Gender is a threat
Jun. 16th, 2012 11:29 am![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
marjaerwinYesterday, I read an article on violence against lesbian womyn. The violence is all too common. The threat of gender-based violence is everywhere in America. I suspect it is still worse against children.
In a post-hierarchical utopia, gender might be a nice thing to play with. But in the present day, gender is a threat to those who do not or cannot conform. It might be possible for some men to conform to all the gender rules. It is impossible for womyn because of all the double binds. But some can come closer to conformity, while others can't, and the less we conform, the more we risk violence over it. And if you're too butch for a womon, too femme for a man, or you don't have the money, or you don't have the approved body type, you can't conform and can't avoid the threat of violence.
Growing up, I had already survived a lot of gender-based physical violence in school, and gender-based harassment, and catcalls. I am lucky I did not face gender-based sexual violence at the time. I was afraid enough that I changed the way I walked in order to hide my hips to minimize the danger. In some ways I face less danger now, post-transition, than pre-transition, and much less than in childhood.
In a post-hierarchical utopia, gender might be a nice thing to play with. But in the present day, gender is a threat to those who do not or cannot conform. It might be possible for some men to conform to all the gender rules. It is impossible for womyn because of all the double binds. But some can come closer to conformity, while others can't, and the less we conform, the more we risk violence over it. And if you're too butch for a womon, too femme for a man, or you don't have the money, or you don't have the approved body type, you can't conform and can't avoid the threat of violence.
Growing up, I had already survived a lot of gender-based physical violence in school, and gender-based harassment, and catcalls. I am lucky I did not face gender-based sexual violence at the time. I was afraid enough that I changed the way I walked in order to hide my hips to minimize the danger. In some ways I face less danger now, post-transition, than pre-transition, and much less than in childhood.
