What does Ta-Nehisi Coates mean when he writes that race is a social construct? What is a social construct?
Your response will be about 300 words, thats an average of 100 words for each of
the three questions below.
1. What does Ta-Nehisi Coates mean when he writes that race is a
social construct? What is a social construct?
Source:
https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2013/05/what-we-mean-when-wesay-race-is-a-social-construct/275872/
2. Why does Angela Davis write that we must consider racist systems,
such as the prison industrial complex, in a global context?
Source:
Freedom is a Constant Struggle – Chapter 2
3. What do you think: Which theory of gender makes the most sense to
you? Please explain why in detail.
Source:
Theories of gender an overview
NOTE: Its interesting to bear in mind that French writer and feminist Simone de
Beauvoir was the first to formally challenge the gender binary (youre either
female or male and there are no other options) by raising the distinction between
sex and gender in her 1949 book, The Second Sex, famed for, among other
things, the quote, One is not born but becomes a woman. De Beauvoir posited
that man is the default setting in a society (think the white, male, educated,
upper class, able-bodied, Christian hegemony in our particular society), and
woman (and everyone who isnt a member of the hegemony) is defined by society
in relation to man (cisgender male). Everyone else is subordinate to manother,
lesser genders.
Three theories of gender
1. Gender essentialism relies on biology to explain genderits all in the sex
chromosomes. The observed differences between men and women are defined by
innate biological characteristics. This theory posits that categories of difference
(male or female; straight or LGBTQI+; white, black, brown; etc.) are not socially
constructed; rather they are innate, intrinsic, immutable genetic differences that
define each distinct groups nature and disposition.
Beware: The general philosophy of essentialism (not specifically gender
essentialism) has been debated since ancient Greece. Today, it is often used by
racists and homophobes as a basis for embracing white and heterosexual
supremacy.
2. Social constructivism posits that gender is socially constructed: Individuals do
not define their genders; rather, gender norms are defined, taught, and reinforced
by a society, by the people and institutions that create and participate in a
society.
Philosopher Judith Butlers concept of gender performativism complements
social constructivism. She says gender performativity is not a matter of choosing
which gender one will be today; performativity is a matter of reiterating or
repeating the acts ones society has defined as the norms.
NOTE: Performativism is the performance of a social or cultural role, for
example, a woman might perform motherhood, which means she acts in a way
compatible with social norms for how a mother should behave, think, and feel.
(And, oh ye gods if she does otherwise!)
Butler says your gender expression is not an expression of something within you,
it IS you. Consequently, you cannot be incorrectly expressing your gender.
This is a tricky concept, so think of it this way: Roses are red, right? So, believing
someone is incorrectly expressing their gender is like saying a yellow rose
because it is yellow, rather than the dominant redis incorrectly expressing its
rose-ness. But thats not true: We know the yellow rose is still a rose; it is simply
one of a non-dominant color.
3. Intrinsic inclination mode, a theory developed by geneticist Julia Serano, posits
that certain behaviors associated with exceptional (outside of the norm) gender
expressions are actually quite normal variations that are intrinsic (natural)
expressions of ones gender. For example, the gender expressions of members of
the LGBTQI+ community are intrinsic (natural) expressions, not exceptional
gender expressions. If you recall, in contrast to this theory, gender essentialism
would attribute such behaviors to genetic anomalies (abnormalities).
Serano challenges the concept of gender performativism (Butler) as possibly
patronizing (meaning that, although it appears to be helpful, it is based in a sense
of superiority) because, for some people, gender expression is indeed an
expression of something innate inside them.
For example, some children express their transgender identities at very young
ages, well before they have had adequate time to learn socially constructed
norms. Serano would consider this an innate expression of gender, not an
exceptional gender expression.
However, Serano is critical of both social constructivism and gender essentialism,
because they do an inadequate job of defining gender. Nonetheless, she still
embraces certain aspects of both.
Again, when people act in ways that do not conform to socially constructed
gender norms, gender essentialism would blame that on genetic anomalies. This
would mean that the LGBTQI+ population all have genetic anomalies that define
their genders.
Instead, Serano posits the concept of subconscious sexhow your brain expects
your body to be. The two should, in theory, match. For example, if the brain is
wired female, the body should have female parts and vice versa. According to this
concept, transgender peoples brains tell them their physical bodies dont match
their subconscious sex, while cisgender peoples brains find matching bodies.
Although this sounds similar to gender essentialism, Serano conceives that social
constructivism also contributes in a significant way to how one interprets ones
subconscious sexthe interpretation is affected by social constructs.
Conclusion
Butler, de Beauvoir, and Serano share some common thinking: Primarily, they
agree that ones gender is defined by more than one thingnot just your
conscious awareness of your gender. It is, possibly, a combination of biology,
society, and you.
You decide which, if any, theory, or theories, makes sense to you. However, more
important, perhaps, than coming up with the correct theory, is simply accepting
people for who they are, however they choose to express that.
