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Original poster

So what exactly is gender?

184 replies

XChrome · 08/10/2024 21:14

I'm still waiting for [redacted], to explain in depth what gender is. According to many people, it's a feeling, a self-perception, which they are labelling as gender. My question would be; how do the people who are using this label for a feeling know that the label they are giving it is accurate? How do they know it's not just the result of being socialized into believing certain feelings or interests signify that one is the gender that society has deemed corresponds to those feelings and interests?
I genuinely want to know, because I have never had this feeling in my life. I can perceive only my biological sex. I have always regarded my self-perception as the result of my individual personality and experiences, not about either gender or biological sex. However, many of those experiences are sex specific, so biological sex does play into it in that sense.

Can anybody answer this question about what gender is? Can you describe the feeling and explain how you know what it signifies? Please note that this is not a goading post. I'm not looking for an argument, just an explanation.
Thanks.

[Post edited by MNHQ to remove tag]

OP posts:
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Circumferences · 08/10/2024 21:39

Exactly. Gender is socially constructed, so a concept that can move around, evolve and change in between cultures and timeframe.

Sex on the other hand is material reality.

Gender is basically feminine or masculine stereotypes. Try getting gender ideologists to admit that though.... As you say

Ohfuckrucksack · 08/10/2024 21:39

I have no issues with sticking two fingers up to cultural expectations that are placed upon me - always have done.

Gender ideology adherents don't have the courage to do this though - instead they place expectations on everyone else to lie and pretend that down is up and wrong is right.

Original poster
XChrome · 08/10/2024 21:38

Circumferences · 08/10/2024 21:30

I wouldn't usually grab an AI summary on a thread, but interestingly this is what it pulls up

My paraphrase of ChatGPT's definition of gender would be; "If you like playing with dollies and dressing up, that's your gender, even if your birth certificate doesn't agree."

OP posts:
Ohfuckrucksack · 08/10/2024 21:33

Gender is a societal construct, that consists of a set of culturally specific rules that create expectations for each sex. The expectations are comprehensive looking at all aspects of each sex's lives - including behaviour, appearance and clothing, occupation, responsibilities and more.

Original poster
XChrome · 08/10/2024 21:30

HipTightOnions · 08/10/2024 21:21

Good question. There is never a meaningful answer.

According to many people, it's a feeling, a self-perception, which they are labelling as gender.

A feeling of what though? A self-perception of what?

I mentally translate "gender" (in its recent use) to "the sex someone wants to be perceived as" but I don't think that would necessarily go down well.

Yeah, it baffles me as to what else it could be other than what one wants to be perceived as and wants to perceive oneself as. I do make room for the possibility that as it's something I've never experienced, I just don't understand.

OP posts:
Circumferences · 08/10/2024 21:30

I wouldn't usually grab an AI summary on a thread, but interestingly this is what it pulls up

So what exactly is gender?
HipTightOnions · 08/10/2024 21:26

The only vaguely sensible answer I have heard was in terms of archetypes, so that someone who claims to have the gender "woman" aspires to a particular societal archetype.

What does that archetype consist of though? No answer was forthcoming!

Helleofabore · 08/10/2024 21:24

Looking forward to a coherent answer OP. One that doesn’t resort to stereotypes to categorise identities.

Good luck.

HipTightOnions · 08/10/2024 21:21

Good question. There is never a meaningful answer.

According to many people, it's a feeling, a self-perception, which they are labelling as gender.

A feeling of what though? A self-perception of what?

I mentally translate "gender" (in its recent use) to "the sex someone wants to be perceived as" but I don't think that would necessarily go down well.