What does Serano mean by "subconscious sex" and especially "experiential gender" (see pages 215-227)?
What does Serano mean by "subconscious sex" and especially "experiential gender" (see pages 215-227)?
In the book Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity by Julia Serano, several important questions are raised. One definition Serano provides is subconscious sex, or the self-conscious understanding of the sex one feels they should be or belongs to. What is meant by this definition is the duality of both the 'genderized' sex and the other “best” gender that fits within the one individual. Its applications are used to describe the reality that genderqueer and LGBTQ+ individuals experience. Serano goes on to explain that a lot of definitions to explain the biases against transsexuals are a result of gender constructions. While this isn’t a real surprise to anyone, gender constructions bar individuals from freely expressing the gender they feel is most appropriate for them. Moreover, as Serano notes, gender is speculative. As a result of gender constructions, what we observe to be gender typically falls within the binary system. This begs the question of how should we explore and appreciate different genders.
I would argue that bending current gender norms and constructions would be the best path forward in allowing for subconscious sex to be explore safely while not having the stigma of an ‘experimental gender.’ A solution to this would be introducing education about gender norms, constructions, and exploration during middle school and high school.
The path towards subconscious sex being explored in a safe and constructive manner is to ensure the proper education of individuals in society.
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