The issue of Gender and sexuality is a sensitive and controversial topic that spurs different ideas and reactions from society. Gender is often defined by human biology, an aspect that the current age or modern era debates about. There is a wide array of views and attitudes towards the evolving notions of gender and sexuality where biology is no longer used as a determinant of whether a person is male or female (Broadbridge, Adelina & Ruth 470). However, while the modern age accepts this notion, societal opinions remain diverse on the matter. This paper looks into the questions of whether or not we headed toward a world with a greater range of gender options, what the costs and benefits of diverse gender options are, if these evolving notions will change the way society works, if accommodations should be made, and also if is this similar to other civil rights movements.
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Society today perceives the construction of gender and sexuality with an open mind regardless of the biological and logical construction where body parts determine the sex of a person. In the past, society was restrained by what was considered normal and therefore defined males following body parts and females using the same criteria (Broadbridge, Adelina & Ruth 476). In the current era, many cultures all over the globe allow people to live the way they desire in that a person can comfortably and out of self will undergo sex change operations from male to female and vice versa. This practice gives people the will to change their genders.
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Given the nature of societal shifts and acceptance of gender transformations, it is highly likely that society is headed toward a world with greater gender options. There are continuous medical advancements, a factor that which makes sex transformation a promising and effective procedure in the future. More so, sociologists and anthropologists today strive to conceptualize gender and sexuality beyond conventional boundaries. Society today is leaning toward a Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Intersexual acceptance.
Evolving gender notions impact greatly on society today. First, evolving gender notions allow people to experience their sexuality with a sense of emotional and psychological fulfillment. This is because it offers a chance for people with difficulties identifying themselves with specific genders based on their sexuality to experience a better sex life. Secondly, evolving gender notions help society to embrace and accept the lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender community.
In contrast, the existence of diverse gender orientations create confusion, feud and conflict in society as result of different attitudes, cultural and religious expectations. More so, the availability of sex change operation processes put patients who undertake them at risk of health and reproductive complications (Broadbridge, Adelina & Ruth 470). Another negative implication for evolving gender notions is that it allows for bullying and stereotypes in schools, homes as well as workplaces.
Evolving gender notions affect how society works because it has redefined and impacted greatly on gender roles. Traditional gender roles are no longer a determinant of occupational expectations. People who chose to change their sexuality, ultimately change their genders. This implies that a person who was born a man, can become a woman and easily adopt to gender specifications and roles attached to women. More so, gender equality is continuously pushed for as means to curate fairness and equality in society.
The presence of many gender options is undoubtedly going to alter the way the society works. First, as the society moves towards gender diversity, the subject of marriage and parenting will gain new ground and communities will be compelled to change their perspectives. Conventionally, marriage was constrained to the relationship between a man and a woman. It was therefore normal for the society to celebrate and attach importance to the union of a man and woman in matrimony. Anything less or more than this was banned or seen as a taboo. In fact, the society imposed harsh punishment to those who chose to defy the rule of a man-woman marriage. Hence, diverse gender options will definitely change the way matrimonial relationships work and, more exactly, what they constitute. Second, as the concept of marriage takes new shape, parenting will follow suit. The new nature of marriages will mean that some couples will not be in a position to bear children. It will also mean that some traditional conventions pertaining the responsibilities of child-rearing will undergo modification. Third, institutions and workplaces will be compelled to alter their systems in order to put up with the new changes. Usual institutions initially provided opportunities for only male and female students and workers, which seems to have changed lately, in accordance with the increasing gender options.
There is a need for the society to make the necessary accommodations in order to embrace the aforementioned changes. In her article, When women become men at Wellesley, Padawer points out the need for institutions to embrace gender diversity. She looks into the subject of assigning men-privilege to transmen and expecting the potential transmisandry concerning the issue. While paying particular insight to Wellesley College, she cites the existing gaps in the current institutions as at the time of writing and clearly outlines that it is necessary to accommodate the new gender options. But educational institutions are not the only areas where accommodations need to be made. It is essential for the society to make the required adjustments in workplaces, courts, and even the constitution in order to fill the remaining gaps in catering for people of all gender orientations.
The current campaign and progress towards a gender diverse society is akin to other campaigns and civil rights movements in the past and present that have enabled various minority groups to protest for their rights. It has been marked by key events in history and the timeline itself extends beyond 100 years. The first women’s’ rights convention was held in 1848 when 32 men and 68 women signed a declaration of sentiments to outline the grievances for the women’s right movement. Since then, the race toward gender equality has seen the movement transform into a more inclusive campaign that embodies a rising number of gender options within the years. According to Padawer, the gender rights movement is more or less related to the growing awareness of civil rights and women’s liberation. This implies that it is in essence similar to other civil rights movements. Additionally, the number of grievances presented to the public and the legislature have risen beyond the mere demand of acceptance in the society. Today, people from different gender orientations seek the same education and employment opportunities, as well as the same treatment when it comes to the rule of law. Perhaps the most notable difference between other civil rights movements and the evolving notions of gender and sexuality is that the latter is more inclined towards fulfilling the individual needs.
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