Is Sex Socially Determined Too? CSS Gender Studies
The article discusses “Is sex socially determined too? Is sex socially constructed? Is Sex Socially Determined Too? The constructed of sex. Is Sex Socially Determined Too? Gender Studies CSS notes. Is sex socially determined too?”
Is Sex Socially Determined Too?
Generally it is believe that sex is biological and gender is social. In other words it means that sex is based on the biology of a person and it cannot be changed while gender is socially constructed and it can be whatever we want. Feminists however have different opinion than this matter which is given below.
Is Sex Socially Constructed?
What Feminists Say?
Feminists have different opinion than the above mentioned general idea about sex and gender. According to feminists sex too is socially determined. In support of their argument they present the following points.
Categories Of Sex: Generally accepted categories of sex are two, that are, male and female. It is taught in school and colleges that XX chromosomes make females and XY chromosome males. On the basis of these two categories of sex, genders are developed which according to feminists is not correct. According to them sex itself is socially constructed category.
To support their argument feminists quote the example of Caster Semenya, a South African athlete who won world champion in 2009. Continue wining of races grow controversies about her sex and it was debated critically whether she is she or really a he?
Sex – A Collection Of Different Characteristics: Sex of a person is generally decided on the basis of genitalia but according to feminists it is wrong too because sex is not a one single unambiguous trait. It is rather a combination of different characteristics most of which are biological.
Autonomy VS Integration Debate in Gender Studies
According to feminists it is possible that a person may have some characteristics of one sex category and some of other. Take for example the case of trans people who share the characteristics of both sexes.
Sex May Alter: In some cases sex of a person alter upon reaching a certain age. For example a condition called 5 Alpha Reductase Deficiency causes male infants to appear female yet upon reaching puberty they developed into fully functioning males.
Category Can Be Changed: According to feminists Sex being a category can be changed by changing the social position of an individual. A person can change his or her sex through surgery or hormones treatment. Take the example of reality star Jazz Jennings who claim to be woman and which is correct because she is a perfect woman on every perspective though she transgender.
Conclusion
The above arguments of feminists suggest that sex is a socially constructed category of human beings, which is not fixed and can be changed at any time. According to them the most common generally accepted principle about sex, that is, sex is fixed, is wrong and so it means sex is socially determined too.
Leave a reply