the human group - session 46 - gender bender
What gender are you and why? These two discussions were full of definitions and stories and I could not help but see the barriers we perpetuated as we, as a society, continue to define the undefinable whilst also assuming we all think the same.
We all understood that gender is made up from identity, sexuality and biology. Many participants when answering the above question spoke about feeling like a gender, then went on to mention their parents and that society’s constructs had told them their gender.
Why does it matter?
As humans we seem to find security in defining everything around us, including ourselves, this seems to enable us to build upon this foundation of stories and definitions. Defining gender allows us a certain framework to work within. However, in this present climate the framework is not serving everyone but rather oppressing many with old irrelevant stories of gender.
What is changing?
Uncertainty is very much front and centre in this time with the pandemic, technology, global politics and the economy. Is the questioning of gender another sign that we need to create a new story? Where do we create this new story from?
A few participants spoke of sexism and racism being products of a system, political, economic, etc. Do we need to change these systems in order to feel completely accepted? And how much does this oppression have to do with being black, or a woman, or is it that being an individual is simply not supported?
It must be both, as the dominating demographic has been the white male, the system does seem to lend favour in their direction. Yet it still is a white wash ignoring the complexity of being an individual whether you are white, black or a woman. Perhaps this is a natural transition towards honouring the individual, starting with all those outside of the system’s favour.
How do we we make this transition without perpetuating another oppressive narrow spectrum system and story?
If we go to the root of difference, the individual, and create a positive story around discovering our own unique and integral role in this ecosystem perhaps from the roots upwards we will begin to discover a totally new way of society, culture and inter-being.
Looking around the world the transition towards decentralisation is happening. Whether that is micro-farming, local markets, blockchain technology, craftmanship, moving out of the city, and the collapse of centralised institutions. Also the expression of suffering coming forth from the marginalised is informing us all of the infinite differences of perspective. Humanity is ready to express itself, no-longer will there be one dominating perspective, but a dignity and respect for diversity and difference, moving together as one ecosystem.