Cant you define something by what it is not--ie 'woman'?

[HamsterToast]

Bear with me here, I know you know all this but am putting some thoughts down after a discussion with my DH.

'I am a woman because I feel like a woman'

'I identify as a woman therefore I am one'

These statements don't make sense. In order to know what you identify as, you have to be able to define that thing- its characteristics.

'I identify as a woman therefore I am one'
'What makes you know it is a woman you identify as?'
'I feel it'
'What do you feel? What makes that a woman'?

There is no way to proceed with this other than to be circular (because I feel, just because) or to name characteristics such as 'I feel feminine which is gentle, kind, motherly, wearing lipstick' etc. And we know that femininity is not part of what makes a woman.

If you can't say any key characteristics which make up a category, then that category does not exist. Therefore 'women' would not exist. If women do not exist then you can't argue you are one.

My other half says it is possible to identify as something without defining it, if you say what you are not.

'I feel like a woman because I do not feel like a man or masculine'.

But sure you then just get into the same loop- what is a man?

Thoughts?

Two problems:

1. You can only have a debate if you can define what words mean. As you say "I am a woman because I don't feel like a man" is meaningless if you cannot define 'man'.

2. Definitions need to create fixed boundaries.

So
Woman = adult female human

Try to define woman by what it is not:
Woman =not adult male human

By that definition Basil Brush is a woman.

A circle is not a square
A square is not a triangle
A triangle is not a circle

None of those definitions make sense, in and of themselves (although the statements are true).

The only reason people THINK these kinds of re-definitions of man/woman are in any way valid, is because we ALL already know that women and men are real, biologically based categories. You have to do these thought experiment with words you do not already know.

A griflusky is not a rewixytron
A rewixytron is not a griflusky

Words should: reflect material reality and have specific non-circular definitions that are falsifiable, please.

A woman is not a non-man.

And “woman” is not a catch-all bin for anyone who doesn’t fit into the “masculine” gender stereotype box.