By @ aeiilos on instagram (they/them)
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A social construct is “an idea that has been created by the people in a society.” This is a broad definition which can be narrowed down to understand the social constructions of sex, gender and sexuality. Ultimately, the issue about social constructs is that they blend into normalcy and are often overlooked or invisible unless one breaks down the social systems around them and begins to question it. These constructs typically develop over time, and despite being “constructs” they are very real and hold great implications for various people and groups. To say that sex, gender, and sexuality are socially constructed means that rather than being fixed, biological attributes of a person, they are instead very much shaped by culture and everyday societal norms.
In her 2014 article, Janet Mock conveys her own experience with gender and sexuality in her Hawaiian upbringing, which identifies an accepted third gender (mahu) that allowed her to feel more comfortable as a transwoman (Mock). In Hawaii, the social constructs of gender are therefore somewhat different than the sexual dimorphism-- or the idea that there are only two distinct sex categories-- that we generally experience in the United States and many western countries. In fact, various cultures around the world hold their own ideas of sex and gender and what it means for them. In Hawaii, Mock talks about mahu, the word used to describe people who were assigned male at birth, but took on feminine gender roles in their culture. The mahu are celebrated as healers, caretakers, dancers, and instructors (Mock 367). Similarly, some native american cultures believe in Two Spirits, which describes someone who does not identify with either male or female. These people were also respected and sometimes idolized in their culture. Here we can begin to identify the inner workings of social constructs: the binary ideas of the west are not part of the native Hawaiian culture, and therefore do not exist for them in the same way. Because our society has decided upon two fixed genders, people who exist outside of the binary are overlooked and ignored. In fact, many intersex people are erased and hidden by medical professionals from parents and from themselves. The idea of needing to “fix” healthy intersex children goes to show the harsh realities of sexual dimorphism in our society, as well as the distinct social constructs that say that one must be one sex or the other, which has lasting affects on many children who grow up to not identify with the sex the doctor decided for them. In The Five Sexes, Revisited, Fausto-Sterling delves into why the two-sex system is not adequate to encompass the full spectrum of human sexuality, and identifies instead five sexes along a spectrum (Fausto-Sterling). She also reveals that genital surgeries often leave scars which reduce sexual sensitivity and argues for physicians to minimize these “irreversible assignments” (32-33). In Angry Intersex People with Signs! Wilchins notes that if these surgeries took place abroad, that we would call it “genital mutilation” (373). This point is important to focus on in regards to intersex and trans lives, and where they stand in terms of social constructs of sex, as well as the idea of sexual dimorphism being the “natural” or “correct” way of seeing sex, when in reality biology and social construction tell quite a different story.
In addition to sex, there are various ways in which our culture tries to determine someone’s gender. This can be done by looking for physical characteristics that will confirm gender, such as facial hair or breasts, and social cues like the way that someone sits or uses their hands. In her article, Mock talks about the idea of “realness” and what it means to “pass” as a woman (371). This need to “pass” is reflective of a society which does not accept or recognize people who do not fit in the binary categories of male and female. In our society, if someone is not immediately identifiable, it may cause awkwardness and confusion when trying to use this person’s pronouns or even how to interact with them. Women with short haircuts and independent personalities are called lesbians by men who feel confused or threatened by them, and men who may come off as feminine because of the way they speak or the way they dress are called gay. Because we attach these attributes to sex and sexuality, we as a society are led to believe in the distinct categories of male and female. When people fall out of these categories, they are marked as “different” by their culture and treated differently because of their gender expression.
Furthermore, sexuality has often been used to try to explain these differences in expression. For example, women who are more masculine or independent are perceived as “lesbians,” by the patriarchy, which Radicalesbians describe as “the word, the label, the condition that holds women in line” (153). The Woman-Identified Woman gives new insights into what it is like to live as a lesbian in a male-dominated society. They argue that because of men’s oppression of women, there are only certain attributes and characteristics that women are allowed to have in order to be accepted by the patriarchy and consequently by the whole of society. If one is to break out of this mold, they are criticized and not considered “a real woman” and are instead a “dyke” (153). Being brought up in this male society, Radicalesbians believes that women “have internalized the male culture’s definition” of themselves, and therefore women should reconsider their own thoughts, how social constructs have influenced their sexuality, and what they believe a woman to be (155). In reality, people of different gender categories are more similar than different, but our culture emphasizes sex difference in order to maintain male dominance and female oppression. Unfortunately, the internalization of expected roles and stereotypes exist in both men and women, enforcing them to conform to the social constructs which are accepted in their society.
Despite being easy to miss, social constructs exist in our culture and society to reinforce various aspects of sex, gender, and sexuality. The way in which society perceives a person plays an important part in the way they are treated and understood. Norms continue to be broken, but the majority of society remains in the dark about how these norms shape their thoughts and ideas towards other people who identify outside of the binary or assumed heterosexuality. Sex, gender, and sexuality are therefore fluid and have the ability to adapt to cultural norms and expectations, and can also be shaped by the individual’s personal identity and their relationship to culture. We as a society have a long way to go in recognizing our own social construction in order to begin a remodeling of inclusion and diversity among differences in sex, gender, and sexuality.
Works Cited
Fausto-Sterling, Anne. “The Five Sexes, Revisited.” pp. 32–36.
Mock, Janet. “From Redefining Realness: My Path to Womanhood, Identity, Love, & So Much More.” pp. 365-371.
Radicalesbians. “The Woman-Identified Woman.” pp. 152–155.
Wilchins, Riki. “Angry Intersex People With Signs!” pp. 372-373
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