Question

The documentary Gender Revolution implies that gender today—gender identities and categories—are vastly different today than they were decades ago. Wrestle with this claim and develop a brief argument for/against it. Is this claim misleading? For example, did transpeople, agender folks, non-binary folks exist before mainstream society acknowledged them? Additionally, why is today being declared a different moment for more open conversations around gender identities and gender categories than the past—what has shifted to make this happen? Answer in two paragraphs.

Answer 1

A few decades ago gender revolved around the concept of roles, the gender roles. There was much debate on the issue of gender roles in the societies of the world. As a result much has changed since regarding the roles of traditional gender of male and female. But, now the focus of gender has shifted to its expression or identity, this talk previously was a taboo and people with a different gender identity were stigmatized and ostracized from the mainstream society and had to live a grueling life. Due to this most of them committed suicide. The individuals who failed to conform to traditional gender identities still face a lot of challenges, though there's a shift in the perspective of the society.

Now, the society is atleast addressing the gender identities other than the traditional ones. But, still there's a long way to go. Majority of the people are still reluctant to accept the LGBT individuals as normal human beings. They still face a lot of discrimination and atrocities. But, there's a gradual shift in the perspective regarding gender identities and gender categories. Now, the causes of non-traditional gender identities are openly spoken, there are efforts to create awareness regarding the gender identities and categories. Now, the role of biology is understood in gender identity and expression of individuals, hence, they are less stigmatized. There's still the polarization that these individuals face, and they need a lens of empathy to completely understand and accept them, which is a very distant goal, but is attainable.