What is gender?

In My Humble Opinion
41

There is evidence from fMRI and MRI studies, as well as from the autopsy studies, of differences in the brains of transgender persons. These differences appear to show similarities between the brains of cisgender individuals of the chromosomal sex that matches the gender identity of the transgender person.

In short, transgender women have brain function seen under fMRI and MRI that is different than that of cisgender men, and appears to be much closer to that of cisgender women. The same thing (in reverse) is seen with transgender men. Because this is evolving research there is no way to definitively say “this MRI says this person is female/male/other gender.” Maybe someday, but given the continuum of gender identity which is lived by persons I doubt it can ever be done with total certainty.

Barring invasive testing and scans, we trust most people to have an understanding of their own gender identity.

42

Gender has two meanings at this point, as far as I can tell. I still has its traditional social role definition. And that is one where we’re trying to break down barriers, and stop pretending that women must be this stereotype and men must be this one.

But there’s also an internal sense of gender. Not everyone has it, and a lot of people who have it find it aligns with the gender society assigns them, and thus don’t notice it. But some people have an internal gender that is different from the gender society is assigning them. And this causes a ton of distress. Being allowed to present as the gender they identify as often aids in this distress.

This issue closely overlaps with people who have an internal gender that is at odds with their sex. Their brains are actually different, and the parts of their body like their hormones that push them one way cause them a lot of distress. Getting the right hormones will often prevent tons of psychological problems in these individuals.

At least, that’s how I understand it. I’m an ally, and one who sits from afar, not knowing any (out) trans folk in my non-Internet life. It seems that a lot of problems arise because some people think gender is entirely external and assigned by society, but it’s not that simple.

But neither is it as simple as your internal gender is equivalent to your sex–the external physical characteristics or genetic sex (XX or XY or other).

43

Well yes, that would be dickish of me, but let’s be clear, this is a head and heart issue, not an issue of objective fact. Or at least, no one has shown me that gender identity is based on anything other than one’s subjective feelings.

If that’s really all that’s going on, I can get behind that. But I was under the impression that there was something scientific going on, that people’s “real” gender could be different from the one they were assigned at birth. As a matter of objective fact. If I misunderstood, then no problem. People are entitled to be who they regard themselves as, and that goes beyond gender and into all aspects of identity.

44

Okay, so speaking scientifically, in what ways do womens brains function differently from mens?

45

There are observed differences in structure and electrical activity. Most but not all studies reveal this. The studies do not “prove” that there is a “female brain” or a “male brain,” but that there are differences in the organization of electrical impulses.

Wait, I thought you did research on this. It was in your OP. So what’s the deal?

Here, I’ll help. This is 4 years old and the evidence has grown stronger since then.

http://transascity.org/the-transgender-brain/

Note that a few studies showing little or no difference are also presented on that page.

46

THat doesn’t tell me how men and women behave differently or have different mental attributes as a result of differing brain chemistry. If tests showed that my brain was more similar to a female’s than a male’s, would that mean that I am “truly” female?

What does it mean to be a man? What does it mean to be a woman? In order to believe you are the opposite of your biology, you must have some pretty firm opinions on that. Why not state them?

47

ISTM that you have the idea that transfolks have some consious, thought out and defined idea of gender, and after cataloguing their own traits or characteristics hold them up for comparison against it. I can’t speak for anyone else, but for me this is the farthest thing from the truth. I don’t need to have any firm opinion on what it “means” to be any particular gender.

Simply put, when I reached puberty I began to feel intense depersonalisation: this body was not mine. This was extreme to the point of the whole world seeming unreal, and my experiencing myself as floating directly behind my head rather than existing in my body, in the world. I never suffered any traumatic experiences as a child that might make me feel this way. As teens do, I played about with different philosophies, worldviews - and identities. And when I began to view myself as male (transmasc, these days, I guess), these feelings lifted a great deal. They lifted further when I began taking testosterone, and more still with surgery. Now here I am, almost fifteen years later, very happy with the changes I’ve brought to my body, and feeling decidedly present within it.

I have no easy answer to what any particular gender “is”. I expect if my brain were scanned on autopsy its structure would more closely align with the cismale scans than cisfemale. But I in no way need to know what mental attributes or behaviours that structure might give rise to, to be firm in my own identity.

Sent from my SM-A300FU using Tapatalk

48

A test would not show you that your brain was more similar to a female’s than a male’s. It could show you that your brain was more similar to the average female’s brain than it is to the average male’s brain, or it could show you that your brain was more similar to one specific female’s brain (Theresa’s, let’s say) than to one specific male’s brain (Tony’s brain).

I’m not Una (but am answering anyway), and like most people I also have not had a physiological gender-test of my brain. Relying on things like behavior, priorities, values, personality, nuances, and so on, it appears to me, just as it has appeared to a lot of people in my life over the years (i.e. folks have said so), that I resemble women in general more than I resemble men in general. I have no idea whether that difference manifests in a measurable way at the brain level, nor do I care.

I am a part of the minority of males who are more like women than men (again, based on generalizations). What does it mean to say I “am a woman” instead of saying I am “like a woman”? Identity. That sense of “this is who I am, these are the people with whom I am part of a meaningful ‘us’”, the recognition of identity-in-common.

And I would turn the question on its head and ask it back at you (and other people): What does it mean to think of yourself as having an identity in common with other people who have the same biology? In what ways (if any) does the commonality of being males (or females) together link up with other common overlaps of experience and personality and other attributes to create that sense of “I am a man” or “I am a woman”? How would do you think it would be for you if the only thing you had in common with them and less so with the opposite sex was the physiological equipment?

49

Why don’t you “research” the tech papers which are cited at the link and do some legwork. Under that link is discussed the importance of chemical influence. Also, you can visit your local research library or university and ask the friendly librarians there for assistance.

It has nothing to do with being “opposite” of biology, because biology is on a very subtle spectrum. Most people are not 100% male or female in phenotype or biology, they are mostly such. Everyone has different responses to prenatal and postnatal hormone influence. Mostly slight, sometimes profound. Just as everyone has gender identity on a spectrum. This spectrum has very strong groupings on one side and the other, but there is a spectrum in between.

50

Illogical! Norman, co-ordinate!

51

Nor will it. Because what parts of your brain light up isn’t directly correlated to specific behavior. Well, yes it does…and no it doesn’t. Addicts brains light up in different ways than non-addicts - but there is a lot of variation in each group, and no set of radio buttons that says “addict” or “non-addict” But it isn’t like “if your brain lights up like this, you’ll want to go shoe shopping and if it lights up like that, you’ll want to go skeet shooting”