Cara
Would society be better if we accepted people who are outside of what we typically think of as male and female as part of what is normal and maybe even began to look at everyone as somewhere on a spectrum? Or is there some function fulfilled by keeping our idea of sex binary?
Simone
Why do you think society hides the fact that there are so many variations of chromosome pairs other than xx and xy?
Beth
How can we, as a society, stereotype by gender when gender is not something that is clearly able to be distinguished?
Alli
Throughout the article, Sterling talks about blurring the lines of sex and gender, specifically mentioning that beliefs not science should determine gender. Do you agree with this point and to what point does science become more important than beliefs?
Meredith
Based on the different theories introduced in "Sexing the Body," how do you believe that culture molds and effectively creates the body?
Ashley
With an understanding that sex & gender might not be clear cut categories, is it necessary to distinguish between the sexes in the sporting arena or in any other area (residence hall living, bathrooms, etc) that currently does?
RicksJ
What other ways does gender effect your life and society besides sports (olympics)?
Jennifer
Is it morally sound for doctors to decide the gender of a child at birth? For example, if a child is born with a uterus and ovaries, yet has a penis on the outside of the body, is it ethical for a doctor to make the decision and say "we should remove the male organs because their life will be easier as a woman."
Lauren
How would the general public respond if it was a male athlete found to have some female genitalia? Would the response be similar to the one faced by the female athlete in the article? Why might there be a difference in reaction?
Marquis
On page 18, it says that "to declare oneself "gay" in the United States is to adopt an identity and to join a social and sometimes political movement." In reverse, would declaring oneself heterosexual involve sustaining the social scene?
Marie
How did society affect why homosexuals felt they needed medical help and understanding (as stated on page 14)? Are there any examples of how "coming out" in today's world is still not accepted? Why do you feel there is still a backlash against such a group of individuals?
Allison
Discuss the social construct of gender and how it defines the lives of those who identify with a gender different from their physical sexual characteristics. Why does the author of the article say that labels such as transgendered should not be used?
Matt
If Halperin's view of sexuality is correct, and sexuality is a least partly socially constructed, then can it (and if so, should it?) be altered after a person has already established their sexual identity?
Brandon
For those that believe gender is socially constructed, in what ways (specific areas of life) does this subconsciously effect peoples' decisions and behavior?
Christopher
Acts of homosexuality in Ancient Greece were often performed as a cultural right of passage rather than passion. Many people quote passages in the Bible that seem to denounce homosexuality as sin, but do so through a western contemporary cultural lens. Does the cultural context in which the Bible was written change its meaning? Is the Word of God in the Christian religion denouncing homosexuality or the act of exercising dominance, based on the reading's discussion of anthropological differences in the practice of homosexuality?
Cara
Is the fact that men have been having sex with men and women have been having sex with women throughout history and probably every culture proof that homosexuality is biological (innate at birth or genetic, and naturally occurring), or on the other hand does it prove that homosexuality is socially constructed (created by the culture and expectations one is born into)?