Biology as an important aspect of gender and sexuality - Research Paper Example

? Despite attempts to distance gender from biology, we need to accept biology as an important aspect of gender and sexuality. Is there a return to biological understandings of gender and is this a return or an advance? Contents Contents 2 Introduction 3 An Understanding of the Current Debates made on Gender, Sex, Sexuality and Culture 4 Theoretical Complexity in Relation to Sex and Gender 5 Investigating the Political Fervour Related to the Utility, Relevance and Scope of Categorisation based on Sex and Gender Criteria 7 An understanding of the above investigation in relation of a Complex and Contest driven Society 8 Conclusion 9 References 11 Introduction The concepts of gender and sexuality are considered to have emerged from the ramifications of biology. Gender groups in the society segregated based on male and female divisions have long occupied the larger sections of the social sphere. These groups were observed in previous times to have carved out their social identities based on responsibilities and duties assigned to them by dearth of their biological birth. Thus biology is considered to have contributed to the construction of masculine and feminine ideals in society (Lewis, 2003, p.11-12). The division of social groups into such masculine and feminine characteristics to a larger extent is observed to cause the emergence of a patriarchal society, which in turn likes to dominate over the female class. The female groups, owing to the fact of continuous oppression and due submission of their desires have started revolting to this. Further, with the rise in different heterogeneous groups, the rise of homogeneous groups is also found to have grown up in a gradual fashion, demanding increased space in the social circles (Murrin et al., 2011, p.511). Society also observes the rise in feminine circles reflecting different demands to gain further potential in the male dominated society. This has led to the increasing politicisation of the social system constructed under the banner of gender patterns. Again, the rise in homogeneous circles like gays and lesbians have lead to further threatening of the existing heterogeneous groups pertaining to the male and females. Thus it is observed that the understandings of gender groups are being endeavoured to be segregated from its biological roots. In this light, the paper endeavours to understand that despite the attempts to segregate the study of gender groups from its biological roots, it is now considered worthwhile to return back to its biological base (Carver and Pikalo, 2008, p.168). An Understanding of the Current Debates made on Gender, Sex, Sexuality and Culture Gender as a concept has received much importance in the current era owing to the fact that it helps in creating a separate identity for the sexes living in the society. It is often considered that biology has contributed a lot in creating this gender distinction and thus is conceived to be a natural factor. It is held that Biology alone determines the role the different sex groups needs to play in the society. However it is also held that sex, biology and the nature at large work based on a continuum. They do not have any conflict between them. The conflict arises in regards to their usage in the social context. In the social fervour the concept of gender takes a more dominating position than that of sexual dynamism as reflected in the domains of biology. Gender roles in the society have led to the creation of separate identity groups focusing on separate tasks to help the society progress. However in the changing world the portrayal of different advertisements reflect the change in the socio-dynamic relationships between the two genders as the feminist class rises to shoulder the responsibilities previously held to be the possessions of only their male counterparts. Yet again biology comes into front declaring that the priority of the female or the women class is to produce and rear the children and the men to work for running the family (Baines and Marrin, 2005, p.260). The issue of sex, gender and biology takes a further turn with the issue of transgender classes. The rise of transgender has led to the rise in conflict pertaining to identity. Identity crisis takes a new turn with the rise in the transgender class. The rise in transgender is not only seen as that which cultivates a separate sexual and social identity but rather it is regarded by biology as reflecting diversity in the sexual concept. Research made in the biological paradigm confirms that certain level of hormonal and behavioural changes in the human body leads to the rise of the transgender class. Thus human beings are shown by biology as no different from basic animals with animosity features reflected in regards to their sexual activities and characteristics. The rise of transgender class is viewed to further distort the known social fabric occupied by the dichotomous gender groups of males and females. Transgender is a term which is used in regards to those people who desire to lead like those pertaining to the opposite gender. Again society in turn also contributes in segregating the different biological units from each other by representing them as different social entities. The cultivation of the different social entities like gays and lesbians and transgender population has led to the rise of biological diversity against the backdrop of dualism reflected in regards to the existence of men and women class in society. The current debate henceforth depicts a much broader understanding of the biological diversity depicted as isolated entities in the broader social canvas. Rise of such diversified sexual groups in the society like lesbians and gays and transgender groups have led to the rise of separate social and legal demands. Legal and social activists are found to render more political and cultural importance to the issues concerning the existence of transgender thus distancing them largely from the biological concepts (Lane, 2009, p.136-150). Theoretical Complexity in Relation to Sex and Gender The rise in the issues pertaining to transgender has led to the rise in increasing complexity in the existing social circles. The transgender sects like lesbians and gays have in fact contributed to the rise of new social minority groups battling for their own interests to gain hold in the expanding society (Stryker, 1994, p.247-249). The increasing dominance of such sexual groups like gays and lesbians is visualised to enhance the level of social complexities. Complexity in such relationships has led to the transfiguring of gays and lesbians as living monsters hovering around in the social circles inhabited by people possessing normal psychologies. The complexity of human relationships has gone to such extents as disturbing the crux of men and women understandings. Though in the modern period the men and women have learnt to share responsibilities and feelings among them yet biologically it is observed that women have been grounded with certain attributes as different to that of man. This segregation has led to increasing conflicts in the gender circles for which the women population have turned in to revolting attitudes against the continuous oppression faced by them from the patriarchal society (Califia, n.d., p.437-438). Further observation shows that the transgender population of the world owing to the growing complexities in the relationship patterns have started feeling the sense of being isolated. This in turn gives rise to the feelings of melancholy in them making them form separate groups of both gays and lesbians. Isolation and melancholy thus has contributed to the formation of new social identities having separate agenda and social demands. The prevalence of men and women relationship in the society reflects a heterogeneous culture in which both genders tend to exist in a coplanar manner in the dualistic society. This existence of a heterogeneous relationship is considered perfect which feels threatened due to the increasing demand for homogeneity in the society. Rise of gays and lesbian circles have led to the growth of such threat in the existing heterogeneous social patterns. Thus to avoid the rise in melancholy or social disturbance pertaining to gender both heterosexuality and homosexuality is required to coexist. These harmonious relationships between the two sexual groups would help in gaining a comfortable stand in sharp contrast to the monopolistic condition described otherwise in case of existence of gays and lesbians. Tran sexuality is observed to rise from closed cultural groups wherein the masculinity factor is increasingly obscured under the canopy of feminity such that the male individual tends to feel himself being covered up by feminity leading to a rise of a complex social entity as demarcated from normal social male and female relationships (Butler, 1995, p.168-176). Investigating the Political Fervour Related to the Utility, Relevance and Scope of Categorisation based on Sex and Gender Criteria The discrimination of individuals based on sex and gender has in current times gained much popularity owing to its large scale political usage. Politicisation of sex and gender concepts gains ground owing to the work of certain feminist groups in the society. These feminist groups tend to reflect a difference with the men or homosexual groups and in turn pave the way in creation of the politics of differentiation. Politicisation of sex and gender thus is found to revolve around cases reflecting homogeneity or differences. Further analysis in this regard reflects that the term gender having gained large amount of popularity being tied with the political agenda of the country is found to be deeply segregated from the biological understanding. Research made shows that the term sex is often coined in relation to the biological concept while gender issues gains an intense relation to the existing social and political dynamics of the nation. More so it is found that the gender issues crop up more with the concept of feminism being dealt in a differentiated fashion in regards to the society as a whole or in regards to the homosexual groups (Chambers and Carver, 2008, p.262). Sex and gender issues are differentiated from one another is relation to mind and body. It is often argued that the idea of sex has cropped up from the gender roles prevailing in the society and thus is observed to be the base of political action. Contests have emerged among the different concepts pertaining to sex, sexual roles and identifications and gender roles in the society. In the study of gender and sex roles it is thus found that the concept of sex hovers around the physical system while the concept of gender is understood in regards to psychoanalytic domain of individuals. The role of gender is thus held as that emerged from knowledge derived from subjective and objective experimentation and thus finds relation to social and political dynamics. Idea of sex is observed to emerge from the body which is perceived to be neutral entity while the concept of gender being born from the mind gains hold over the former. In regard to sexual systems the women in the society are now found to continually revolt against the thought of being projected as the reproductive system. Like the idea of capitalism which is understood as against the concept of socialism women around the world are found to revolt against the system of patriarchy. Political dynamics from time immemorial are found to have projected the male counterparts as superior power systems in the society governing the women. This rise in the patriarchal systems in the society worked towards dividing the total social workload among men and women entities. Revolt against such restrictive climate led to the birth of class and gender struggles and henceforth helped in the projection of the females as a revolt oriented class groups. The concept of feminism thus gains hold in the light of the political dilemma concerning class struggles through which the women endeavoured to regain their social stature buried under the governing patriarchal system (Gatens, 1996, p.15-17). An understanding of the above investigation in relation of a Complex and Contest driven Society A further enhancement of the above discussion can be made at the social level where it is found that different social equations emerge for the two gender class men and women. However the social equations that emerge tend to reflect the image of masculinity and feminity to a larger extent than working to depict the change in social roles among men and women. Thus though differences are not depicted on a holistic level yet they potentially exist in the individual levels putting one class superior over the other. However the roles played by the two gender groups though contested finds stand when analysed in the biological context. It is found that though it is felt that the men and women are differentiated in the society based on different hierarchal roles yet such differentiation is well laid in the realm of biology which has set the reproductive system in the body of women (Lind and Brzuzy, 2008, p.537). Further competition exists in regards to depiction of beauty through the creation of fashion shows or through designing of attractive advertisements depicting the body of women. This can be regarded as a competition for it helps the women folks by virtue of their sexual image to gain an additional path of making monetary gains in sharp contrast to the men folks. Similarly in several jobs pertaining to creating better relationship with the external world the use of women gains a more formidable image than the men. This also shows the creation of additional job opportunities for women in the current society filled with enough competition. Furthermore the act of biology can be studied in regards to the context of the gender groups where the women tend to reflect different personality traits in regards to the men. Different hormonal changes in the body tend to create such differences for which different competitive groups come to exist in the society. It is also found that based on cultural and biological differences the two genders differ in regards to the different sporting and social activities in which they tend to participate. Social and cultural constraints also come to surface in regards to the women both in developed and developing societies. These cultural and social constraints prohibit the women to stay out during late hours of the night where such type of constraints fall short for men and boys. All the above conditions are found to create a sense of competition among the two gender groups while operating in the broader and larger society (Regoli, Hewitt and DeLisi, 2009, p.314). Conclusion The discussion pertaining to sex and sexuality is mainly made under the banner of Biology. However in the current world such usage of terms has come out from the realms of the subject to be a part of the social and political system. Socialisation and Politicisation of the terms have rendered further confusion in regards to its usage. The male and female gender is now broadly used to demarcate the roles the different sexes have in relation to the society. Thus Biology is often considered as the pillar which has entrusted the responsibility of child bearing on women and the symbol of patriarchy on the males. Birth of feminist philosophy is thus considered as a revolt against such ongoing patriarchal architecture of the society seemingly oppressive in nature. Further observation shows that the total number of sexes is not dual in number but rather is highly diversified in nature. The existence of sexual minorities in society in the form of gays and lesbians proves the point of this diversification. It is this diversification that further confuses the existing social stand of the genders. Increasing importance rendered to the gay and lesbian communities is often considered as a threat to the normal sex groups. Biologists and Psychoanalysts in this connection are continually working to understand the manner in which the diversified sex groups came into existence. Thus howsoever attempts are being made to segregate the understanding of gender and sex roles from biology it shows that to understand the birth of diversity one needs to return again to the subject. References Baines, B., and Marin, R. (2005). The gender of constitutional jurisprudence. Cambridge University Press. Carver, T., and Pikalo, J. (2008). Political language and metaphor: interpreting and changing the world. Routledge. Chambers, S., and Carver, T. (2008). Judith Butler and political theory: troubling politics. Routledge. Gatens, M. (1996). Imaginary bodies: ethics, power and corporeality. Routledge. Lewis, L. (2003). The culture of gender and sexuality in the Caribbean. University Press of Florida. Lind, A., and Brzuzy, S. (2008). Battleground: A-L. ABC-CLIO. Murrin, J et al. (2011). Liberty, Equality, Power: A History of the American People: Since 1863. Cengage Learning. Regoli, R., Hewitt, J, and DeLisi, M. (2009). Delinquency in Society. Jones & Bartlett Learning. 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