There is a lot of fiery, discourse , surrounding gender these days , head banging , gun toting , fear mongering, just plain violent disagreements over issues related to gender.
But, what exactly is gender ?
Can anyone agree ?
Trying to define it , is like walking through a minefield of exploding cans of worms. We encounter , genetics , socialization, feminine , masculine , and a never ending list of genders , and in the end , just as bewildered as when we started, we are void of a clear definition.
So ….
What exactly is gender ?
Let me propose a new definition. A simpler cleaner definition.
To define gender , we need to think in terms of sets, recall, a set contains a group of objects , that all have something in common.
Let’s define some sets that will be useful in a bit to explain gender.
A set containing all pink socks. The set , Pink Socks , goes in the top draw of the the dresser , the , Blue set of Socks , goes in the second, draw. If you mix , add the two sets of socks together, all in one draw, you have created, a union , of the two sets … and this is the gist of some basic set theory.
Gender is a special kind of set , a set I will call an abstract set. It contains, elements, that are very real , but we can’t quite get our hands on them when we define the set , we can’t put the elements of an abstract set on our feet, like we can elements from, the sets , blue or pink socks.
We can now define gender ;
Gender = { A set of all possible solutions , to all problems, humanity will ever encounter. }
That’s it , that’s gender.
No biology , anthropology , sociology , culture , genetics , required.
Not much there to argue about , fight about , kill each other about !
It’s not so complicated as it is strange. It’s strange because it’s does not sound like anything , gender like.
“Humanity” , here, means a single human or billions , living on the Earth or spread throughout the universe , now , or in the future.
Humanity, will encounter all sorts of problems , now, and as it moves into the future , the solutions to those problems , are contained in this set , called , Gender.
I say the set is abstract as the solutions are not present when the set is defined, they come later as a tangible form.
Good definitions should be useful and help to clarify a subject , so let’s begin clarifying gender, using this new definition.
If we draw a line half way through this set called, Gender, and view this line as a barrier, we have attained the state of being , gender locked.
When gender locked , humanity, one or many, are on one side of the line and can’t obtain solutions on the other side of the line.
By working to dissolve the line that divides , the set , Gender , we achieve , the state of, Gender fluidity.
Gender fluidity , means , being able to access all the solutions in the set , with equal effort.
Back to our socks !
Our sets of socks , are a simple way to understand , being gender locked or fluid.
The socks can be viewed as solutions, to the problem , what to wear today on my feet ?
The set of ,Pink Socks and Blue Socks , are both present in the set , Gender.
However , if we draw a line through the set , Gender , and the pink socks end up on one side of the line and the blue socks on the other side , we have attained a state of being gender locked.
When gender locked ,in this case, you must settle with one color sock or the other , when you get dressed in the morning.
As you are on one side of the line. You can’t cross the line !
You have less solutions. ( less colors of socks to wear on your feet )
Dissolve the line , attain gender fluidity and you can now choose either color sock , pink or blue.
More solutions.
Easier to get dressed in the morning , if all the pink socks are in the laundry , just wear blue !
While our sock example is simple , maybe even trivial , gender lock , can be extremely dangerous to your own well being and to the survival of humanity.
As I write this blog , the world is inching closer to another kind of war, global nuclear war, a special kind of war , a war where no one can win. It will change life as we know it , hundreds of millions will die or wish they were dead.
“Global Nuclear War”, is a modern , high tech , solution, to a very old problem, how to live together on the planet.
It’s a solution,like all solutions , contained , in the set, I have called , Gender. A set you can now think about as you move through your day to day life and as as you encounter todays problems.
There has to be better solutions of how to live together , then , Global Nuclear War, in our vast set called , Gender, but to find it , we need to achieve , as a humanity, a gender fluidity.
We need more solutions.
All solutions are not equally accessible.
Because humanity is gender locked.
But solutions must be equally accessible.
This is gender fluidity !
The human mind , that generates , this set called , Gender , must be gender fluid, if not, humanity won’t survive what it’s now facing.
So,now, think about gender , as I defined it here. Apply it and see if it helps you. It may help you, know gender in a different light , put out the fiery discourse , help you live a fuller life.
It may even save the world.
Let me know how it goes.