|
The idea that biologically functional differences between sexes would not lead automatically to a functionally different gender culture has always had its faults. The idea that our gender cultures are solely social constructs, and not biologically necessary ones, has never seemed like a very good argument for me. We can certainly adjust and modify these cultures -- hence the recent masculine confusion and it's sister female empowerment -- but we can never have a shared gender culture. It will not work.
Developing good social and mental health is dependent on our ability to transition boys and girls into their respective gender cultures. Gender culture helps to define our roles and responsibilities as adults; it gives use markers by which to measure our personal development even we conscientiously choose to ignore them. Women have an actual physical marker from girl to woman. They do not require the ritualistic transition that men historically held to mark boys as men, though they do tend to have them.
Our species didn't develop these rituals for fun. I think they are very important to our mental health and functioning. Role models developed as a 'target' for these rituals: upstanding men and women of our communities that whose example in manhood/womanhood we should seek to follow.
__________________
Where there is doubt there is freedom.
|