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Biological sex is neither binary nor a spectrum – a biologist explains how it’s multidimensional (theconversation.com)
submitted 3 weeks ago by to c/science@lemmy.ml
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[–] 19 points 3 weeks ago* (3 children)

I'm part way through the article, and its a fascinating read, and very well explained

I think its interesting how people tie themselves into knots with the whole binary male/female with convoluted descriptions of large small gametes defining gender (I'm particularly thinking of jk rowlings tweet and all the terf stuff)

I can see how binary definitions can never adequately reflect the complexity of an individuals internal experience. And also the designation of male/female is a social construct than biological reality

I am a late in life diagnosed autistic woman, my experience of reality will always differ from someone who doesn't have sensory issues because of my autism. I've had my mother, teachers and friends deny my experiences of reality because it doesn't match theirs. It seems barbaric to apply outdated social constructs to something as varied and complex as a human being

I think I may be waffling, but TLDR thanks for the link, its helping me understand things more clearly

Edit, just finished reading it now, and I love how it suggests using the description of a "mosaic" definition of gender as opposed to binary or spectrum

Really good article

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  • [–] 1 point 3 weeks ago* (last edited 3 weeks ago) (2 children)

    First I have to say is Im sorry for the barbarity snd fascism you faced cause of your autism 🫂

    Also I read this from you and it made me think of something . I find it odd that we have advanced how complex our understanding of human beings and gender are and yet....we STILL have caveman days levels of designatiin when it comes to determining a person's gender ? Why?

    We literslly have technologies that we can use to help a person transition from one gender to another or even to help them become more like the non-binary person they really are with different hormones! And different sugeries!...and yet....we still have this binary caveman designation when it comes to understanding gender!?

    Back im the neolithic days a person would burn at the stake the suggestion that such a tjing as 'hormones' exist or even at the suggestion of a mosaic model of gender, gender expression , and sexuality...and yet....most humans stilll drag on this neolithic barbaric format when it comes to understanding modern gender, gender expressions and sexuality?!

    We outnumber the capitalists, we always have and we always will, so I dont see why WE aent the ones who are dictating jow we define , format , understand, and deeper research things like gender, gender expressions, sexuality, and even other concepts relating the mosaic models of human categorization that we havent begun to even imagine yet!

    And I say this as a cis-male who was rsised with that very binary, caveman, oooga boooga 'oNlY mAlE AnD fEmAle' model of gender. I was actually somewhat shocked when I was presented this mosaic model relating to the mosaic model of gender and sexuality and human categorization. And this is only thr SURFACE! We can go deeper!

    Cause like think about it : With the mosaic model of gende r, sexuality, and human expression w e are merely scratching the SURFACE of things relating to gender snd sexuality and human expression . We have learned more about the human brain in the last 30 years alone than we have in the last like 500 or 1000 or whatever millenia....what is to say that we are not going to do the same when it comes to gender, sxuality and human expression in the next 30 years? Heck there could be like a 3D or even 4D Mosaic Model that finally accurately , undeniably, falsifiably defines ALL of human gender, sexuality and expression!

    Maybe Im getting a bit too ahead of myself with the 4D model lol but I do think we can all agree that our current understanding of gender, sexuality and human expression and even social relations betwween different people of different genders is being held back by letting ourselves be controlled by capitalists who only want to research new weapoms to more effectively vaporize Palestinians, Colombians, Cubans , and Sudanese .... 😐 We gotta end that!

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  • [–] 4 points 3 weeks ago (1 child)

    I think its funny that you mention us still having cavemen levels of designated gender, I've seen references to neolithic and Neanderthal people as being less rigid, example skeletons buried with weapons or hunting equipment designated male until DNA shows they're female, also bodies of tattooed female shamans. I can't point you in the direction of any links yet (I'm in a hospital right now) but I think its assumed that child care, "womens work" keeping the home fire burning and the food cooking was more of a joint community effort with both male/female involvement

    Perhaps our ancestors were more accepting of the natural mosiac of gender and sexuality than we are now?

    I think the dogma of the Church has destroyed a lot of natural rhythms of human nature, the whole "its Adam and Eve, not Adam and Steve" strict gender roles/rules and misogyny, which is ironic as Jesus was always about love your neighbour, do unto others, let he who is without sin etc And let's face it he probably had a wife and female disciples

    Its always about power and control to stop the majority overthrowing the rich minority, then as now

    So fucking sad

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  • [–] 1 point 3 weeks ago

    Ya youre right. Apparently in some Oceania tribes in the past and even in India surprisingly non-binary genders were accepted by most people of those societies. I do remember reading an archaeological study where they examined the skeletons of men and women who died violent deaths in the neolitihic era and they found that surprisingly practicslly all prehistoric tribes had men AND women (and probanly non binary people too) who died violent deaths through murder, warfare, and through animal hunts that went wrong where the animal overpowered and charged deep into the person with so much force that it shattered the person's bones in almost equal numbers.

    I think it was capitalism and feudalism actuallt are the things that played bigger role than religion in creating the patriarchal, rigidly conservative and 'shameful of sociosexuality and expression' societies thatt most of us live in today . I feel that the bourgeoisie of both of these eras knew that they could make it easoer to make more slaves , moake more soldiers, and more easily control the disenfranchised members of the proletariat if they repeatedly drilled deep into us that that is how our societies oughta run and how we should view gender and we chose to go along with it. It was a decision that has been to our detriment....

    And dont get me wrong, I know that religious extremism has caused the needless death, ostracizions, alienations, and suffering of billiins of peoples , ESPECIALLY non-males. Though personally I feel it is actually that class warfare that has always been more important than religious warfare within a society and even between different societies in spurring these barbaric things we did to each other. I feel that the bourgeoisie simply knew that they could use religion as just another tool to cause control over us AND to cause conflict between different members of the proletariat class.... But I dont view religion as THE almighty factor that has led to the world we have today. I see the biggest factors as our complacency to accept the bullshit that the bourgeoisie keep on telling us AND the existence of the bourgeoisie. Even in neolithic era people had religion for the most part, not the massive abrahamic religions we see today but rather things like paganism , animalism, odinism, things like that . And these religions were not able to prevent humans from eventually saying 'Screw it ! I know we're all very differemt but , let's work together and build together to create large agricultural societies' . It is simply when agricultural societies began to form with many slaves and soldiers did a few members of the proletariat start to realize that they can create dynastic monarchies that hold the majority of society with an iron grip through tricknology , cunning wordplay, and displays of militant and even genocidal bravado. And with the creations of these numerous bourgeoisies and their many bribed pig bodyguards did the creation of patriarchal society come into existence since men were seen as the more violent , more militant and 'stronger' of our species so these men were also seen as useful tools to use by the bourgeoisie to keep non-males in check. And with the creation of a patriarchal , dictatorship of the bourgeoisie which we still live in today so did we FINALLY see the binary model of gender. Yet another tool for control by the bourgeoisie. which theyve used to tell non-males that they have to always be 'subjugated' to their male counterparts AND to tell women that the only way a woman can become a ''tRuE wOmAn' s by 'sTArtIng A fAmiLy' and 'DoInG AlL ThE HoUsewOrK aNd ChiLd CaRe FoR hEr MeN' and to always 'tUrN yOur Kid InTo AnoThEr NatiOnaLisTic SlavE Or SolDiEr For thE empIrE'

    And yup when you think about it all carefully enough.... you start to see how its always been bullshit from the extrremely rich and politically connected minority to control the anger and violence that the majority oughta have towards them to overthrow them and to prevent the creation of a truly egalitarian , equitable, and inclusive humanistic societu rather than the current bullshit capitalistic and feudalistic ones.

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