Alok’s statement that “I still can’t step outdoors without being frightened for my safety” shattered my heart. The tone of their writing made me aware of their grief, rejection, and frustration. Being attacked for being who and how you want to be seen is unfair. To be terrified of going to the store because I could get harassed for my mode of expression is, in my opinion, mentally damaging. I became aware of how ignorant I had been about gender. Gender is like art in that it inspires and aspires with boundless creativity. Moving past these causes Alok frustration, anguish, and concern for their safety as a non-conforming person.
To Alok Because “sex” is not just biological, but also cultural and politically motivated, the statement “I agree that gender is cultural and sex is biological” seems like a deception. And this raises the question of whether one can rely on science to determine a person’s gender at birth. In his discussion of an intersex person who might be born with genitalia that appears to be between the typical male and female genders, Alok demonstrates how binary sex is politically constructed by pointing out that doctors continue to perform non-consensual and unwarranted surgeries just because the person is different. Furthermore, research indicates that chromosomes do not always correlate with sex and cannot be used to determine a person’s sexual orientation, be it homosexual, bisexual, or straight. Therefore, this is about intentional prejudice rather than science deciding who is who.
Another issue that makes me uncomfortable is gender policing when I am required to modify my behavior in order to please others and fit their perception of what is “normal” for me. Many people think there is a specific perspective I should take on a certain incident or circumstance. People should learn to brace themselves and be at ease with their gender expression as language and cultures change. For instance, when I visit my parent’s in-laws, I still need to appear a specific way. Nobody should have the right to decide what is and is not acceptable/appropriate.
