A particular concern in the subject of gender and sexuality studies is how socially constructed biasness coupled with prejudices, especially on issues of sexuality, sex and gender, influence the process of scientific research, and theory alongside the way science-oriented social constructions are made. Gender and sexuality specialty cut across many topics including âThe science and politics of sex hormone research, theories of the etiology of sexual orientation, the use of animal models to âexplainâ human behavior, and the sexual politics behind the medicalization of intersexualityâ (Bronski Para.1). Fausto-Sterling stands out as a leading scholar in specialties of gender and sexuality. She eloquently addresses the topic on gender and sexuality not only from biological contexts but also from social dimensions.
Sex categorization is a central theme in the perspectives of sexuality and cultural concerns in gender studies. It intrigues the reader to come into acquaintance with how sex categorization is conducted. Legal systems perhaps have a certain interest in holding the opinion that there are only two sexes (Fausto-Sterling 54). Surprisingly, the categorization of people as women and men is widely questionable. For instance, considering the world’s renowned female athletes, one can argue that the women possess some traits of men. Perhaps the theory of categorization of people based on androgens and estrogen would propose that they are more of men in relation to women.
Perhaps this takes one to the dilemma of true sexual identities of intersexual persons. Arguably, biological entity like sex is inexistence. Sexual differentiation in terms of male or female is a socially constructed personal expression of perceptions about the differences amongst various sexes. Science is dependent on facts. However, facts embracing branding sex as male or female suffer enormous challenges since it fails to incorporate intermediaries.
From my experience, the issue of gender division into âmaleâ and âfemaleâ is rather widely observable in almost every industry. The traditional physical characterization of sex is perhaps a big concern in the modern gender and sexuality discourses. For inductance in the factory settings, there are jobs reserved for men, with others predominantly meant for women. Men are masculine based on peopleâs perceptions. Therefore, the jobs allocated to them require heavy inputs of energy such as loading and offloading. On the other hand, women get feminine tasks that are less energy intensive such as packaging of less bulky goods.
Unfortunately, these divisions of labor based on sexual characteristics appear to be a socially constructed prejudice. There are women who are able to handle hard tasks even better compared to men. As a way of example, traditionally, decision-making tasks stand out as a reserve for men. The main argument behind this is that men are better logical thinkers in relation to women. What will one say about women leaders who have recorded incredible success of organizations in terms of their making of subtle policies?
Basing on this traditional way of classifying people as male or female, are they arguably men or women. If they possess more androgens than normal women, are they the same as ordinary women or more of men? Perhaps most likely, they are intermediate of these two broadways of classifying sexes (Krieger 652). Therefore, based on this case, does the socially constructed way of looking at people as male or female have any substance?
Based on the expositions made by Fausto-Sterling, it suffices to declare the conception that there exist two sexes a critical issue. In fact, this conception extends into the formulation of gender in perspectives of âtwo-nessâ. Therefore, the notion that one can describe sex fully by attributing or tagging people as being male or female to the traditionally perceived characteristics of sexes that primarily depend on hormonally dictated traits is widely more of social misconceptions.
Works Cited
Bronski, Michael. The Destiny of Biology: An Interview with Fausto-Sterling, 2000. Web.
Fausto-Sterling, Anne. Sexing the Body. New York: Basic Books, 2000. Print.
Krieger, Nancy. Genders, Sexes, and Health. International Journal of Epidemiology 32.2 (2003): 652. Web.