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Caitlyn Jenner and Sexual Stereotyping

Caitlyn Jenner and Sexual Stereotyping

Last updated on: June 7, 2015 at 9:46 am by Aidan Kelly

Caitlyn Jenner and Sexual Stereotyping 2015-06-07T09:46:18-07:00 Aidan Kelly

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I applaud Caitlyn! For her courage and for being gorgeous—at 65! There is hope for the middle-aged, and other hope as well.

Many (please insert your own negative word here) statements are being thrown at her in the news and social media, by people who are (insert another negative word). She is accused of cashing in on her athletic fame, of doing this only for the money. That sort of bigotry really pisses me off.

My immediate reaction to her Vanity Fair cover was: Wow, she is a beacon of hope for everyone who has been abused by our cultural stereotypes. She is saying, “You too can have the courage to come out of the closet.” Of course, since she is 65, I suspect she has reached the stage of not giving a flying f*ck about what other people think. One can reach that stage at any age; it is a primary symptom of mental health.

I feel about Caitlyn as I felt when I saw Cassidy Campbell crying, when I saw her joy, because the students at her high school believed so freely and thoroughly that Cassidy is a girl that they elected her as their Homecoming Queen. This was not merely a frivolous high-school custom; electing a Queen of any sort is a powerful statement to an entire community, just as it is when Pagans elect a Queen of the Fall Mysteries. I wept for her, and for us all. Her freedom is our freedom. I believe that all human beings have a natural right to be whoever and whatever they choose to be. Our advantage as Americans is that that right is guaranteed for us by law. Those who deny that are on their way to join the dinosaurs.

Most of the negativity directed at Caitlyn is coming from people who believe the obsolete and simpleminded stereotype that there are only two types of human beings—the male, masculine men; and the female, feminine women—and that other types do not exist or are unnatural. (Such people are very often Creationists.) The stereotype also ascribes opposing characteristics to “Males” and “Females,” such as dominant/submissive, active/passive, and so on. Look, whatever exists is natural. (Maybe I could make a case that LGBTQ etc. people are supernatural. That might be fun.)

In a past blog, looking at all the factors related to sexuality, I calculated there are at least 365 possible combinations. We could celebrate a different one every day of the year.

Let’s stipulate that “male,” “masculine,” and “man” are not synonyms; they refer to very different aspects of being human. Ditto for “female,” “feminine,” and “woman.” For the sake of clarity, let me explain how I will be using these words in what follows. (Please don’t quibble about how you would define them. This is just for discussion.)

I use “male/female” to refer to physiology, particularly the reproductive organs, as determined by each person’s unique genetic code. There are millions of people in the world who do not fit the “standard” model for physiology. In Europe, parents can now list babies as being male, female, or intersex, and arbitrary “sex reassignment” surgery on infants is on the way to being banned. Children have the right to make that choice themselves when they are older.

I use “masculine/feminine” to refer to gender identity, which seems to be primarily psychological, yet also seems (according to personal testimony) to have some innate factors. That is, it is partly (but not entirely) learned. Obviously a great deal more serious research needs to be done on this issue.

And I use “man/woman” as names for social roles, as defined by the rules for behavior in one’s culture. This aspect seems to be entirely learned, as is true for all culture. A great benefit of studying anthropology is discovering all the unexamined assumptions about what behavior is innate in all humans. The answer is, almost none. A feminine female can easily learn a social role as a man—if she is allowed to.

Are there any real persons described by the stereotypes? I doubt it. See for yourself where you fit, by trying the following quiz. (No, it ain’t scientific. Just be honest with yourself; you might learn something new. You don’t have to show the results to anyone.)

Circle the truest answer for each question and add them up. (Notice the number sequence flips on about every other question.) If you absolutely fit the stereotype for “male,” your total would be 100; if for “female,” the score would be 20. Real people will be somewhere in the middle. Draw your own conclusions.

PLEASE notice I do Not think the statements in ##13-20 are “true.” They are merely the assumptions about personal characteristics that are implicit in the stereotypes. (I have no idea why this furshluginer system will not space the lines the way I tell it to.)

I have the functioning sexual organs of a male

Very true of me 5 4 3 2 1 Not at all true of me

2. I have the functioning sexual organs of a female

Very true of me 1 2 3 4 5 Not at all true of me

3. I think of myself as having the social role of a man

Very true of me 5 4 3 2 1 Not at all true of me

4. I think of myself as having the social role of a woman

Very true of me 1 2 3 4 5 Not at all true of me

I think of myself as being psychologically (my gender identity is) feminine

Very true of me 1 2 3 4 5 Not at all true of me

I think of myself as being psychologically(my gender identity is) masculine

Very true of me 5 4 3 2 1 Not at all true of me

I prefer to have partners who are physically male

Very true of me 1 2 3 4 5 Not at all true of me

I prefer to have partners who are physically female

Very true of me 5 4 3 2 1 Not at all true of me

I prefer to have partners whose gender identity is masculine

Very true of me 1 2 3 4 5 Not at all true of me

10. I prefer to have partners whose gender identity is feminine

Very true of me 5 4 3 2 1 Not at all true of me

11. I prefer to have partners whose social role is as men

Very true of me 1 2 3 4 5 Not at all true of me

12. I prefer to have partners whose social role is as women

Very true of me 5 4 3 2 1 Not at all true of me

[The following are personal characteristics as assumed by the stereotype.]

13. I am assertive and proactive in pursuing what I want

Very true of me 5 4 3 2 1 Not at all true of me

14, I am empathic and bond emotionally with everyone in my life, especially my lovers

Very true of me 1 2 3 4 5 Not at all true of me

15. I prefer to have a single partner rather than two or more

Very true of me 1 2 3 4 5 Not at all true of me

16. I prefer to have a lifelong marriage rather than several shorter ones

Very true of me 1 2 3 4 5 Not at all true of me

17. I want to have sex as often as possible

Very true of me 5 4 3 2 1 Not at all true of me

18. I express and show my feelings to others easily

Very true of me 1 2 3 4 5 Not at all true of me

19. I regularly network with the people in my life

Very true of me 1 2 3 4 5 Not at all true of me

20. I am independent and can take care of myself

Very true of me 5 4 3 2 1 Not at all true of me

Now that you have your total, it’s up to you to decide what it means.

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