Social definitions of "masculinity" and "femininity" and their differences from biological sexual characteristics required the introduction of a new term - gender. Gender is determined by anatomical and physiological features that make it possible to divide all people into two groups - women and men - and classify oneself as one of them.

Formation of gender identity

The emergence of this concept is associated with the formation of self-consciousness and biological development. At the age of two, children know their own gender, but do not understand the meaning of this knowledge. Under the influence of the expectations and example of adults, they form their own attitudes and learn to determine the sex of others by gender. The immutability of one's own biological sex is realized by the child by the age of seven.

The final formation of gender identity occurs during adolescence: puberty, concomitant body changes, erotic desires and romantic experiences. Under the influence of these factors, the norms of behavior are mastered and the formation of character takes place in accordance with the ideas of relatives and others about masculinity and femininity.

Gender equality

The idea has become widespread over the past few decades, giving rise to various international documents and reflected in national laws. Gender equality means equal rights, duties and opportunities for women and men in all spheres of life. Including access to health care and education, jobs, participation in public administration, starting a family and raising children.

Gender inequality leads to violence and discrimination based on gender. A script of sexual behavior based on archaic stereotypes is attributed to women and men. Men are aggressive and active, women are obliged to obey a man and be passive. As a result, they become objects of sexual exploitation.

Equal in difference

The ideals that a man and a woman should correspond to have existed for many years, but differed depending on the era and nationality. In addition, ideas about what a gender trait is may differ in different families.

Feminine and masculine qualities influence behavior, appearance, activities and hobbies, including life values. The stereotypes accepted in society suggest that women value family and love more, while men value independence and social success. IN real life others show a combination of different personality traits - both masculine and feminine - and values ​​can change.

The Austrian scientist Otto Weininger, based on the results of his research, concluded that women and men have features of both their own and the other sex, and the individuality of a person is determined by the prevailing features. Feminine or masculine traits that work in some situations may not appear in others. The combination of male and female traits is denoted by the term "androgyny".

Sex hormones were discovered almost immediately after the publication of Weininger's Sex and Character. The combination and concentration of them not only form the biological sex of a person, but also affect his sexual behavior and appearance.

Psychologists are of the opinion that androgynous personalities have more flexible behavior, respectively, are more psychologically adaptive and prosperous. For this reason, raising children within the framework of gender stereotypes can lead to bad consequences.

stereotypes

The well-established archaic stereotypes about what a gender sign is lead to the fact that parents encourage children to play and behave that are characteristic of their gender. And they categorically forbid the opposite. There is nothing wrong with a child doing things that are characteristic of the other sex - on the contrary, it forms important characteristics in him and prepares him for life in modern society.

Involuntary reproduction by parents in the upbringing of their children of gender stereotypes - for example, forbidding a boy to show emotions and tears, because he is "not a girl" - leads to the formation of aggressive behavior and a sense of his superiority over girls and, in the future, over women. Similarly, in the case of girls, calls to be quieter and more modest can lead them to recede into second place and submit to men as adults.

How social gender is formed

According to Wikipedia, gender is a person's subjective sense of belonging to girls or boys. At the age of three, children prefer the company of their own sex to play. Joint games are equally important for acquiring social skills and communicating with each other. Preschoolers try to conform to the ideas about the behavior of girls and boys that adults, especially parents, tell them about. For a child, regardless of his gender, both the female and the male image are important. In addition, parents form the basic pattern of the relationship between a man and a woman. It is he who determines the further behavior of the child with the opposite sex and his ability to build relationships.

The maximum susceptibility of children to external influences is recorded during the first 10 years of their life. Behavioral gender stereotypes, established in society, are acquired by the child during close communication with peers of the opposite sex. Starting at kindergarten role-playing games become more difficult over time. Children must take part in them: they choose the sex in them in accordance with their own, learn to correspond to a specific gender role. A child, portraying a woman or a man, reflects the stereotypes accepted in society about what a gender sign is, shows qualities that are considered masculine or feminine by others.

Manifestations in adolescence

From 7 to 12 years old - in the prepubertal period - children begin to unite in social groups, while avoiding members of the opposite sex. Belarusian psychologist Yakov Kolominsky conducted research, according to which, if it is necessary to choose three classmates, boys prefer boys, and girls prefer girls. However, provided anonymity is maintained, most children choose members of the opposite sex. This behavior indicates that the child fears that his preferences may cause others to question how he has learned his own role and what gender means.

During puberty, boys, trying to show masculinity, show interest in sports, show strength and determination, actively demonstrate interest in sex and the opposite sex. If this is not noticed for the young man, then he becomes the object of ridicule. Girls at this time notice that their "weakness" and "helplessness" attracts the attention of guys who are trying to show strength and act as a patron and protector. Adolescents emphasize their own gender qualities.

The opinion of adults loses its authority for teenagers. In the pubertal period, they are guided by gender stereotypes accepted in society and massively promoted in culture. Girls can choose a successful, strong and independent woman as their ideal. The dominance of men in matters of family, love is less and less perceived as the norm. Heterosexual normativity, that is, the permissibility of attraction to members of the opposite sex, is being questioned. Non-standard gender self-identification meets more and more understanding: adolescents and young people today are more liberal in sexual and interpersonal relationships.

The definition of what a gender sign is, and the formation of one's own identification is the result of a combination of natural inclinations, characteristics of a person and the society surrounding him. A child whose parents provide all possible assistance in revealing his individuality, without imposing his own stereotypes, in adolescence and older does not face problems associated with communicating with the opposite sex and accepting his own.

No double standards

First of all, they affect sexual behavior in relation to men and women. According to stereotypes, a man can have numerous sexual contacts both before and after marriage, while a woman is obliged to keep her virginity before marriage and fidelity to her husband after it. Cheating men are not condemned as severely as women, in cases of mutual fidelity. In sexual relations, double standards imply experience and the leading role of a man. Whereas women are left led and passive.

Education beyond stereotypes

If to speak in simple words, gender - this is what is accepted in society. It is possible to raise a child in gender equality only if he sees the same attitude towards people. A profession or household activity should not be tied to a specific gender in conversations with a child: mom can drive a car and do finishing and repair work, dad can cook and clean the house. There should be no double standards in relation to men and women, it is desirable to be intolerant of any kind of violence, regardless of who shows it - a girl or a boy. If you tell a child what it is - a gender attribute - in simple words, then you need to remember that equality according to it does not cancel biological differences and does not equate male and female representatives. However, it allows any person to self-actualize and determine the future path of life without reference to stereotypes.

Personality can be viewed as a combination of all kinds of individual characteristics, socially significant features that identify a person as a member of society and characterize his personal qualities. At this point, the average person begins to get confused in terms, believing that gender identity is exclusively a sexual orientation, and if it differs from the generally accepted one, then it must certainly be corrected. In fact, everything is somewhat more complicated, and many people are surprised to find features of the opposite gender in themselves, recognizing this as completely normal.

Determining a person's gender identity

First of all, it is worth noting that gender is not sex, but a set of characteristics that complement sexual self-determination. Therefore, gender is called male and female, and gender, respectively, is masculine and feminine. There is no doubt about gender: it is determined by physiological characteristics, a set of chromosomes and the corresponding type of genitals, while gender identity is a characteristic that is not tied to biological characteristics.

To put it simply, it is gender that is responsible for the realization of “real women” and “real men”. According to standard stereotypical reasoning, a representative of each sex must correspond to some ideal ideas of society about themselves. A woman must be fragile, beautiful, sexually attractive, interested in purely raising children and housekeeping, and a man is traditionally presented as a breadwinner, breadwinner, warrior and even master, the presence of a “correct” appearance is mandatory. Where does this perception of gender come from in each individual person?

Congenital or acquired?

Proponents of the theory of "biology as destiny" insist on the innateness of all necessary gender traits in every child. Any deviation from the template is perceived as a perversion or illness. However, the formation of gender identity largely depends on the society, and even if the child is brought up exclusively in the family, he sees the appropriate behavior of parents and other relatives.

If parents are disappointed that a child was born not of the sex that was dreamed of, a semi-conscious desire may appear to “remake” the offspring according to the pattern that has developed in dreams. Similar cases are noted not only in fiction, but also in real life. The formation of gender identity occurs under pressure, and more often girls are brought up as boys than vice versa. This is largely due to the prevailing attitude in our society that a real man must have a son. The absence of a child of the right sex encourages fathers and mothers to sublimate, adjusting the “failed offspring” to some speculative model.

Childhood through the prism of gender

In early childhood, babies are not aware of either sex or gender, only by the age of two they absorb the differences between boys and girls. A sudden opening is the presence or absence of a penis. What follows is a parental explanation of why skirts and bows can only be worn if there is no penis, but play with cars and pistols if one is. Of course, the gender identity of a child always relies on signals of approval or reprimand received from the outside, and is fixed at a subconscious level. It has been noticed that already in kindergarten, kids broadcast the absorbed attitudes to their peers, and even toys are sometimes chosen not according to their own preferences, but according to the principle of correctness for their gender.

Why, then, does the gender identity of adolescents begin to “fail”? Puberty is marked not only by obvious changes in physique. An active search for oneself begins, the formation of a personality, and this requires questioning authoritative opinions. The reproachful remark “you are a girl” or “you are a boy”, calling for a certain gender model, causes quite natural opposition. In fairness, it should be noted that parents, in their desire to raise the “right” child at all costs, go to ridiculous extremes. For example, they forbid their son to engage in dancing or music, believing this to be exclusively non-manly activities.

Types of gender identity

According to biological norms, people are strictly divided into two sexes - male and female. Any deviations in this area are due to a genetic failure. To a certain extent, this can be corrected by modern medical methods. Further, exclusively social and cultural characteristics begin, which may differ depending on the country and local traditions. The so-called "third sex" - hermaphrodites (with the biological presence of sexual characteristics of both sexes) and people with a non-traditional gender identity, is legally recognized in only ten countries: Canada, Australia, Great Britain, with some reservations Germany, New Zealand, Pakistan, Thailand, India, Nepal and Bangladesh. A few more countries recognize the existence of the third gender as a cultural tradition, but from the point of view of legislation, this is a kind of twilight side of life, which they prefer not to focus on.

Initially, two gender types were distinguished: masculine, inherent in men, and feminine, corresponding to the female sex. The androgynous type, which appeared officially in the relatively recent past, is a kind of “arithmetic mean” between the main two gender types. Anthropologists and sociologists also distinguish bigenders, transgenders, gender queers and agenders into separate categories. Perhaps this is a desire to push the generally accepted boundaries to their complete disappearance and bring gender tolerance to an unattainable absolute. In ordinary life, a few terms are enough without going into details.

Masculinity

Masculine gender identity is a combination of an accentuated male physique and the fulfillment of a male social role, as well as corresponding character traits, habits, addictions and behavior. In addition to unambiguously positive characteristics, aggression is considered the norm for masculinity. In other words, when a crying boy is told to “be a man”, what is meant is the requirement to conform to the pattern according to which men do not cry, since this is an exclusively female privilege.

femininity

Feminine gender identity is the opposite of masculine, a combination of a feminine physique and a traditional female social role, including some ideal "feminine" character traits, habits and inclinations. Interestingly, in society, literally everything is perceived through a gender prism, starting with the color of a baby's sliders.

If you put pink tights on a boy, a significant part of adults will either confuse him with a girl, or will be indignant that his parents want to raise a girl out of him. A visual signal of feminine identity is clothing styles or colors appropriate for the female gender. A masculine man will have to prove the right to wear a bright flowered shirt with his fists. Fortunately, fashion from time to time insists on absolute tolerance and the destruction of gender barriers in the choice of clothing.

Androgyny

Interestingly, androgyny itself has existed at all times, but was considered somewhat reprehensible, as if this feature of gender identity is the androgyne's malicious desire to mislead others. Basically, androgyny relies on visual cues - if a person does not have a pronounced masculinity or femininity, it is difficult to determine at a glance whether the girl in front of you or the young man. The disguise is exacerbated by unisex clothing and behavior.

A striking example is Brune, the heroine from the story of the Strugatsky brothers "Hotel" At the Dead Climber, "who was presented as "the child of the late brother du Barnstocre." Brun's behavior and appearance did not allow to determine what, in fact, the gender of this creature, so they wrote about her in the middle gender, until it turned out that this was really a girl.

Gender and sexual orientation

Contrary to popular misconception, the concept of gender identity is completely unrelated to sexual orientation. In other words, a feminine man of a completely non-brutal appearance is not necessarily a homosexual, and a short-haired bodybuilder in camouflage does not show lesbian inclinations.

The concept of gender is primarily related to behavior and social role and only indirectly relies on sexuality. Thus, attempts to stop “wrong sexuality” by pressure on the visual component of gender identity do not bring any result. At the same time, one should not discount the possibility of a complex influence of external factors on the development of sexuality. Sexologists argue that the orientation crystallizes gradually, each person goes through a unique path of becoming a person, including intimate preferences.

Who are bigenders and transgenders

Bigenderness can be considered one of the options for winning gender tolerance in a single individual's head. If a person takes on certain social functions without passing them through the analysis of stereotypes, we get a fairly harmonious and self-sufficient personality. In the confrontation, gender in bigenders wins expediency and skillful application of talents and inclinations. A man can take on a female social role without considering himself a victim of circumstances, a woman also copes well with a male role. IN modern world the gender boundaries have been somewhat erased, the textbook “hunting for a mammoth” is increasingly moving from physical work to mental work, and not the owner of muscles and excess testosterone, but an individual with a high degree of intelligence, becomes a skilled earner. The gender of the earner does not play a role in this matter.

Another issue, if there is transgenderness, is the discrepancy between biological and gender self-perception. In a simplistic way, a transgender man can be called a man who prefers a female social role, including some visual attributes. If he really feels like a woman “to the marrow of his bones”, and the physical body does not correspond to self-determination, then we are talking about transsexuality. In a gender sense, this is not a man. A man thinks like a woman, feels and perceives the world and himself exclusively from a feminine position. In this case, it is recommended to correct the discrepancy between the biological sex through a transgender transition. However, not all people who have changed their biological sex feel like transsexuals. This is a rather confusing situation in which there are many individual solutions.

Sexism as a catalyst for gender dysphoria

If the formation of gender identity occurred with a mismatch in biological parameters, this is called. This concept includes all disorders of gender identity, which in the draft International Classification of Diseases approximately from 2018 (ICD 11) were transferred from the section of psychiatric disorders to the category of sexology. This state can be superficial and deep, depending on the degree of rejection of one's own biological sex.

Sociologists and sexologists note that manifestations of sexism can aggravate minor gender dysphoria, especially if they fall on a child or teenager. For example, machismo, as a radical and aggressive form of the masculine model, can demonstrate outright misogyny - the idea that everything inherent in women is flawed is transmitted to the surrounding space. Being a woman is shameful, and being like a woman is even worse. Sexist statements can lead a child to a logical chain: “I don’t want to be a despised object, it’s great to be a man, it’s shameful to be a woman.” The same principle works in the opposite direction: if a boy's environment is dominated by derogatory characteristics of men, he subconsciously begins to desire to belong to the "privileged" category of humanity. The biological sex interferes with this, a gender identity disorder develops.

Contrary to the worries of adherents of the traditional model of a patriarchal society, gender tolerance does not lead to chaos and the loss of social and cultural guidelines. On the contrary, the absence of radical sexism and aggression reduces tension in society, reduces the likelihood of developing dysphoria and contributes to the growth of each individual personality.

The concepts of sex and gender are often confused, but meanwhile, there is a quite significant, albeit not obvious, difference between them. Let's try to determine what a gender attribute is and what is its difference from gender. We can say that the biological sex - male and female - is an innate quality of the individual, which is revealed even at the stage of embryonic development; that the sexual characteristic is unchanging, and independent of the will of the individual. But is everything so simple? Indeed, in recent years, with the help of modern medicine, you can change the floor. And the presence at birth of certain genital organs in a child does not mean that it can be unambiguously placed in the category of boys or girls. Indeed, now, for example, in the examination of athletes participating in competitions between women, not only the obvious female signs of their body are taken into account, but also the chromosome set, since it is found that male hormones are adjacent to the female genital organs, and this gives such athletes some competitive advantage.

And yet, if the sexual characteristic in most people is still biological and anatomical, the gender sign is unequivocally social, social and acquired as a result of education. In simpler terms, this can be reformulated as follows: male and female babies are born, but they become men and women. And it's not even about how a child is raised from the cradle - a girl or a boy: we are all influenced by the cultural unconscious of our environment. And since gender is a cultural and social phenomenon, it can undergo changes along with the development of culture and society. For example, back in the 19th century, it was believed that a woman wears a dress and long hair, and a man - trousers and a short hairstyle, but now these things are not a sign of gender. Previously, “academic woman”, “woman politician” and “business woman” were considered something incredible, but now this is observed more and more often, and no one is surprised anymore.

But, nevertheless, the gender attribute attributed to men and women is still tenacious in the mass consciousness, and the more undeveloped society, the more it dominates individuals, imposing certain forms on them. family” and be sure to earn more than his wife. It is also believed that a man should be courageous, assertive, aggressive, engage in "male" professions, be fond of sports and fishing, make a career at work. A woman is supposed to be feminine, soft, emotional, get married, have children, be complaisant and compliant, engage in “female” professions, making a rather modest career in them, because she should devote most of her time to her family.

Which, alas, still dominate in some strata and even countries, give rise to gender problems for human individuals. The wife who feeds the whole family; husband going on maternity leave to care for a newborn; a woman who sacrifices her marriage for a successful scientific career; a man who is fond of embroidery - all of them, to one degree or another, are socially ostracized for their sex-inappropriate behavior. Is it possible to unequivocally say that gender is a social stereotype? Yes, because in different societies gender stereotypes - male and female - differ from each other. For example, in the Spanish paradigm, being able to cook is a sign of a real macho, while in the Slavic paradigm, standing at the stove is a purely feminine occupation.

Obviously, gender stereotypes lead not only to gender problems, but also to the fact that the leading role in society is often assigned to men. Therefore, many developed countries are developing a special gender policy at the highest level. This means that the state takes responsibility for eliminating gender inequality and creates a code of laws to form an egalitarian (equal for all people) society. It should also pursue educational policies aimed at eradicating gender stereotypes.

In the modern world, which keeps pace with the times and is in the race for the equality of people, expressions and dissatisfaction associated with gender often slip through. Discontent is also associated with discrimination on this basis. Let's understand these concepts and find out where the roots come from.

Innate and acquired qualities

Seems, that the concept of gender and sex are the same, there is no difference in them. However, this is not the case, the differences are still significant. Let's try to find out what a gender sign and the definition of "sex" are.

You were born a man or a woman - this is determined already at birth. The differences and divisions are obvious. This factor is biological. In this case, this situation does not change and does not depend on the will of the person.

However, medicine has stepped forward a long time. Now developments, innovations, plastic surgery have stepped to a higher level. Medicine can change gender.

In some cases, it is even impossible to accurately determine. Incidents happen when there are signs of both male and female hormones, sexual characteristics, so this complicates judgment.

According to Wikipedia, gender is associated with the biological and anatomical characteristics of the body, but gender is associated with:

• society
• social life
• upbringing

Simply put, boys and girls are born, but men and women become in the process of life. This applies not only to education, but also in general how people are affected by life in society, culture, self-consciousness.

Time does not stand still, so the concept of "gender" is changing. When it was the 19th century, men and women were distinguished as follows: the ladies had long braids, they wore dresses. And the men were short-haired and wore trousers. However, now this is not a definition of gender.

In past centuries, the female gender could not hold high-ranking positions in politics, engage in business projects. This was considered something immoral and impossible, however, with the passage of time and progress, it became commonplace. And now you will not surprise anyone with this. However, gender is still used to judge and separate men and women.

Difference dictates mass consciousness

Many factors depend on the level of culture and development of society. Social behavior can only be imposed on individuals who are wrong-thinking and insufficiently enlightened.

For example, a man owes something and a woman owes something. The difference and separation of man and woman is connected with their duties. For example, a man must:

• be the head of the family
• get more money
• have a whole set of characteristics - masculinity, firmness, aggressiveness
• choose male professions
• love sports
• be a fisherman
• strive to climb the corporate ladder

Exactly the same list is for the female. For example, a woman should be, as they say, "real", get married, have children, be soft and compliant and choose a profession of a female orientation. And the rest of the time, which should be a lot, to devote to the family.

Of course, in rebels, these stereotypes cause a violent and emotional reaction. After all, now everything is mixed up: many couples do not want to burden themselves with relationships, marriage, and even more so with children. And all the energy is directed to advance in a career, to work and live for pleasure.

From this kind of thinking, gender issues are born. Often, lactating women have to support the whole family, earn money for bread and food, while a man may not work, but, on the contrary, go on maternity leave. Either another option: sacrifices for the sake of a career, or men who feel like a woman in their hearts. They are into embroidery. It turns out that neither this nor the other case correspond to their gender.

All people are equal

So what happens is a gender sign - is it a stereotype? Different countries treat this problem in their own way..

For example, in Spanish society, that representative of the stronger sex who cooks well is equated to a “real macho”. But among the Slavs, this is women's work and not at all a man's business. From here problems develop, women feel such discrimination, they try to prove their equality, defend their rights and declare themselves as individuals. And leadership positions are most often assigned to the representatives of the stronger sex.

To solve this problem, some countries are implementing gender policies. This means:

• the state is responsible for establishing equality between the sexes and eliminating differences
• legal norms are created
• an equal society without prohibitions is being created

All these actions are aimed at destroying stereotypes associated with gender.

Gender: Definition

concept "gender" means social gender. It determines how a person will behave in a certain role of a man or woman. This includes prohibitions on certain behavior.

Gender significance in society indicates what profession a person should choose according to their biological gender.

For example, there are obvious differences between Orthodox and Muslim women. From an anatomical position, they are equal, however, by gender, they will occupy a different niche in society.

So, the concept of "gender" appeared for the following reasons:

• as part of the exploration of a new self-awareness
• studied during the years of activization of feminist attitudes

All these concepts, one way or another, divide people by gender.

Even 60 years ago, a famous doctor of that time studied gender differences. He called this kind of differentiation gender. Then the study was triggered by the emergence of new types of people - transgender and intersex. However, then this term remained just a scientific concept.

But after, 10 years later, feminists appeared. They defended their equality and rights. They had their own charter and ideology. Supporters and participants actively manipulated the concept of gender.

Medicine is based on the same principle

, gender differences exist in medical practice. There is even a whole kind of science called Gender Medicine. This means that a certain disease will be treated differently in men and women. This applies even if the representatives are in the same age categories. This difference is due to the fact that organisms are arranged differently.

In the male and female half, the difference is not only in gender, gender, but also in physiology:

• men have pronounced testosterone - this is a purely inherent hormone
• in women, estrogen and progesterone

Therefore, different reactions occur to different situations, including emotional ones.

And some diseases are inherent more in men, others in women. The same difference exists in stressful situations and during the manifestation of pain. For example, if a woman complains about something, she must first be checked for hormones, because they affect the entire body as a whole.

This gender trait can also manifest itself in morale and emotional health. Suppose women feel great if they speak at least 20 thousand words a day, and only 8 thousand are enough for men.

It is no secret to anyone that the difference between both sexes and gender lies in the reaction to this or that circumstance. Women are mainly guided by feelings and emotionality, while men behave in a more restrained way and are guided mainly by logic.

Therefore, even psychologists have different approaches to people based on gender, because inside people are different.

Manifestation of gender in modern society

So, the concept of "gender" was discussed above, now let's look at specific examples in order to better understand what is at stake.

Why is it said that gender judgments are stereotypes? Probably because there are women who are such only outwardly. And there are no differences between others. However, under all the external tinsel - makeup, wig, clothes and heels, a man is hiding. The only difference is that he is biologically male, but morally feels like a woman.

Another example -. This term was actively mentioned in the 2000s. Now this concept does not surprise anyone at all. It has become the norm. There are plenty of metrosexuals: in magazines, movies, music videos, in nightclubs. Under this description, a specific example is a man who is very attentive to himself, takes care of his appearance, corresponds to fashion trends. It is possible to oppose such a person to the so-called "real man", who does not particularly bother about his appearance and has more strong-willed and firm qualities of character.

How to identify a metrosexual from the crowd:

• he likes to go shopping
• the whole closet is crammed with fashionable things
• wears a lot of clothing accessories - a scarf, glasses, watches, bracelets, rings, badges, jewelry
• does not hesitate to paint nails, hair, remove hair from hairy areas of the skin

Therefore, there is such a division, it all depends on preferences and self-perception. At the same time, a metrosexual can be both a gay and a normal man. You can't guess here.

Be that as it may, even such a trait as metrosexuality leaves a man a man. After all, this feature does not affect gender. For example, in the 18th century there was such a fashion. The men put on make-up, wore heels, wore wigs, and adorned themselves with lavish accessories.

Another example is the men of Scotland. According to their culture, they wear skirts, and the Arabs wear dresses at all. There were also references in history to the love of samurai for each other, the Greeks conveyed their unconventional sexual inclination in works of art. At the same time, men fought, participated in wars, started families and left behind offspring.

For example, the difference in gender is also in logic. Men make fun of women, and women make fun of men. All this also applies to gender stereotypes imposed by society and culture.

Is androgyny a progress in consciousness?

More and more society is interested in such a concept as "androgyny". Simply put, this is the duality of gender. It manifests itself both externally and internally. Not only spiritual practices, but also religions speak about the 2-cavity or asexuality. For example, the Bible says that angels are sexless creatures, just like our soul does not have a sexual characteristic.

In a person, androgyny manifests itself when there is:

• the feeling of two sexes inside
• addition of one personality to another
• the existence of two persons in one body

This has been discussed since antiquity. Even in the ancient Greek writings, this phenomenon was discussed.

Now, androgyny is part of the psychological state of a person. It turns out that with androgyny a person has both male and female characteristics. And this applies to appearance, as well. However, it all starts with the spiritual: how a person argues, how he behaves, what habits and manners he has. Sometimes boys are very similar to girls, even the voice speaks of the female gender. Anrogyny does not mean that a person has problems with orientation.

It is hard for a person to be an androgyne in the modern world. Because you have to choose who you are. Therefore, you always need to maintain a balance in your states. As practice shows, gender does not play a role here at all. And the choice may not be in his favor. All this can cause ridicule and reproaches from society. In extreme cases, condemnation and violence against this person.

Androgynes, as a rule, choose for themselves a certain style in which they are comfortable. It is not necessary to do an operation for this, you can choose clothes, hairstyle, demeanor, which is as close to the personality as possible.

For example, in America, freedom in this regard is obvious. There are over 30 types of gender identity that a person can choose from. And all this is enshrined in law.

Is there equality

In the world, in many countries, even among Muslims, where a woman is a niche below men, they also talk about gender equality. These disputes have changed many laws and expanded human rights. What does equality mean?

The idea is that people have the same opportunities in different areas of life. This applies to systems of education and science, medicine and health care, law and order. This means:

• free choice of a particular job, regardless of gender
• access to government activities
• starting a family
• parenting

Speaking of inequality, then there are a lot of problems, including violence. Because in the modern world they are already abandoning the stereotypes that existed in the past. For example, the fact that a man is an aggressive male, and a woman is an obedient and patient female. Such characteristics and "echoes of the past" allow men to have promiscuous sexual relations, and as for the female sex, on the contrary, complete submission. This creates a slave attitude.

No one says that it is necessary to fight for equality, create conflicts, however, society has already changed radically. For example, everything more women occupy positions that are inherent in men - go to the ranks of the police, rescuers, drivers, officials. On the other hand, men can be dancers, cultural figures. And there is nothing shameful here.

In addition, there are more and more situations where a woman cannot afford to be a housewife and deal exclusively with household chores. She works on a par with a man, while raising children and caring for the house. Although gender stereotypes contradict this lifestyle.

However, in the countries of Saudi Arabia, there is still a certain hierarchy in the relationship between a man and a woman. This is due to the mentality, religion and age-old traditions. For example, there the man still stands head and shoulders above the woman and can control her. This is considered the norm, accustomed to such a situation from childhood.

If we talk about the differences between men and women, there is an opinion that ladies value family values ​​more, and men value independence and success. At present, everything is mixed up and we see that everyone has different values. And it doesn't depend on gender.

Another Gender Issue Is Dual Standards. It can manifest itself equally in any area or sphere of life, even in personal relationships. For example, sexual behavior.

Men tend to have a variety of sexual lives. And the more partners before the wedding, the better. Gaining experience is useful and necessary for future relationships.

As for the female sex, they must marry innocent, otherwise it is considered bad manners. In fact, they used to pay more attention to it than now. Since more and more couples live in a civil marriage, that is, according to the law, they are nobody to each other. It turns out that a man's connections are not condemned as vehemently as a woman's betrayal.

According to the double standard, a man can dominate sexual life, at his own discretion, while a woman can play the role of a driven person.

Therefore, when it comes to education, it's up to you. If you are striving for gender equality, the child needs to be shown the appropriate example of behavior and communication with each other. And don't discriminate based on gender. When it comes to professions, it is not necessary to emphasize what is strictly for men and what is purely for women. It can be shown that dad can also do household chores, cook food, and mom can work and love football, go fishing with dad. And don't encourage violence. Emphasize that it is bad when a boy offends a girl, and when a girl answers and offends after a boy, this is also offensive and wrong.

Gender equality does not change history, gender or character traits, it only helps to find one's life path, without relying on stereotypes - who can do what and who can't.

Sex secrets [Man and woman in the mirror of evolution] Butovskaya Marina Lvovna

Hormonal disorders and gender

The discrepancy between the genetic and external morphological sex can also occur for a number of other reasons. A typical case of this kind is known as androgen insensitivity syndrome. This anomaly is associated with insensitivity to testosterone at the cellular level. As a result, in an embryo with a normal male XV genotype and with developed testes, female external genitalia are formed. Such an individual not only outwardly looks like a woman, but also behaves like a woman. Available full-fledged testicles do not have any effect on the life and activity of the child. Before the onset of the maturation period, both parents and the child themselves do not experience the slightest discomfort. However, during the puberty, the girl does not have her period, the parents begin to sound the alarm and go to the doctor. If an experienced doctor establishes the true cause of this anomaly, then a surgical operation is performed: the testicles are removed, and in the future the girl continues to lead a normal lifestyle characteristic of her sex, without experiencing problems with gender identity. Unfortunately, such a woman is infertile. According to Money and Earhart, 80% of individuals with androgen insensitivity syndrome are exclusively heterosexual and none have demonstrated lesbian predispositions in adulthood. Thus, despite the male genotype XV, males develop into females. They show sensitivity to the feminizing influence of estrogens secreted by the testes during puberty. Because of this, such men develop breasts and feminine body shapes.

Even more rare and extremely curious, in line with our reasoning about the role of nature and nurture, a genetic anomaly is called 5-alpha reductase deficiency. It is this case that we had in mind when we said that the external morphological sex of a person in rare cases can spontaneously change to the opposite under the influence of internal hormonal activity. The anomaly has been described for only a few families living in the Dominican Republic (18 cases) and Papua New Guinea (several cases). The mutation appears only in men and only if the individual inherits two copies of the recessive gene, which leads to a disruption in the normal processes of testosterone metabolism. As a result, the fetus does not convert primary testosterone to d and hydrotestosterone. Although the testicles develop, they do not descend into the scrotum, but remain inside the body. The external genital organs of such a newborn child are more reminiscent of women. It is not surprising, therefore, that parents and others see him as a girl and bring him up accordingly. True, such girls behave in an inappropriate way, from the point of view of gender stereotypes. They almost always grow up as tomboys, strive for increased physical activity, power games and competitiveness, are rarely interested in playing with dolls and mother-daughters and prefer to play with boys, despite the persuasion and prohibitions of upset parents.

During puberty, d and hydrotestosterone loses its leading significance as a sex hormone, and testosterone takes its place. And its effect on the cells of the body in individuals with this syndrome proceeds in a completely normal way. Therefore, in the body of the “girl” they begin to undergo violent changes: the penis grows, the testicles mix down into the formed scrotum, the hairline grows according to the male type, the voice becomes lower, the shoulders expand, the nature of fat deposition changes. It is curious that in the future the young man does not experience any problems not only with sexual, but also with gender identity. He starts a family and can have healthy children.

If we consider gender identity entirely as a product of socialization and upbringing, then it turns out to be completely incomprehensible why, in cases of this syndrome, an individual is able to easily and painlessly change his identity to the opposite. If we turn to another version proposed by biologists, then such a phenomenon is more understandable. Probably, sex hormones play a certain influence on the formation of gender identity: testosterone has a significant irreversible effect on the fetal brain in the womb and contributes to the final choice of gender identity during puberty.

Certain morphological disorders in the severity of external sexual characteristics were recorded when a number of medications were taken by pregnant women. Laboratory experiments on rhesus monkeys have shown that at high doses in the mother's body of a substance called testosterone propionate, a pronounced masculinization in the body structure occurs in the female fetus. The young of the female are born with developed penises (Fig. 5.2).

Rice. 5.2. A Rh female with a developed penis, which appeared under the influence of testosterone-propionate, which was injected into the body of a female mother during pregnancy. (Given from Dixon. 1998).

Thus, the considered examples clearly prove that appearance can be deceptive: a person may look like a man or a woman, but from the point of view of J. Money's classification, he may not be either one or the other. Of course, his gender can be quite unambiguous: male or female. In addition, in modern society, such an individual may consider himself a third gender.

CHAPTER XV Sexual Ethics or Sexual Morality It is not easy to point out the dividing line between morality and law. The former idea of ​​law, in connection with the view of judicial punishment as atonement, should have provided a more correct definition of these delimiting