Gender

So I recently read a book,that I recommend, called Middlesex by Jeffrey Eugenides which deals with issues of gender. The protagonist,Cal, was born a hermaphrodite with male features but was raised in the female gender stereotype. Cal or Calliope, was expected to play with dolls, wear dresses and like boys, but this made him have difficulties. He couldn’t be either female or male and struggled between both genders. Cal felt he didn’t fit any gender identity or role, “ I never felt out of place being a girl. I still don’t feel entirely at home among men.”

These gender issues are seen in our society and how they expect every individual to fall into one category, male or female. We usually oppress and judge a person if they don’t follow the “norms”. Many homosexuals are the ones that feel this struggle of identity since they want to be accepted as a natural person as any other. Now in day, our society may be more lenient than the past generations but ignorant people still exist. Many ignorant people value their opinions and don’t accept anything else. People who close their mind to the possibilities of different realities, will stay ignorant. Some justifications people would give is that gender roles have been established since a very long time and men and women are different. But I believe no one should be tied down to “tradition” and should just embrace equality.

Using religion or any other excuse to oppress an individual isn't acceptable. Why reject someone’s rights to freedom? People should be defined by who they are, and not by what they are supposed to be. That’s why I believe gender roles aren’t important or essential to define an individual. Anyone is free to choose what they want to be.