Genderqueer - third gender

This is still a work in progress, I'm sorry about the messy citation at the bottom. I'm in the progress of cleaning that up. There should be enough information to find any of the books listed. Writing isn't my strong suit. I have a Bachelors of Visual Arts. I did the research using my alumni privileges at the university.

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Have you ever been escorted out of a mall bathroom by security because you didn't look enough like one gender or the other? That was my experience in the summer of 2015. I'm biologically female, and don't possess the necessary equipment to use a men's washroom. What happened doesn't make me upset and I don't harbour any anger from the incident because I can see where the other side was coming from. The person who complained was a middle aged mother who was concerned that a "man" was in the washroom that her very young daughter had been in. With major news outlets reporting on kidnappings and molestations on a weekly basis, I can see why this mother was fearful. She was only acting in a defensive way because she thought her daughter was at risk.
After being escorted out, I was able to prove I was female with my ID and was allowed to use the washroom after the mother and daughter had left the general area.
When you don't fit into a category, the people around you have trouble judging what your intentions are, and there often isn't enough time to question why you've made particular assumption.

I will be attempting to dissect what the term "genderqueer" means, and why it is possible that it is a gender classification of its own. There exists a mid point between male and female which is rarely discussed because of a misconception that there are only two modes which a person can exist in. The term itself is fairly new; it could be considered a re-branding of a much older concept, referred to as a "third gender". The current definition can be boiled down to, "a person who either exhibits traits of both genders, or someone who does not subscribe to the expectations of either gender. It can also be used loosely to describe "gender bending" that occurs when self-identified men or women are regarded by others as having at least some of the behavioural or physical of the opposite sex.
Alison Shaw, in her essay, changing sex and gender bending: an introduction, notes that, while some forms of sex change and gender transformation are voluntary, others are enforced, and others are quite elaborately institutionalized.
Some scholars user the term gender synonymously with sex, or else in a way that includes biological sex."(1) This is problematic because gender is largely defined by how one perceives their own behaviour as well as how they feel they are perceived by others, not necessarily what their physical sex is. Gender is a potentially complicated system of classification because it is often restricted to two categories, which do not take into account the internal dialog of the person whose gender is being described, and the perceptions of the people who come into contact with that person. There have been instances where males have been obliged by their culture, to act as females, and vice versa. An example of culturally imposed gender swap was noted in Henry Stewart's research about the Kipijuitua, where, "in the Netsilik society of Pelly Bay in Nunavut Territory of Canada, certain biologically male children are brought up as females [and referred to as Kipijuitua,] until they [kill] a prescribed animal, usually at the age of 14-16. Such children are subject to various taboos (a state known as tiringnaqtaq), foremost of which is that the child's hair must not be cutâ before being released from these obligations after which they will be allowed to live as a male.(3)
A more modern example of culturally imposed gender swapping, would be the "Bacha Posh" of Afghanistan. In order to gain the rights a freedoms which males of the Afgani culture have, females who don't want to live under the rules and restrictions regarding their gender, sometimes dress as men. Unlike the Kipijuitua, the sex of the Bacha Posh is kept a secret from people outside the family, because if discovered to be a female masquerading as a male, the consequences could include violence. The practice of masking one's sex is not culturally acceptable, but for those who do not want to be restricted from talking to others in public, and moving about freely, cross dressing has become a necessary practice (4). Women in Afghanistan face daunting persecution on a day to day basis. Even women who engage in masculine activities such as skateboarding come into conflict with elders and those who uphold restrictive rules governing what females and males are respectively allowed to do. The simple act of riding a skateboard, when one is a female, becomes an opportunity for others to question whether or not that female has the "right" to move about freely. (5)
These instances, among many others, show that gender can be more of an abstract concept and less of a concrete fact of life. It also shows that gender classifications can be a burden which can be remedied by changing one's outward appearance and mannerisms. Once one starts to think about how gender is used to regulate our language and customs, the consequences of gender and how it can impact the lives of individuals in regards to mobility and safety it becomes clear that gender is an important part of how humans structure their societies.
Sex and gender haven't always been connected to the point where they're considered interchangeable. One could draw the conclusion that being genderqueer isn't a new experience because variations in gender presumably could have always existed in the same way variations of sexual orientation have always existed. It would be advantageous to think of sex and gender as being closely linked, but separate.
A 2008 study showed that "subjects [who were given] a psychological test "of gender" which assessed the degree of masculinity versus femininity based on the subjects interests, abilities, and personality. The measure of gender correlated with the size of the ventral prefrontal cortex irrespective of the subject's biological sex: higher femininity was matched with a larger size of this region. Therefore, the size of this region of the brain reflects gender rather than genetic/biological sex." Since gender is shaped by experience, it follows that the differences found in the structure of the brain are not simply hard wired. (6)

Until recently, being of a divergent gender has been an isolating experience. The advent of social media has helped otherwise unheard people express themselves and the way they feel about their gender; this provides both positive and negative opportunities. "The western "two sex model of male and female as incommensurably separate, and consequence of a natural differences grounded in the body, has in fact dominated only since the enlightenment. For thousands of years previously a "one sex model" of the genitals prevailed and the male and female bodies were seen as mutable." (1) And Jill Fisher elaborates on what the one sex model is, when she says "The one sex model put forward the idea that male and female genitalia were so similar that they were just variations of each other. (7)
Through sites like tumblr, twitter, facebook, there has been a movement by non binary (genderqueer people who don't subscribe to either gender) people to brand themselves by using new words when making introductions. It can been seen as an attempt to shake off a negative connotation which has been placed on a term like "transvestite", "queer", usually by given by outsiders who exist in larger numbers and can influence a term like "queer's social meaning in a potent way. Genderqueer absorbs the word queer, making it a less of a slur and more of a defining term. "Two spirted is was once a commonly used term to describe people who embodied male and female gender characteristics, mentions that "two-sprits" as "persons with qualities of both men and women , whose attire combined aspects of both , and whose spiritual knowledge and specialist skills were highly valued." (1) Around the same time, the 1960's to 1990's, the terms tomboy and nancyboy where used to describe, albeit, some what insultingly, women and men who did not fit into the definition of what their gender was supposed to look like. Research done by Mark Johnston, uncovered not just the origins of the term Tomboy, but a group of southern Philippine women who "who identify with and choose to live "like men" but are still female in most respects. These women are referred to "by themselves and by others as tomboi" The word was adopted by English speakers and carries a similar meaning. Tomboi [â¦] actively identify themselves in different degrees and in different ways with both men and masculinity and with women and femininity. The western definition of tomboy isn't necessarily a lesbian, it merely references the perceived deviant gender role of a young woman. "The tomboy are interesting because they don't represent a third gender, they simply challenge the gender roles and live within them, but not in a way expected by their peer group."(8) This could be considered a definable difference between genderqueers and the women who live a "tomboy" lifestyle; Genderqueer is more of a third gender, rather than a discernable lifestyle and could perceivably be present while the person attempting to fit in with the rest of society.

Technology can be helpful in accommodating genderqueers. There are resources outside of Facebook, Onescene and other social networks which allow a third gender option. For instance, there is an app called ârefugeâ which is a database for washrooms which are gender neutral that users can add to.
As of late, a small number of certain members of the queer community attempting to fix the issue of what pronoun to use when referring to someone who is genderqueer by assigning themselves special prefixes and pronouns(zif, zer, ze are some examples) to be called by. This has only been moderately successful online and is confined to sites like Tumblr, twitter, or wordpress, where communities can be set up and rules of conduct can be agreed upon before someone becomes a member of the community. Giving small groups on the internet better means of understanding and communicating with each other, but this has the undesirable effect of isolating the general public, creating a barrier between the small communities and those outside the community. Some community members have demanded that their preferred pronouns be respected by everyone, even those who are not aware of these customs and are not a part of the personâs social group. This is not unusual, as many people ask others to respect their customs, albeit, usually only when in the personâs living space or country. When the standards of the small group are not met by an outsider, there can be an unproductive backlash, whether it is verbal or non verbal.
Many people from outside the community donât understand the terms which the genderqueer/ non binary/ transmasculine/ transfeminine/ queer communities have started using to define themselves. This causes a sense of otherness for those outside the collective, which works well on the internet to detour bullies and trolls, but is very problematic when having casual conversation. To make demands on the natural flow of language by requesting the introduction of foreign pronouns into a conversation is difficult because the English language simply hasnât evolved enough to accommodate third gender pronouns. It is apparent that the way we speak is heavily reliant on knowing the gender of who or what we are talking about. âIâ or âmeâ that are not otherwise submerged in and English pronoun that conveys nothing about gender, nationality, relationship with the recipient. (9) âBecause pronouns are gendered, they provide a resource speakers can use to show that they are referring to the same person previously referred to, if the initial reference also implicates gender.â The word âitâ has traditionally been used in cases where the gender of the person or object do not have a gender, or the gender is not clear. âItâ [is a] poor choice because it functions as âa epihet meant to strip us of our humanity âthere is a long history of attempts to introduce various third gender and/or epicene pronouns into English, non has yet succeeded in gaining wide usage (11) This matters [â¦] because oneâs success at using gender neutral or third gender pronoun in conversation â as measured by listenersâ continued comprehension â is dependant upon speaking within a language community that accepts the existence of such a pronoun. (10)

If a person insists on everyone who has spoken in a predictable fashion their entire lives pick up new pronouns, it could be assumed that if there is any shaming of them for not knowing how the person identifies internally, this will is going to create animosity with outsiders and sympathizers alike. A problem arises if the person is perceived as difficult to associate with. Social stigma could come from the worry that the person is going to be hostile if their special pronoun isn't used or demand that they be called by unfamiliar pronouns. It's a daunting prospect when you're only looking to only engage in casual conversation with the person. Getting someone's pronoun wrong isn't a matter of discrimination, it's a matter of the person's exposure or lack there of to the introduction of these pronouns.

This isn't to say that genderqueers don't experience discrimination. Discrimination can be caused by external factors, which can include how a person dresses, speaks, and carries themselves in public. It's important to carry one's self with as much dignity as possible, which can be difficult for some because of self esteem issues, caused by appearing physically different from their peers. (2) "[The body,] while being open to experimental possibilities, must nonetheless be grounded. That is, while bodies are capable of assuming various sex/gender configurations, bodies are also socially and historically constrained. As a serious example of this point, we can note that anti-queer/anti-trans violence serves to indicate and to remind us of the weightiness and historical gravity of bodies, since no one is able to beat or murder a detached and disembodied body. Queer/trans bodies do not exist devoid of context or sociohistorical import, and it is precisely from within certain anti-queer/anti-trans contexts that anti-queer/anti-trans violence assumes its possibility and meaning. [in regards to trans/queer violence] [â¦] demand that "normal" mappings be maintained. Likewise, the diagnosis "gender identity disorder" can exist for the same reason, permitting the instutionalization of people [â¦.] who do not adhere to "normal" sex-gender combination. Not accidentally, then, both the murderer and the psychiatric institution mark two sites of trans-"treatment" (12) Since the two gender classifications are upheld by the general public, including psychiatrists, they put pressure on the genderqueer person to subscribe to the opposite gender, instead of dealing with the possibility that the person exists outside of the two genders and resides in an "other category". A personal story which I witnessed a friend of mine go through starts like this, he became a she, but always felt like they belonged between the two genders. The psychologist pushed them to make a full transition to the female gender, including surgery, hormone replacement therapy. There was very little discussion about whether it was a better idea to stay in between the genders because the person in transition didn't know how to describe their situation properly, and the therapist thought of transition of being a progression from one gender to another gender. The person suffered from a mental break down after it was clear that they were not completely female, but hormones had done irrevocable damage to their body at that point, and transitioning back to a point between male and female was very difficult. Heather Talley makes the point that "biomedical technologies and contemporary medical practices are infused by extent notions about gender, and, in fact, science and medicine are increasingly in the business of reinventing hegemonically gendered bodies. In other words, technologies that facilitate transgendering both rely upon stringent conceptualizations of gender and reproduce bodies that reflect radically essentialist notions of sex" (13)


Sometimes, there will be violence. There is no control of the psychological well beings of others and some will seek out any difference in others to justify taking their anger out on another person. One way to avoid confrontation with others is to gain as many allies as possible. Someone who is well liked will be able to call on the support of others when threatened. A way to gain the support of people outside of the genderqueer community is to look at how people who are respected act in public act and try to emulate their behaviour. This can be done by taking mental notes of how they hold themselves, how they speak to eachother, how they treat others an later applying this to one's own behaviour. Only bringing up the issue of pronouns when asked to, or prompted by the other person is not only polite, it helps to keep a dialogue from being derailed. When one starts to exhibit behaviours which are well received by others, subtle changes of behaviour and demeanor over time become accepted with more ease and fewer comments from passersby . There can be setbacks, but as long as those aren't dwelled on, It is possible to assimilate into western society and be a productive participant within the community without sacrificing the reputation of genderqueers everywhere. This is by no means inferring that it is the responsibility of a nonbinary person to not be attacked, but it's more of a suggestion of how to lower the likelihood of an attack, whether it is verbal or physical.
Genderqueer, as an identity in western culture is just past its infancy period. With an emerging culture with a distinct presence, it's possible to create a movement which could change how language is used and how gender is perceived.
It's important to remember that there are cultures around the world which have similarities to genderqueers, for example, the aforementioned tomboi of the southern Philippines. Meterosexual men of America are another example of dressing which dealt with pushback from the larger society, but at the same time was applauded for holding things like good hygiene and pride in one's appearance in high regard. Many aspects of genderqueer identity, can be seen as commendable, or brave, but at the same time there is a undeniable "otherness" to this because of the rejection of the male/female binary which has been the popular way to understand gender for much of the past few hundred years.

In order to give the movement a positive distinction, It would be wise for those who are orientated this way to try to inspire curiosity and not animosity. When one is different, the general public will naturally be curious; and how someone handles questions interest or criticism is important to keep in mind because it's important to project a positive self image. Avoid calling others out on their ignorance, because not a lot of information is available to the public at the moment. If someone is being crass, the best way to deal with rudeness is to schrug and move on because engaging with people who are mean spirited is rarely productive. Never allow attacks, but avoid attacking back for any reason.

In conclusion, Genderqueer is a complex gender orientation, identity and community packed into a simple compound word. It's by no means easy to describe, nor is it easy to live a lifestyle that is hard for others to understand because popular thought has shaped the way we think since birth. There is science and study behind understanding the reason why some people are female, some people are male, and some people are neither one or the other. Awareness of who one is key because denying that can be harmful to self esteem and psyche. Crafting that image in order to be perceived in a positive way by those who are outside of the lifestyle, thus outside of the group which sympathizes with a person who identifies as Genderqueer can be rewarding and helpful in changing the way sex and gender are perceived.

(1) Changing sex and bending gender edited by Alison shaw and Shirley ardener isbn:1-84545-099-x berghahn books, newyork oxford

Essay1 changing sex and gender bending: an introduction by Alison shaw

(2) SEXUAL DIFFERENCE, RACE, AND SEXUALITY BY MARY K. âBLOODSWORTH-LUGO ISBN:978-0-7914-7222-4 UNIVERSITY OF NEW YORK PRESS.


(3)Henry Stewartâs article entitled, KIPIJUITUA AND THE NETSILIK SOCIEITY: CHANGING PATTERNS OF GENDER AND PATTERNS OF CHANGING GENDER

(4)Womens e-news â âI lived as a boy in Afghanistanâ Dec 3, 2014. http://youtu.be/NuzVWoposxc

(5)âThe state of Skate.â Skateistan in Afghanistan â PUSH documentary. Jan 10, 2015
http://youtu.be/YLb-ABe-aVE

(6) âWood, Heitmiller, and colleagues âs study, published in Scientific American (2008 Wood, J. L., D. Heitmiller, N. C. Andreasen, and P. Nopoulos â Morphology of the ventral frontal cortex: relationship to feminity and social cognition. Cerebal cortex 18:534-540 see also http://www.scientific American.com/article.cfm?id=girl-brain-boy-brain7print=true)
Taken from an article written by (page 34 âsex differences are not hardwired â Lesley J. Rodgers)

(7) (gender and the science of difference- edited by jill fisher p12)

(8) Living like men, loving like women: tomboi in the southern Philippines by mark Johnston - Out of the Allison shaw book

(9) CONVERSATION AND GENDER â EDITED BY SUSAN A. SPENCER AND ELIZABETH STOKOE â CAMBRIDGE â ISBN; 978-0-521-69603-6
(10) DOING GENDER CATEGORIZATION: NON-RECOGNITIONAL PERSON REFFERENCE AND THE OMNIRELEVANCE OF GENDER â NOA LOGAN KLIEN

(11)Feinberg - PINK AND BLUE 1998, BOSTON:BEACON PRESS) written by (Bornstein 1986:190-216)

(12) âJacquelyn zita â body talk: philosophical reflections on sex and gender. Newyrk Columbia press 1998â p61

(13) heather laine talley â facial feminization, facial sex difference p201 of gender and the science of difference)