On Sex, Ribbons, and Why Cows Still Aren’t Bulls

culturallyboundgender writes:

Whether you are new to the world of feminism or not, you have probably heard one of these arguments in favor of accepting identity-based sex/gender* definitions:

  • Sex is a spectrum, not a binary
  • There are people with chromosomes that don’t match their outward physical appearance
  • There exists a huge range of intersex conditions, challenging the very idea of what we consider “male” or “female”

But these sex is a spectrum arguments are sophistry. They are a word game. . . . Because these arguments always lead up to “identity,” and intersex conditions are conditions existing in material reality.

Let’s take, by way of example, something we all accept is a spectrum already: visible light.

Blue light and red light exist toward the ends of this spectrum, and there is a dramatic range of colors in between.

And yet, discoveries of new colors within that spectrum — or the fuzzy boundaries between what we, for instance, perceive as red versus orange — do not mean that yellow is whatever someone identifies as yellow (or believes is yellow with all their heart).

[S]ome sheep being born with ambiguous genitalia and infertility issues doesn’t mean a ram can suddenly be a ewe upon request.

Sex spectrum arguments are irrelevant to the idea of identity-based sex and gender definitions. They are a deliberate time-wasting tactic engaged in by mansplainers, who jump in with an “Aaaaactually…” and then use this red herring to confuse the argument and claim victory.

Bookmark this post — and the next time you hear someone making this argument, send them this way.

https://culturallyboundgender.wordpress.com/2018/10/10/on-sex-ribbons-and-why-cows-still-arent-bulls/

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