Gender: The Same or Different?

Gender and gender equality are nearly always tied up with morality and rights issues.

Is man superior? Is woman superior? Are they the same “inside?”

A commenter responded in anger at God for allowing Lot to offer his daughters to be gang raped in place of his male guests. I think this is a much better example of the in-equality between men and women in the Bible and world society than other examples often used. At the same time, it adds a ringer: is homosexuality wrong?

The story of Lot and his family is in the Bible to teach a morality lesson. Actually several at once. The offering of the daughters should certainly be abhorrent to all decent human beings, but the people of Sodom were anything but decent.

Many think that this is a story about the evil of homosexuality; I will not dispute that argument, but it isn’t just the sexuality either way. This is gang rape, power and degenerate pleasure whether hetero or homo. NOT about a consenting relationship.

The point: as terrible as it is to give your daughter to be gang raped, it would be worse to give your son (or any male under your protection). The points of entry are far different.

The story of Lot is a morality play. We go a little further down the road and we have these same daughters “laying” with their father due to a possible lack of opportunity elsewhere. So we see that they are not shy when it comes to sex. We have two tracks going along side by side.

1. The use of sex as a tool of pleasure and/or domination
2. The social interactions between men and women

In the case of number one, it really doesn’t matter the sex of either participant(s). It is solely a power play or method of self-gratification using a human tool.

In the case of number two, it seems to be an historical universal constant in human society that the male (strong) dominates the female (weak). There are many methods by which this is done – only a few of which are:

1. Female circumcision. Remember, circumcision is not limited to the female. This is to show and exert ownership over the party by the owner: man over woman; God over man.

2. Prescribed dress. A burka in Islam, a dress in the west, a kimono in Japan, tight shoes in China to give a few examples. Even in the “liberal” establishment, for a woman to wear a suit and tie would be to show an amazing degree of assertiveness.

3. I woman’s place is ________ . Fill in the blank: in the home; in the kitchen; 2 steps behind the husband; behind shuttered doors; serving the coffee or greeting the clients in the office; to be a beautiful flower/trophy on the arm of the husband.
In Japan a woman is expected to quit work upon marriage to raise a family.
In America we are much more open minded – She can work AND raise a family. A balancing act that Superwoman would find challenging.
In traditional society – whether confined to the home or allowed to have her own business, it is for the sole purpose of the husband and family.

4. Equal pay for equal work? Still a pipe dream for most if not all.

Gender equality, here is the issue: Is it gender sameness(“I’m the same as you”); or parity (“I’m as good as you.”)?

On the one side, the first is the "natural man" mantra; the socialist ethic and the prevailing “politically correct” view.

Stand two people side by side and exchange parts, no difference. The difference is only superficial and of no real importance. To look at or treat each other differently is discrimination. So school boys and girls can shower together, room together, play sports together, etc. “It’s just a tool of reproduction, nothing more.” No problem. The problem is that this negates the value and unique quality of each. This is the ultimate degradation of the woman!

The other side – parity. A man is a man and a woman is a woman. They are different and should be respected as such. We are each unique as a whole self-contained entity. We each have qualities that are not interchangeable, nor the same. The woman should be equally respected, not looked down on, nor condescended to.

Medical science is proving the second option to be true. Not only are we biologically different but our psychological structure and processes are different as well.

So, is gender equality possible, impossible; desirable, undesirable? Which equality do you want?

1. I’m the same as you. No different.
2. I’m as good as you and different.

Questions unanswered:

What is gender? Does gender occur at birth? Does gender carry a morality? Is homosexuality wrong? Are homosexuals deviants? Are transgender humans violating morality?

What is gender?

Humans aside, we see in nature a division in each life form: one aspect we call male and another aspect we call female. All earth bound life forms have these two characteristics and it is through this that they reproduce.

We can look at humans and see the same dynamic at work. Thus we can say that Gender is the identification label given to each of the two reproductive living entities making up the human race.

Does gender carry morality? What is “morality”? In other words, "what is normal"?

What is a definition of norm. To understand norm we must identify being and purpose. We have looked at "being" above. We must now look at purpose.

What is nature’s purpose for gender?

An Empirical Realist must answer this question honestly as we would observe it in nature. When we answer this question, we can then answer all other questions.

Whether or not we consider “not normal” dangerous or disruptive to society or any situation; or that it simply makes life more interesting for us, must be decided elsewhere.

Question: What if a man loses his penis or a woman contracts vaginal cancer and loses her vagina? Do they lose their sexuality?

If we look at the definition of gender and the medical research that has been and is being done, we can see that gender is a systemic situation. The external condition of the body is not a determining factor it is resultant.