The terminology of gender inversion was synonymous with the twentieth century where it was believed to be a medical condition. Gender inversion is essentially the internal reversal of traditional roles which in men, is manifested in the form of wearing ladies clothing and exhibiting female demeanor. In women, it is manifested by the adornment of male clothing and taking to male behavior (Devor 15). Individuals who exhibit tendencies believed to be not of their gender are labeled gender inverts by society, whereas those who maintain the social norms associated to their genders are not labeled.
The issue of gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups has raised debate about their similarities and differences as well as grouping. It is to this debate that Devor argues that both historically and cross-culturally, transgender people have been the most visible minority among people involved in same-sex sexual practices. As such, transgendered people have been emblematic of homosexuality in the minds of most people. Thus, the concerns of gay, lesbian, bisexual, and queer people are inextricably bound up with those of transgendered people and should be addressed together (16).
Gender has been defined by society as male and female. From birth, people are programmed or nurtured to behave in certain prescribed ways that relate to their respective genders. The idea of gender grows up with us from childhood to adulthood where the norm dictates that in most cases, men are the providers and women the care givers in families and society as a whole. According to Lorber in A World without Gender, a genderless world would provide the opportunity for people to operate without a perpetual glass ceiling thereby allowing them to achieve more as individuals based on their abilities as opposed to a gendered world where there are gender specific jobs and such. This would provide more equality than gender balance where mainly jobs are allocated to both genders to promote affirmative action while still maintaining the limitations provided by gender in society. A genderless world would also allow people to develop relationships with people they care about irrespective of their gender and not be stigmatized by society for their choices in partners.
Johnson defines patriarchy as a system where both men and women are actively involved in promoting inequality in society, whether consciously or sub consciously (12). We all experience the effects of patriarchy in aspects of our lives, whether in support of it or against it. Johnson states that in some cases that the criticism of patriarchy is taken to mean that all men are oppressive and the mention of it, particularly by women is done to make the men feel guilty. In addition he states that sometimes men feel defensive because they identify with patriarchy and its values but do not want to deal with the consequences of doing so and giving up the male privilege, but the defensiveness can also reflect the confusion about the difference between patriarchy as a kind of society and the people who participate in it (28).
The issue of gender rights has been brought to the fore because traditionally they only encompassed those categorized as transgender in the society. Wilchins however argues that even in the most politically active gay communities, gender is discussed as a footnote to create the perception that it only affects a minority in society (19). In her book Queer Theory, Gender Theory: An Instant primer, she highlights the relationship between gender and human rights and how the gay, lesbian, bisexual and transgender groups have to recognize the importance of gender as negation of gender rights is the same as negation of human rights because of the liberties given up, most notably, freedom of expression and association.
Hegemonic masculinity prescribes that men should be tough, dominate over others, and should not be afraid of danger (Iacuone 16). This kind of social behavior demands fearlessness from the men in any task, particularly physical, that is undertaken in social settings around fellow men. Iacuone uses the example of a construction worker in Australia taking physical risks by overloading wheelbarrows with heavy concrete slabs to express disregard for their safety to prove a point to his more concerned colleague perceived to be exhibiting elements of feminism (16). He further concludes that hegemonic masculinity encourages men to be strong, display heterosexual prowess, objectify women and engage themselves in dangerous activities and that the stronger man needs to show dominance over weaker men and women (19).
Risman maintains that there is need to understand gender as a social structure thereby allowing us to study the degree to which it is ingrained in all aspects of the society, that is, individual, interactional and institutional(432). Risman also emphasizes the need for more research to enable us to understand all structures of equality that exist alongside gender and race and try to determine their intersection point which will enable us to face the challenges better in the future.
References
Devor, A. “Who Are We? Where Sexual Orientation Meets Gender Identity.” Journal of Gay and Lesbian Psychiatry (2002): 15-21. Print.
Iacuone, D. “Real Men are Tough Guys: Hegemonic Masculinity and Safety in the Construction Industry.” The Journal of Men Studies, Vol.13 No.2 (2005): 247-266. Print.
Johnson, A. The Gender Knot. India: Temple University Press, 2005. Print.
Lorber, J. “A World Without Gender.” Scribd., n.d. Web.
R.A., Wilchins. Queer Theory, Gender Theory: An Instant Primer. Boston: Alyson Books, 2004. Print.
Risman, J.B. “Gender as A Social Structure: Theory Wrestling with Activism.” Gender and Society Vol.No. 18 (2004): 429-450. Print.