Sex and Gender

I am also enrolled in a Sociology of the Family class and found that the issue of gender to be crossing over in both psychology and sociology.  Living in this Western world, which is all we have ever known, makes us isolated from the beliefs of other countries and cultures.  We usually assume that we are doing things the right way, and this is the only way to be.  Go to school, grow up, get married with a person of the opposite sex and have children.  When we see another culture, with their different beauty ideals, clothes, religion, and style of living, most people assume that they are almost “savage” like.  In no way shape or form do I believe this to be true.  I consider myself to be a very culturally sensitive person.  I see the way that cultures adapts, and works together, forms communities and ways of living that are suited for them and they fulfill all their duties and responsibilities.  They are spiritually connected to a higher power and they are successful at continuing their culture.  I find it to be extremely beautiful. 

When I was trying to understand what the difference between sex and gender was, I realized that gender is a construction of people and society.  A man can have a female gender or vice-versa.  Sex is biological.  It has to do with hormones and physical characteristics.  In our Western society we have two sexes and three genders.  Male, Female and transgender.  The transgender is typically thought of as a person who was born one way, but altered there biology by undergoing a sex change operation and possibly receiving hormone therapy to successfully transition from one sex to the other.  Even if the change is successful, it’s hard for our society to see that person as a “true” male or female.  A society in Indonesia, known as the Bugis, has 5 genders.  This is really hard for me to wrap my head around because I always knew that there were males and females, and maybe even some people who switched it up, but five?!  That seems like a lot, and a lot to be acceptable.  NO TABOO?  How is that possible?   Well it is and here is a little video to help understand how they view the different genders.