Random question...

[conuly]

While I know this isn't the same as transgender-ism (transsexualism? transsomethingism?), it's certainly close enough for this question to pop into my mind.

In many societies, the gender roles and images are different from what they are here. For example, I remember reading in Jenn's anthro book that... some random society has the men characterized as being emotional, and the women as practical. Others have men devoted to makeup, while women disdain it, and so on. If you're somebody who in this society is placed in the wrong gender roles, would you still be transgendered if you had been born in a society where, say, the roles were very much reversed?

Yes, my terminology kinda sucks. Sorry. Feel free to correct.

And yes, I'm aware that this is all speculative, since there's no way for any of us to turn back the clock and try it.

Comments

[conuly]

I can see where you're coming from, but there just isn't any place like that now. (the whole men/women gender role flip place)

There's no place where they're completely flipped, no, but there are places where certain aspects are flipped. If enough of those aspects were flipped (or if just the ones that mattered to you were flipped), it might as well be all of them.

[lakidaa.livejournal.com]

true.

maan, gender is so complicated. I say we call everyone by the pronouns they want and cover the whole genderflipping process under insurance. and stuff.

[conuly]

Actually, I'm trying to work out a conlang where pronouns are based on relative age.

[lakidaa.livejournal.com]

huh.

never been good at that conlang stuff. I'm better at making the culture around stuff.

Still working on this pair of them; one is kinda germanic and plainsy, while the other one is somewhat like feudal Japan crossed with old-skool-,before-we-got-there Hawaii.

Mostly because I like those culures, but hey, they look nice so far.

[wispfox.livejournal.com]

I say we call everyone by the pronouns they want

Considering that I randomly forget what gendered pronoun to use _now_, that would rapidly confuse me, really badly.

Hey, I wonder if that would be the kind of thing one would have to ask along with one's name? And I wonder if I would remember any more easily than I remember names?

[lakidaa.livejournal.com]

I ask when I'm using AIM, so as to not insult.

Well, I forget names chronically too, but I've been getting better.

Now, if only there was a way to ask that nicely...