Gender is not just a social construct

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I know that what I am about to say is going to challenge the thinking of at least a few members who keep an eye on this section of the forum. All I ask is to keep an open mind and before rejecting my perspective below briefly consider evidence that supports an opposing viewpoint from the one you had before you read this thread (regardless of which direction your opinion is coming from)

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It's a funny thing because I've seen the phrase "gender is a social construct" being used as an argument for the acceptance of NB genders, and to invalidate the transgender reality entirely. It seems that both sides use it, and every time that I see it I cringe. Much of gender stereotypes are indeed a social construct I get that... For example, while it is indeed feminine to wear a dress in the US, it's not necessarily a feminine thing for someone to wear a dress-like garment in other parts of the world. That factor is entirely socially constructed... I agree with that part of the argument.

However, there are certain parts of gender that are instinctual. Things that we can see animals doing in the wild without human influence. While they're much more apparent in social species like lions, penguins, and monkeys/apes those animals are not conforming to human social standards. They are expressing gender based behaviors because its natural to them.

Anyway I think that gender is not just a social construct... I think it's more than that. I think that many neurotypical people have gendered instincts that go beyond what they observe other humans doing. Much of the social construct stuff of gender is even consistent across multiple cultures... which would suggest that it comes from a basis of being part of the human condition rather than being a social-person condition.

Gender is not a social construct, it is a neurological reality.

I don't think this statement invalidates Nonbinary experiences; I think it's totally possible that some people's neurology is somewhere between male and female.

Thanks, yeah I agree... They have determined that there are differences in male and female brains... and I am sure with time they'll discover those of us who are non-binary probably have some ambiguity when our brains are cut up too... I am probably going to donate mine to science if they want it I just don't know who to talk to.

I wonder how many people on Wrongplanet really believe that gender is a social construct, though?

I feel that on an autism forum, that would be a very odd position to take. Since the study of autism is largely overlapped with the study of neurology, I don't think too many autistic people would be in the dark on the undeniable neurological reality that is gender.

There are aspects of gender that are social constructs and aspects of gender that aren't. Aspects that are social constructs are things like gendered colors or clothing.

Nope. If there is such a thing a female or male mind then by definition only males can have male minds and females female minds.

I don't think it's really that black and white. Scientists have known for decades that it's possible for people who are genetically female to be born with boys' parts, and vice versa (see: Various intersex conditions).

Mother Nature makes mistakes. Sometimes the laws of biology says "oops!" and gives us the wrong body parts. This is a fact.
The brain is not magically exempt from the laws of biology, it's a body part like any other. This is also a fact.
So, why is it so difficult to accept that it's possible for a male mind to inhabit a female body, or a female mind to inhabit a male body? I know the workings of the mind are a mystery to many of us on the spectrum (mindblindness) so I can see where this would lead to some confusion.

Because being XX makes you female and being XY makes you male. Nature does not make mistakes its not a being.

Maybe if you count this as being male: https://m.youtube.com/results?q=complet ... drome&sm=1

Yes I do.

I definietely agree. I also think that it is possible to feel more like the the opposite gender or like you fall somewhere inbetween male and female though.

I've had periods in life where i've enjoyed dressing in typically boyish clothes and had my hair cut short while still wearing makeup though. I didn't identify as a male who likes makeup or genderfluid for that, I just didn't see any need to put a label on how I felt like dressing in that point in time like some people do. Nowadays it is as if though all females who realize they don't like dresses and skirts thinks they're no longer female, and if a guy realizes he likes makeup he thinks that makes him a female. It's almost become a trend to NOT identify as your birth assigned gender or pronuns and i'm not sure how that came to happen, it's so stupid. Just be who you are and dress how you want.

.....Nature makes about a squillion mistakes. That's what you get with a mindless force like that. You think we'd have things like cancer or all those genetic diseases if it didnt? Or, looking at animals, how about things like 2-headed snakes? I dunno about you, but I'm relatively certain that snakes arent supposed to have 2 heads. Yet, some pop out like that. Sure seems like a mistake to me, considering that snakes have a pretty clear "normal" shape they're usually in. And that's just one example... there are literally countless others. So yeah. It makes mistakes, mindless or not.

Besides: If nature had produced a true binary thing with this, we'd all be.... VERY different. We'd all either be hyper-masculine, or hyper-feminine, because that's what binary means: Literally no in-between. None.

As someone with "gender issues" I sure as bloody hell aint on the hyper-masculine side. Even my body shape isnt quite right for a male. Seem to still exist though.




I think this is more of a psychological thing. People have a very, very hard time accepting that things that they personally have not seen/experienced, might still exist/happen. You see this ALL the freaking time and it can happen with any topic/subject. It's honestly kinda sad to watch when it happens.

So you also deny the existence of chromosomal conditions? XX and XY are not the only combinations which occur, such as XXY in Klinefelter syndrome. I do agree, though, that such people should not be treated as "mistakes".

Gender is a highly polarized, multi-modal spectrum. Nature, as an entity, is a social construct.

No nature does not make mistakes as it mindless. A mistake is a decision that is regretful. A two headed snake is a mutant, if those snakes gain an advantage they will breed more and eventually evolve into another species.

Some people are born with 3 legs yet humans have 2 legs.