It’s time for a much-needed history lesson on gender, *SPOILER ALERT* it’s a colonization issue, but first let’s cover some basics.
Definitions-
- Gender does not equal sex.
- Sex is a biological term.
- Gender is identity.
- Cis/Cisgender is based on a Latin term, “On the side of.” Cisgender just means gender aligns with the sex assigned at birth. (*It’s not a slur, it is a medical term, just in case I need to specify this.)
- Trans/Transgender also comes from the Latin meaning “across” or “on the other side of.” Transgender just means does not align with the sex assigned at birth. Trans can also be used as an umbrella term, for example, non-binary. (*The hyphened non-binary vs nonbinary use can signify identifying under the trans umbrella, not a rule, but can be something to note.)
- Intersex, chromosomes, genitals, or reproductive organs do not fit exactly into the male/female categories. There are many variations. It is estimated to affect 1-2 in every 100 people, some can go their entire lives without knowing.
- Gender-nonconforming /Gender non-conforming are those outside the binary or reject the binary belief altogether. They do not conform to social and cultural gender structures of “male” and “female.”
- Agender means without gender. *I will not really cover this but should be included in definitions.
Science-
- Early embryos do not develop the possibility of external genitalia until roughly the 7-week mark if a Y chromosome develops. Testosterone is about the 9-week mark. The default is XX, aka “female” internal genitalia is the default pathway.
- Intersex is mostly detected from puberty to adulthood, sometimes later when scans are done. (*I felt it was necessary to also include intersex in these conversations as the White House has forgotten to include them in their definitions of gender.)
- Hormones are another factor in gender and do not always align with chromosomes.
- Studies have confirmed brain scans of transgender brains align more with “desired” gender.
History-
First, transpeople have and will always exist! And yes, there is plenty of evidence of these facts. But where to begin with this whole history lesson on gender? Maybe where/when being trans or gender non-conforming became an issue? Colonization.
Strict gendering is required for a patriarchal system to work. Indigenous communities not adhering to the binary was another direct challenge to their way of life. We often hear of the stripping of Indigenous culture, history, and language, but rarely do we hear about how their gender structure was even stripped.
Of the many tribes forced to change all about them were those of Hawaii. They had a term for those who embraced both male (kฤne) and female (wฤhine) as “mฤhลซ.” Mฤhลซ were believed to be the most precious. They were the few that were allowed to attend all tribe gender meetings, not meetings for just kฤne or just wฤhine. Their information from attending both was heavily considered when making important tribe decisions.
People like Dr. James Makokis of Canada are working hard at restoring this part of tribal history back to their people. Pow Wows have been working on restoring language to these long-lost parts of history (1990 – Canada, 2011 – Bay Area).
Interested in seeing how gender diverse the world is? Take a look at this map by KPBS – A Map of Gender-Diverse Cultures.
We are repeating history and part of that is “they” want us to forget this history. They want us to believe gender is binary and this is some new fade. These are the same lines that had the Nazis destroy all the research of Magnus Hirschfeld and the Institut fรผr Sexualwissenschaft (Institute for Sexual Science).
Almost 30(ish) years later, Dr. Harry Benjerman will be noted as the first US doctor to do trans work. He believed gender cannot be changed, but in the possibility of changing the body to fit one’s gender. You can read his studies and book, “The Transexual Phenomenon.”
Benjerman also discusses that of Christine Jorgensen. He had done a portion of her gender-affirming surgeries. Jorgensen was famous for being a WWII G.I. turned actress and model. Looked as a marvel to science. “…I was a human being first and, second, a scientific marvel instead of an oddity.” – Jorgensen said in her autobiography.
I wish I could say it’s baffling how things have changed, like the perspective of Jorgensen’s surgeries, but the reality is it’s unfortunate how history goes in circles. This is why we must learn. Continue reading all the history lessons on gender, culture, trans, and queer history you can get!
*More History To Come*
Confession, I had a hard time leaving more trans history out and stopping here. As I was writing it quickly snowballed, but I wanted this post to focus on the facts. I also didn’t want it to be too overwhelming or unfocused moments in LGBTQ+ stories. Hopefully, this struck a balance for you. Did I leave something out that you felt should be included? Something you want me to cover? Let me know in the comments!
Remember, that there have always been those outside the binary. People who knew their bodies didn’t align with labels, nothing is new. Not a fad. This is just history and facts.
