History of Gender
Was it always this way?
Gender hasn’t always been viewed the way it is today. It has evolved over time from what seems like a ridiculous definition to this modern, accepting one.
While different societies identified gender differently, the gender binary followed by the Western Civilisation became extremely prevalent.
Before the 18th century, it was believed that there was only one biological sex—male. Females were inferior men with their penises flipped inside out and tucked into their bodies. Ironically, even though they were considered to be the same sex, there were gender roles assigned.
Up until the Renaissance, Greek philosophers had a similar theory. They described males and females as two sides of the same coin. Females were less developed and had wandering wombs.
After the 18th century, the Western society shifted to the Binary model. Males and females were no longer opposites, rather a hierarchy was formed. The then-medical texts recite the possibility that women may become men at puberty, when their genitalia would pop pout.
Pre-enlightenment physicians described that all living forms had varying degrees of these four humors- blood, yellow bile, black bile and phlegm. These changed on the basis of age, season and time of the day. Men possessed more heat that allowed them to perform rigorous activities, while woman were considered cold. The openness of their vaginal cavity symbolized their lack of character.
Enlightenment thinkers shaped the Declaration of Independence that said:
We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.
Men were created equal but women and people of colour were not. What seemed to be be discrimination on the basis of biology soon turned to a social spectre.
IMPACT OF COLONIALISM
Sexual difference became more explicit when female anatomy was carefully studied and identified as distinct from their male counterpart.
The world was soon taken over by the era of colonisation. The power of the Western Civilisation implied the ‘rightness’ of their ideas. Patriarchy prevailed. Women were demeaned and their worth reduced. Femininity was defined by the patriarchs.
Stringent gender roles were established and anyone who failed to abide by these was severely punished.
The gender roles were further amplified by societies that took part in agriculture. Colonisation took to standardise agriculture across different regions. Immense gender inequality prevailed as men and women occupied different spheres.
POST COLONIALISM
By the mid 20th century, most colonies were freed. Women fought for their rights for long but inequality and their ‘inferiority’ prevailed. At last, women were highlighting how gender brought inequality to their lives. Thus came the era of feminism.
Today society is open minded and accepting. Several genders have been identified and it is an on going process. They’re all fighting for their place in the world.
This is not enough as plenty of them still face discrimination and are frowned upon by society. They often find themselves unemployed, abandoned and homeless. The bitter truth is that although people pose to be modern thinking and accepting, they prefer that this stays outside their homes. As soon as someone in their family identifies differently, they’re abandoned.
It’s high time we not only accept but also respect these people as they are the same as you and I. They have a right of expression and to be loved for who they are. Stop crushing their identity!
Written by- Anushka Gupta
Edited by- Malini Srikrishna
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