Read on Twitter
it's often tempting, either when first exploring gender or first coming to terms with being trans, to assume that there's some immutable aspect of gender inherent to ourselves that one merely discovers which provides initial reassurance, but one mustn't cling to this falsehood.
it's easy and quite understandable, due to the cisnormative nature of society which heavily implies this to be true, and so it makes sense that one would think that there was simply a mistake somewhere along the line, but this is actually a fundamental misunderstanding of gender.
at it's core, gender is how we engage with and interact with society which is reflective of our feelings and our experiences. as beauvoir famously states, "one is not born, but rather becomes, a woman" and this is absolutely true because it is our life experiences that shape us.
indeed it's a fruitless endeavor to look for a "gendered" part of the brain because gender is cultural in origin. there are neurobiological aspects related to sex and our gender responds to that and negotiates with that, but there's no more a lobe in the brain that says "gender"-
than there is a lobe in the brain that makes a person like dyed hair or striped shirts. it is a personal & subjective experience in the same way that we can compare pain in our own body but not compare our pain to the pain in somebody else's body. there's nothing objective here.
a person's gender can easily shift over the course of their lifetime because as already stated it's reflective of their past experiences and what they wish for the future; their gender still being affected by the culture that they live within as to what constitutes "feminine" vs-
"masculine" vs "androgynous" or whatever else. a skirt is merely a piece of fabric, but it's one in which society has dictated is "feminine" and as it happens, We Live In A Society. unfortunately, it is one that is cisnormative and bigoted so we often have to rely on such faulty-
assumptions given to us about gender (at least, in part) because that is a concession we frequently must make in order to have a shot at existing (such as in getting medication, getting surgery, or simply not being harassed). we have to begin working with people where they are.
but, if you're someone still questioning and you're reading this, that's all a pretty scary proposition. this is perhaps not the best thread of mine for you to read haha, but there is a great deal of power in asserting our agency to choose what our fate is against all the odds.
we aren't merely resigned to suffering or compelled to act in whichever way, we have the ability to declare what we feel is best for us and change our course if we feel so inclined. the freedom gained in being released from the shackles of cisnormative gender is significant.
we reject that which attempts to confine us and we reject those who dictate how we "should" be. the facticity of our past is a limitation to our freedom, but only in that it shapes it, for we still have the freedom to control ourselves and our futures as we see fit.
be proud.
be proud.
i wanted to write this thread following a tweet i saw earlier today, but it also reminded me of this fantastic (but LONG) article from natalie reed from 8 years ago that i re-consulted in writing this.
check it out if you want a longer read on this topic: https://freethoughtblogs.com/nataliereed/2013/03/09/born-this-way-reprise-the-new-essentialism/
check it out if you want a longer read on this topic: https://freethoughtblogs.com/nataliereed/2013/03/09/born-this-way-reprise-the-new-essentialism/
