Transcending Gender Binaries

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Transcending Gender Binaries
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• Psychoanalytic theory
• Cognitive development theory
• Social learning theory
• Cultural variation

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Masculinity / Femininity

• More self-interestedVery competitiveNeeds less
  intimacyNeeds less approvalVery activeVery
  objectiveMore independentMore logicalOften
  detachedStrong drive for power MoneyMore
  manipulativeNever cries
• More machine-orientedVery ambitiousTalks
  mostly about things  Takes things literally 
  Engages in put-downs  Less responsive listener 
  Less apologetic  Less willing to seek help 
  Less interested in the arts and religion  Often
  intimidates others  Often seeks conflict 
  Thrives on receiving  More polygamous  More
  sadistic  More sex-oriented  Worries less about
  others  More aggressive  Initiates war 

• More other-focusedLess competitiveNeeds more
  intimacyNeeds more approvalMore passiveVery
  subjectiveLess independentMore irrationalOften
  emotionalPower money less importantMore
  cooperativeLess technically adeptCries
  easilyLess ambitiousTalks mostly about
  peopleLooks for hidden meaningsEngages in
  backbitingMore responsive listenerMore
  apologeticSeeks help readilyMore interested in
  the arts and religionSeldom intimidates
  othersTends to avoid conflictThrives on
  givingMore monogamousMore masochisticMore
  love-orientedWorries more about othersLess
  aggressiveDoes not make war

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• It is precisely because gender seems so
  natural, and beliefs about gender seem to be
  obvious truth, that we need to suspend what feels
  comfortable and question some of our most
  fundamental beliefs
• (Penelope Eckert).

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Sociological Theories of Gender

• Psychoanalytic theory
• Boys learn to be masculine from their fathers and
  girls learn to be feminine from their mothers.
• Cognitive development theory
• Children play active roles in developing gender
  identities
• Social learning theory
• Reward or punish

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• The very fact that women and men can say that
  they feel more or less 'like a woman' or 'like a
  man' shows, that 'the experience of a gendered...
  cultural identity is considered an achievement
• (Judith Butler).

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Cultural Variation

• The Mbuti
• Australian Aboriginal mothers
• Tahitian men
• Dominican Republic

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Current Conventional Sex and Gender Roles

• No in-between spaces
• No room for blurring rigid lines
• No options beyond the binary choices of
  male/female and masculine/feminine
• Few role models

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Overview

• Psychoanalytic theory
• Cognitive development theory
• Social learning theory
• Cultural Variation

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PROPOSAL

• Rather than conforming to societies construction
  of the gender binary, we instead need to find new
  ways to transcend gender through exploration and
  embracing an ever fluid version of ourselves.
• Sign up for a Gender course today!