There are many preconceived notions of what it means to be male
or female. Often, we take it for granted that everyone is a
“he” or a “she,” but the simple reality is
that not everyone fits into these bipolar categories.
Most of us have heard of what it means to be transgender, but of
the 20 students I asked, only one knew what it meant to be
genderqueer: a person who doesn’t fit into the traditional
two-gender system, but instead identifies somewhere in between the
two genders, or as a completely different gender.
While it’s understandable that the term is not as widely
known as homosexual or queer, it’s still ludicrous that so
few people have been told or have come across the term genderqueer,
especially since it’s a term that could potentially apply to
so many.
In a way, most of us don’t fit into the constricting idea
of binary genders. We may be females with certain masculine traits,
or vice versa. Or maybe we have traits that are neither male nor
female.
While we may not question our association with either gender,
many of us have never been offered any other options. I know I
often feel pressured to act a certain way because I am female, and
I know these pressures must affect how I live my life. But what if
this bipolar notion of gender didn’t exist?
Some people prefer to view gender as a spectrum, with male and
female at either end. Still others, such as fifth-year art student
Kale Likover, subscribe to the view that gender is socially
constructed. They feel that even a spectrum is constricting because
it ignores people who don’t feel they fit anywhere between
the two conventional genders.
Likover, who has recently been going by Kale as opposed to her
given name, Naomi, due to its perceived femininity, identifies as
genderqueer.
“Gender for me is more fluid than the ““ I guess
““ average person. I would describe myself as a genderqueer
trannie dyke boy.”
While Likover could have tried to redefine the name Naomi and
challenge the femininity associated with it, Kale made it easier to
occasionally pass as a male. “I don’t want an alias,
because I’m still me.
“If gender construction was not so constrictive, then
people would experiment more with their gender presentation and
identity,” Likover said.
This is possibly the very goal of genderqueer expression.
As fifth-year American literature student Georgina Wakefield,
former chair of QueerXGirl, put it, “The way gender is
socialized is complicated and so prevalent that genderqueer can be
empowering for many people because it allows them to challenge that
pressure.”
Basically, genderqueer expression is about being who you want to
be, not what society expects you to be. The term genderqueer gives
you a word to associate with while not belonging to the convention
of binary genders.
This can mean almost anything you want it to ““ from not
having the conventional sexual orientation of your gender, to not
feeling like you belong to your assumed gender, to not having a
gender at all.
The idea of gender as fluid raises many issues, such as strictly
male or female bathrooms and gender-restrictive pronouns.
“I think people who have ambiguous gender representation
would have such an easier time if there was gender-neutral
bathrooms,” expressed Likover, who currently uses female
restrooms due in part to fear of being attacked in a male
restroom.
Likover has also just begun to ask people not to use
gender-specific pronouns. Instead of she/her and he/his, Likover
prefers to use they/their or genderqueer pronouns such as
ze/hir.
While this may seem like a lot of effort, it will become easier
with time. It’s important to respect someone’s wishes
regarding their own gender. Besides, these details are the first
step in creating an all-inclusive society.
As the “guys” and the “girls” decide
which fraternities and sororities to join, we must remember that
not everyone fits into this binary gender system. In fact, probably
very few of us feel 100 percent male or female. For those of you
who do, that’s awesome ““ the system works for you.
But for those of you who call yourselves metro, tomboy or simply
have no label for your gender, give a thought to genderqueer.
Ideally, the term will encompass all people ““ strictly male
or female being no more normal from being in between genders or
completely outside gender conventions.
Just take a moment to think of all the times you’ve felt
pressure to act a certain way because of your perceived gender. If
you’re a girl, maybe you didn’t feel that it was right
to speak up in class, major in science, or cut your hair short.
Maybe you have battled or are battling an eating disorder.
If you’re a guy, maybe you still don’t feel right
wanting to be a heterosexual fashion designer, or maybe
you’re constantly pressured to be “big,” to play
like a man and not a puny girl.
Genderqueer relieves these pressures. It completely removes
these preconceived notions of gender, which, for me at least, is a
great weight off my shoulders. So give it some serious thought, and
maybe you’ll discover that inner “ze.”
Send your thoughts regarding gender and fluidity to
Loewenstein at lloewenstein@media.ucla.edu. Send general comments
to viewpoint@media.ucla.edu.