Sometimes terms get fuzzy or lose a bit when translated into arguments. Let’s take a look at the term ‘gender’.
I have seen so many people argue that “gender is a social construct, that means you can label yourself as anything you want” and like that is not how social constructs work.
In fact, social constructs are things which require social recognition.
Money for example is a social construct. It has value because we as a society acknowledge that it does. But if you brought some currency over from another country, nobody would know how much it was worth or be able to accept it.
Social constructs require society’s recognition.
Gender is a social construct–it means other people tell you what your gender is, not the other way around. Because gender is an oppressive force, gender is something which is done to you, not something you freely choose for yourself.
Gender is how people decide to treat you based off their perception of your biological sex.
Gender is which color blanket you are put in to after birth, whether people immediately start whispering to you how beautiful you’re going to be when you grow up or how strong you’re going to be.
Gender is the expectations society expects you to meet because of your biological sex–gender is the expectation for female people to wear make up.
Gender is the code of behavior between men and woman–gender is the expectation that women will apologize more than men, act more shy, and generally just allow the man to think he is more important.
Gender is not some fun game to anyone but those who are privileged along this axis of oppression.
Gender is something that is done to you against your will.
Gender is oppression.”
bleatmop
Mystro
The Arbourist
Dead Wild Roses 
4 comments
March 1, 2017 at 8:04 am
makagutu
These debates confuse me in all honesty.
How do we get from gender being a social construct to being oppression?
What’s the way forward? Gender neutral names? Gender neutral toilets? ( though I have solution that would eliminate possibility of harassment but takes away privacy- have no lobby areas ;-) )
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March 1, 2017 at 10:08 am
The Arbourist
@makagutu
Hi Mak. I’m not sure that there needs to be a process of going from social construct to oppressive social construct.
If gender is this –
And if you happen to be male, you are treated as a subject, a fully actualized human being.
If you happen to be female, you are in store for object status and being regarded as not quite the same class (lesser) as males.
Radical feminists would suggest that we get away with gendered expectations and the associated hierarchy that goes along with them.
Toys for boys and girls would simply be come children’s toys. The same with clothes and names and hopefully expectations as well and then children and people can grow up and exhibit whatever personality, and personal choices they wish without being measured against the metric of their gender standard.
I am very much in favour of have a third washroom available and it being designated gender neutral. It seems like a win all the way around, as it:
A) Provides space for trans people
B) Protects the female only space
C) Provides more space overall for the public for people to be safe.
If we can do it for handicapped spaces and accessibility, we can most certainly do it for instances of gender-expression.
lol. :)
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March 1, 2017 at 12:56 pm
Miep
Yes, “gender” is, in some ways, most properly seen as a verb.
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March 3, 2017 at 12:41 pm
lovetruthcourage
Great post! I agree, gender is a social construct that works by the agreement of society’s participants. It makes no sense for me to call myself a man, when everyone can see I am female. I also shouldn’t have to call myself something I am not to be treated decently. The answer is to expand the possibilities for both sexes and let people be what they are. The answer is to stop centering men, and telling them that they are automatically the default human being. All of society’s institutions are centered around the needs of men and their life patterns.
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