum, meaning that it’s a scale from feminine to masculine or even more than that).
A common counterargument to trans or non-binary people is that they cannot alter their biological sex or that there are only two sexes. To most people this may be ‘true’, but the science behind it proves otherwise. One’s sex is determined by chromosomes, hormone levels, and reproductive organs, and two out of three of these can be altered: reproductive systems and hormone levels.
Furthermore, intersex people have XX and XY chromosomes, meaning that they are not biologically male or female. Scientific American reported that in recent studies, it has been found that DNA sequencing and cell biology are a mixture of genetically distinct cells to varying degrees. In other words, a person’s reproductive system may not ‘match’ with their specific chromosomes or hormone levels, so their identification decided by society could be wrong. In 1990, scientists discovered a new gene called SRY. This gene has the ability to switch the gonad from ovarian to testicular development. For example, XX individuals (who are usually female) who carry a fragment of the Y chromosome that contains SRY will develop as males, but their chromosomes are typically seen as female. Another popular argument against trans or homosexual individuals is that they are incapable of having children, and therefore should not get married. Gender or sex is not determined by whether your reproductive organs work or not. By this logic, cis people who are infertile are not the gender or sex they say they are either and cannot get married. Regardless of that, others should not even be deciding an entire community’s rights if they are not harming anyone.
A new culture of normalized transphobia hidden in the form of jokes has also been introduced. Although at first they seem to mean no harm, they actually all stem from a backward hatred of trans individuals and indirectly damage their wellbeing and status in life. Trans men and women deserve to be treated with respect just like every other human does as it is a basic right. One’s sex, gender, or identity does not define their entire social status; it should not put them in a box or a position where they are abused and it is seen as normal. In our current society, gender is very much real and can determine one’s social roles. New gender and sociology studies hope to change that, and one day we may be able to live in a world where there is no judgment for one’s identity and preferred pronouns.