Emotional Choice: Is Gender Identity A Decision?

Gender identity is a person's internal sense of being a man, a woman, both, neither, or somewhere in between. It is not a choice, but rather an innate part of who a person is. While gender identity can be fluid for some people, it cannot be changed through sheer force of will.

Gender identity is influenced by a combination of inherent and extrinsic or environmental forces. Biological factors, such as hormones and genes, play a significant role in its development. Additionally, social factors, such as gender roles conveyed by family, authority figures, and society at large, also shape gender identity.

The concept of gender identity is distinct from gender expression, which refers to how a person manifests their personality, behaviours, and appearance based on their gender identity. While gender expression typically reflects a person's gender identity, this is not always the case.

Gender identity is an innate sense of self, not a choice

Gender identity is defined as someone's personal conception of themselves, which leads to the concept of a gender role. Gender identity refers to how a person identifies themselves based on a combination of inherent and extrinsic or environmental forces. Gender identity can correlate with a person's assigned sex or can differ from it. In most individuals, the various biological determinants of sex are congruent and consistent with the individual's gender identity.

Gender expression typically reflects a person's gender identity, but this is not always the case. While a person may express behaviours, attitudes, and appearances consistent with a particular gender role, such expression may not necessarily reflect their gender identity.

There are several theories about how and when gender identity forms, and studying the subject is difficult because children's immature language acquisition requires researchers to make assumptions from indirect evidence. It is widely agreed that core gender identity is firmly formed by age three. At this point, children can make firm statements about their gender and tend to choose activities and toys considered appropriate for their gender, although they do not yet fully understand the implications of gender. After age three, it is extremely difficult to change gender identity.

Gender identity is not a choice but is influenced by a combination of biological, social, and environmental factors. Biological factors include genes and hormones, while social factors include ideas regarding gender roles conveyed by family, authority figures, mass media, and other influential people in a child's life. Environmental factors include unique experiences that are not universal to all individuals of a particular gender.

Society's expectations of gender roles can negatively impact mental health

Gender norms and gender roles are social principles that dictate how people of a particular gender and age are expected to behave in a given social context. These norms are neither static nor universal and change over time and across cultures. While some gender norms are positive, such as the norm that children shouldn't smoke, others can lead to harmful gender roles that result in inequalities between girls and boys.

Secondly, gender norms can lead to gender-based violence (GBV), which includes various forms of harm inflicted on individuals based on gender differences. Worldwide, 1 in 3 women experiences some form of GBV during their lifetime, and girls are particularly vulnerable to sexual violence due to gender roles. School-related GBV is also a significant issue, with bullying being the most common form of violence in schools, affecting 1 in 3 students aged 13-15.

Thirdly, society's expectations of gender roles can create a double burden for girls and women, who are often expected to balance both work and household chores, leaving little time for education or leisure. This "double work duty" falls disproportionately on girls and can negatively impact their mental health and well-being.

Finally, non-conformity to societal gender expectations can lead to discrimination, ostracism, and even violence. Trans and gender-nonconforming individuals often face social stigma, bullying, and hate crimes due to their identities. The stress of constantly navigating a world that is not built for them and having to fight for their basic rights can take a significant toll on their mental health.

In conclusion, society's expectations of gender roles can negatively impact mental health by perpetuating gender inequality, contributing to gender-based violence, creating double burdens for certain groups, and fostering discrimination and violence against those who do not conform to traditional gender norms.

Social constructivists argue gender identity is influenced by cultural and social factors

Social constructivists argue that gender identity is not an inherent truth, but a product of social expectations and cultural and historical contexts. This means that gender identity is influenced by the cultural and social factors that surround an individual.

Social constructionism is a theory of knowledge that explores the interplay between reality and human perception. It asserts that reality is shaped by social interactions and perceptions, and that social perceptions play a role in creating reality. This theory contrasts with objectivism, which assumes that empirical facts alone define reality.

Social constructivists believe that gender is a social identity that needs to be contextualized. They argue that individuals internalize social expectations for gender norms and behave accordingly. This means that gender identity is not an inherent trait, but rather a learned behaviour that is influenced by societal norms and individual expression.

Judith Butler, a prominent social theorist, argues that gender is not an essential category, but rather a repeated performance of "male" and "female" that reinforces the idea of a binary gender system. She suggests that gender is never a stable descriptor of an individual but is instead a series of ongoing judgments and evaluations by others.

Social constructionism also emphasizes the role of power structures and hierarchies in shaping reality. In the context of gender, this can refer to the power dynamics between men and women, with men typically holding more social power.

Additionally, social constructionism highlights the fluidity of gender identity, suggesting that it can be influenced by various factors throughout an individual's life. This includes factors such as education, media representation, and personal experiences.

In summary, social constructivists argue that gender identity is not an inherent trait but is influenced by cultural and social factors, including societal norms, power structures, and individual experiences.

Biological factors, such as hormones and genes, may also influence gender identity

Biological Factors Influencing Gender Identity

Biological factors such as hormones and genes play a significant role in shaping gender identity. The early hormone environment, particularly prenatal exposure to testosterone, has a masculinising effect on gender identity, while its absence has a feminising effect. This is supported by research on animals and humans, as well as clinical conditions associated with disorders in sexual development. For instance, boys tend to have higher levels of androgens (male sex hormones) than girls. However, girls with congenital adrenal hyperplasia (CAH) have significantly higher androgen levels, resulting in more masculine traits and behaviours. This provides evidence of the influence of prenatal hormones on gender identity.

Furthermore, family and twin studies indicate that genes also play a role in gender identity, although no specific candidate genes have been identified. The number of older brothers a person has may implicate maternal immune responses as a contributing factor for male sexual orientation.

While biological factors are important, it is essential to recognise that gender identity is a complex phenomenon influenced by various factors. Social and environmental factors, such as upbringing and societal expectations, also shape an individual's gender identity.

Social factors, such as parental influence, can shape a child's gender identity

Parental child-rearing gender-role attitudes (PCGA) significantly impact their children's social adjustment. PCGA refers to parents' inherent attitudes and opinions on boys' and girls' choices of games and toys and whether their behaviours in future occupations align with their gender roles. Parents with more rigid gender attitudes tend to buy toys that reinforce gender stereotypes for their children. For example, boys are more likely to receive toys that are operable and social, like cars and transformers, while girls are more likely to receive toys that can be used for a single purpose, like dolls and tableware.

The way parents play with their children extends to the way children play with their peers, and stereotyped play styles can affect children's interpersonal interactions. Parents with more enlightened attitudes focus on cultivating their children's awareness of gender equality, which is helpful for children's self-exploration, sound personality formation, and social adjustment.

The family structure can also influence PCGA. In single-parent families, parents may adopt more negative PCGA towards their children compared to those in traditional families with two parents. This can contribute to the development of character defects such as pessimism, indifference, isolation, and strong aggression in children. Children in single-parent families may also have problems with their gender role identity due to the lack of exposure to dual-parent roles, which can weaken their interpersonal abilities.

In summary, social factors, including parental influence, play a significant role in shaping a child's gender identity. Parents' attitudes and behaviours towards gender can influence their children's social adjustment and interpersonal interactions. The way parents play with their children and the toys they provide can reinforce or challenge gender stereotypes. Family structure can also impact PCGA, with single-parent families potentially adopting more negative attitudes.

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