Is Gender an Illusion?

[MissSweet77]

Bear with me, now.

So I was doing a paper for my Human Sexuality class, and the instructions were to take this test, and write an essay, comparing where you thought you'd score to where you actually did, why do you think that was so, is this test accurate, etc.

*EDIT: You can do it here, too.*

The test scores like so: -20 and beyond is Feminine, -19 to -10 is Nearly Feminine, -9 to 9 is androgynous, 10 to 19 is Nearly Masculine, and 20 and up is Masculine. I went into this expecting to get a score that leaned more on the masculine side, but still pretty androgynous, and I somehow scored 77.

I like to call this area "masculine as ********".

But then I stopped, and actually thought about the questions on the test. Basically, if you answered too many questions implying you're a pushover punk b***h, congrats, you're feminine. If all of the times the test asks you 'Do you take s**t from people?' you answer 'no', you're masculine. The characteristics were stereotypical and self-perpetuating ideas assigned to each gender by this (United States) specific culture.

And then I had an epiphany. If gender roles vary from culture to culture, and they do, how can gender be a predetermined concept?

@_@

So:

1) If you did the test, which you probably won't, where did you think you'd score, and where did you actually score?
2) Do you think this test is complete bullshit like I do? Why or why not?
3) If this test is boosh, how can gender be determined?
4)Am I overthinking this?

(I promise you're not helping me with my homework. I only have to write about my own test score. C: )

[The Herald of Death]

Huh. I came out as nearly masculine at 16. Probably due to my aggressive traits in particular.

My female score was 68, my male score was 84, but my neutral score would have been 98 if they counted that.

Oh and I do think the test is way too stereotypical.

[Love Muffin88]

1) If you did the test, which you probably won't, where did you think you'd score, and where did you actually score?
Didn't take it, because I've taken a few like it before. They always varied.

2) Do you think this test is complete bullshit like I do? Why or why not?
With how stereotypical and general the answers are, yeah. I mainly find test like these to be pointless. Not in the rude way, but what could they possibly be used for?

3) If this test is boosh, how can gender be determined?
What does "boosh" mean? I don't know.

4)Am I overthinking this?
I wouldn't say over thinking it. It's just a case of "hey, wait a minute".

[Tranquil Surrogate]

It's simple. Do you have a p***s or a v****a?

[MissSweet77]

Tranquil Surrogate

It's simple. Do you have a p***s or a v****a?

Sexual organs should not dictate gender identification any more than skin color should dictate culture.

[Vanilla-Parfait]

Gender is a social construction, while sex is what your genitals are. I believe male/female traits are 100% social construction. While there are plenty of scientific studies ready to point out differences between men and women, they are all biased studies since every person grows up in a gender role assigned to them by society. Unfortunately there is no way to observe humans in an environment where gender as social construction doesn't exist, so it's impossible to say that "men are like this and women are like this".

[Stuch BSc]

MissSweet77

Sexual organs should not dictate gender identification any more than skin color should dictate culture.

But for now, they do.

[the puffin dance]

Yes it very much is.

People become what they let themeslves become, but conditioning is a huge part of that.

[the puffin dance]

Stuch BSc

MissSweet77

Sexual organs should not dictate gender identification any more than skin color should dictate culture.

But for now, they do.

No not really, even in texas razz

[the puffin dance]

In texas you can be a lesbian black judge that refuses to marry hetero people

go figure.

[Stuch BSc]

the puffin dance

No not really, even in texas razz

[Cat of Ice]

Gender is your reproductive systems, simple as that.

[Captain Verd]

It's not an illusion, it's just fluid.

[Captain Verd]

Cat of Ice

Gender is your reproductive systems, simple as that.

Ugh no, this is talking about psychological gender, as it's usually used it these sorts of discussions. Physical sex =/= psychological gender. Please keep that in mind so people don't just facepalm at you and s**t.

[Cat of Ice]

Captain Verd

Cat of Ice

Gender is your reproductive systems, simple as that.

Ugh no, this is talking about psychological gender, as it's usually used it these sorts of discussions. Physical sex =/= psychological gender. Please keep that in mind so people don't just facepalm at you and s**t.

I know that I'm going to get yelled at for this, but I'm going to post anyway.

Thinking you are a girl does not make you a girl if you have male parts. You can be a male who dresses and acts like a girl, but you are still not a girl.

It's just like if tell myself I am a garden gnome, and convince myself I am, but that does not change the fact I am not physicaly a garden gnome.