Questioning Gender Dimorphism

Judith Butler questions the necessity of sex reassignment surgery in intersex infants. She describes the falsity of gender dimorphism and the biological chromosomal continuum between male and female in infants. Butler thereby demonstrates how "gender dimorphism as a prerequisite of human development" is arbitrary. Intersex babies need not undergo what is often medically, and, arguably, socially, unnecessary surgery in order to fit into a defined gender role which they may find problematic.

In another example of problematising gender dimorphism, Patricia Elliot discusses incidents where transgender people have been denied membership to women's groups because they ostensibly pose a threat to feminist or female identity. I suggest that such feminists might consider taking on the challenges raised by this discussion in order to create an inclusive movement to address equality for all genders and not only equality for women.

In the following video, transman activist, Yee Won Chong reminds us of the common conflation of assigned sex, gender identity, gender expression and sexual orientation. He separates them into continua illustrating these differences with his own personal experience. Chong's talk is useful to help people understand the reality and depth of the problems that transgender people experience on a day to day basis.

Butler, J 2004, ‘Doing Justice to Someone: Sex Reassignment and Allegories of Transsexuality’, in Undoing Gender, Routledge, New York, pp. 74-101.

Elliott, P, 2010, 'Ch 1: Feminist embattlement on the field of trans', Debates in Transgender, Queer and Feminist Theory', Ashgate, Farnham & Burlington, pp. 17-31.

Chong, YW 2012, Beyond the Gender Binary: Yee Won Chong at TEDxRainier, online video, 13 December, TEDx Talks, viewed 11 May 2014, <https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-Lm4vxZrAig>.