Reading "Dueling Dualisms" was an experience that enhanced and enforced my opinions on the subject of sex and gender. My opinions align almost completely with Fausto-Sterling's, especially when she discusses the need for the upheaval of traditional conceptualizations of gender and sex. With that said, I found it very easy to engage with this text since I was already in favor of her ideals. I also enjoyed the fact that much like some other feminists she found this subject to malleable, and tangible for others outside of the scientific or theoretical realm (the denial of the "God-trick"). The subject of gender and sex can be discussed by anyone because it involves everyone and our social and political actions and voices, because it is by these actions and voices that the concept of gender is intimated.
Fausto-Sterling's writing style and her profound tone gave me a sort of empowered feeling -- by "empowered" I mean her explicit critique of the traditional two-sex system unfolded aroused a desire in me to take action, to do something about it. This is at the root of how I am understanding this text as an "intervention" in a pressing issue like gender politics, which is to say Fausto-Sterling is leading a charge against the all too ubiquitous two-sex system, and I feel like her writing is call to arms to anyone else who cares. My intimacy with this text ultimately boils down to this thought: in order to intervene in the constant reproduction of the male/female binary, and to recalculate our assumptions of how a biological being can traverse the spectrum of gender it is not completely up to those trained in sciences (although their guidance and research can certainly impact public opinions) to tell us how traditional thoughts on gender and sex might be changed or even eradicated. Instead, it is up to everyone walking the streets and empirically making their own conclusions about gender and sex. Much like Fausto-Sterling I find it hard not ask: why do I care if someone wants to be a girl if she is a male? How would her political girl-ness presented on her male body really affect anyone else except her and her conscious? Understandably it can throw one's mind in a loop seeing a presentation of gender just mentioned, however accepting that it is not science that will change these feelings is how Fausto-Sterling made me feel.
Justin, I'm glad you bring up the question of how a person changing his/her gender or even sexuality affects anyone else other than the person doing the changing. This question has boggled my mind for long time because to me it does NOT affect anyone else other than the person doing the changing nor should it be anyone else's business. Yet people continue to care and feel like it does affect them. I think the problem they feel with it is perhaps that it doesn't directly affect them, but it may disrupt what they see as a "normal" society.
ReplyDeleteAt the end of your post when you state, "it is not science that will change these feelings", makes me see the question of who it actually affects when a person changes one's gender/sexuality, in a way i never thought of because I'm always hoping that science that is able to prove that the male/female binary is false would change people's minds. If I'm reading your statement correctly (and please correct me if I am), I agree with you and I think it's unfortunate that science will not change people's minds. It takes more to persuade someone about something that is seen to be as seemingly straight forward as sexuality. Especially when the male and female binary is held as such a strong truth. It's held as such a truth at least in the West i think mainly because traditional Christianity says it is so. I believe that more knowledge and experience is the only way to change people's minds, but "pure science" (if there is such a thing) will not be what changes it. Thanks for your statement!