There are Either Two Genders… or Billions.

The discussion of gender is growing by the day and I wish to put in my two cents. I wish to treat this subject with due respect and reverence. I must confess, I am confused by the gender movement of today. I must admit that I don’t quite understand the issue. What’s the problem? What’s the solution? How does the solution solve the problem? I don’t have answers to these questions and wish to be more of a student than a teacher until I have full understanding. However, I wish to share my understanding in an attempt to get charitable feedback. I believe there are two genders and this is why.

Naturally, I come from a conservative Christian worldview. Gender and Sex are tied together and inseparable without grave consequences. The reason there are two genders is because my worldview values procreation. We have an XX and XY chromosome which produces an egg and sperm respectively. The designation of gender is dependent on which side of the procreation equation we biologically fall into.

Possibly, there is a third category where both biological gender facts are found in the same person. This category may still fit into one side of the equation or it is mark by a privation of both genders. With reverence, these people are still people owed dignity and respect, but often times this third category is sterile. In a worldview which values procreation, it makes sense this possible third category does not feel welcomed in a two gender philosophy. A spiritual fertility is still possible, but biological fertility would place them either as a man or a women whether it is truly fitting or not. I pray we become better equipped to address those who do not fit cleanly into the two gender philosophy.

For me, any explanation on gender must also adequately explain the role procreation plays in the gender theory. For those who are asexual or willfully choose to not have children, that is a valid worldview, but fails to address what role procreation does play in gender. Perhaps, at this point there is some ad hominem attacks where I am labeled as bigoted, brainwash, supremacist, fascist, or any other readily accessible insults. But procreation must not be dismissed, because eventually our time on Earth will end and the next generations, for better or worse, will be affected by our decisions made in our lifetime.

I emphasize procreation in concern for those who are not yet born. If we willfully choose a lifestyle that sacrifices our fertility or ends our family tree, then generations of human species is halted by our lifestyle choice. The debate around how many genders exist could be contentious now adays, but in 100 or 200 years will there be any person to advocate a “I won’t have kids” lifestyle? By definition, only the people that begets the next generation have the opportunity to pass on their culture through the centuries. There will always be people who opt for a no child lifestyle, consecrated life in the Catholic Church is one such version albeit with a spirituality respecting procreation. The question remains where does procreation fit into a gender theory that has more than two genders?

Why do I say in the title there are billions of gender? I’m working under the assumption that gender can be explained either intrinsically or extrinsically. In other words, is it pure biology or is there a social component imposed onto people? I prefer the world view where gender is intrinsically assigned, which means sex and gender are one in the same. If gender is extrinsically assigned, then sex and gender are separated. Sex is the biology that we are born with and must be cognizant of for medical reasons. Gender is how we wish to be perceived by society. However, society is not a single entity, but a collection of individuals. There are billions of people made up in the global society; societies within societies within societies. Therefore, if gender is how others perceive us, then our gender is determined by the billions of perceptions that exist in the world.

An extrinsic understanding of gender refuses to use objectivity as an anchor and has us free floating in a world of subjectivity. It is up to the subject, the individual, to determine the reality of gender. Since every person is an individual, there is billions of subjective perceptions which may coincidentally line up. The sisyphean effort to classify all of the possible genders can only be possible after establishing distinct patterns or agreed upon perceptions. If gender is extrinsically imposed, then it begs the question on who is imposing the gender labels?

If gender is imposed by culture, then would one gender classification be the same in the United States as in Russia as in South Africa as in Chile as in France? Gender stereotypes do exist, but they are not identical across cultures and nations. The lack of grounding objectivity of an extrinsic view of gender, consequently, leads to confusion when a culture is not homogenous. In other words, the discussion of gender being extrinsic is only possible within an echo chamber of worldviews. There is a correlation between parents who subscribe to a multi-gender worldview and their children who identify as non-binary confirming gender standards. Meanwhile, aboriginal tribes or less “developed” cultures almost unanimously believe in two genders which is decided at birth.

Children naturally understand the binary that comes with biology, but won’t intuitively understand a multi-gender perspective. The only way for a child to understand is if their understanding is imposed on them by their educators and formators. Which is the definition of extrinsic gender worldview. If left to their own devices, boys will gather together and girls will gather together. There will be some boys that feel more comfortable with girls and some girls who are more comfortable with boys. But the distinction will always be shouted out in the playground “You’re a girl!” or “You’re a boy!” The immaturity of their worldview goes to show how difficult it is to break from the biological view of gender. I’m sure there are testimonies of woke parents trying to raise their children outside of gender roles, but the girls insist on playing more nurturing roles and the boys insist on greater risk taking behaviors.

I remain convinced that there are two genders. Anyone who wishes to impose more genders unto society must approach it from an extrinsic or subjective perspective. I prefer to be rooted in objectivity and intrinsic perspective. The human anatomy is made a certain way and altering the anatomy will not change our role in procreation. Someone will have the seed and someone will have a womb.

For an extrinsic view, the goal is to be perceived as the desired gender. However, the perception people have of us is outside of our control. If we desire to control the billions of possible perspectives we encounter, then I wish you well because such an endeavor sounds exhausting to me. We may go through expensive transitioning treatments just to fail to change people’s perspective of us. Maybe it’s a poor comparison, but I’m an identical twin. Growing up, people called me the wrong name due to my identical twin brother. Out of laziness, I played along pretending to be my brother to avoid the social awkwardness of correcting someone’s earnest attempt to socialize.

Two genders makes sense to me. I don’t see the need to have new genders to explain how we want to interact with people. I believe it is possible to talk about attraction or our relationships without tying it to our gender. I go back to my three questions: What is the problem? What is the solution? How does the solution solve the problem?

I grew up in a time where we were told, “Be happy as you are.” Some how that wisdom has not aged well and is met with persecution these days. If we seek our happiness from the opinion of the masses, then I assure you we will fail. All people are made in the image and likeness of God who is goodness, beauty, and love. I pray we all learn to love ourselves separate from any extrinsic reality. We are loveable and deserve to be love by the fact that we exist. God bless my fellow pilgrim!