<-----BOY OR GIRL ?
Does biology give us a more concrete idea on how we label one as a male or female or does society play a greater role in determining? In the beginning of our lives we are defined by biology (genitalia), but as we go on society seems to do the rest of defining based on gender markers.
From reading about the five sexes you learn that there are more than two sexes that biological factors pay a huge role in. Not everyone is born with the simple female or male characteristics and there are many other outcomes. Hermaphrodites possess one testis and one ovary. Pseudo hermaphrodites are women who posse ovaries and lack testis, but still have aspects of male genitalia and VISE VERSA for men who have testis and no ovaries while possessing femalegentalia aspects. Coy a young boy who had his gender changed from male to female started leaning towards girls clothes, toys, and other actitivies associated with being a girl at as young as 18 months. The parents noticed the change in his attitude from happy and playful to depressed and no longer finding joy in the activities he used to and realized Coy was not comfortable with being a boy. After having him diagnosed as transgender by a psychologist and Coy questioning when he was going to be changed . Everything was fine after the procedure until the school he attended decided to change their rules and required he use the boys restroom or a private one even though he was identifying as a male. He was being singled out and trated differently causing bullying and harrassment. The parents hired a lawyer and began home schooling Coy. Colorado(Where Coy lives) is one of the 16 states protected by transgender laws so the school was violating that law.
I chose this article because from an early age Coy is naturally drawn to things we would associate with girls even though everything biologically about him would be associated with a boy. I played with transformers and hot wheels when I was a kid the same as I played house and with barbies, but never felt as though I were the wrong gender. In second grade I remember a boy saying his favorite color was pink and everyone just kind of shocked by his answer, so young and yet these ideas of what boys and girls should like so clear. Coy did not have to change his gender simply because of his likings, but he just “felt more comfortable” as a girl. Even though he was only 4 when he went through the change I can’t help but wonder if society made him uncomfortable the way he was to begin with, just because his likes differed from the likes of others his gender.
That picture is also Coy after his surgery to become female.
Does biology give us a more concrete idea on how we label one as a male or female or does society play a greater role in determining? In the beginning of our lives we are defined by biology (genitalia), but as we go on society seems to do the rest of defining based on gender markers.
From reading about the five sexes you learn that there are more than two sexes that biological factors pay a huge role in. Not everyone is born with the simple female or male characteristics and there are many other outcomes. Hermaphrodites possess one testis and one ovary. Pseudo hermaphrodites are women who posse ovaries and lack testis, but still have aspects of male genitalia and VISE VERSA for men who have testis and no ovaries while possessing femalegentalia aspects. Coy a young boy who had his gender changed from male to female started leaning towards girls clothes, toys, and other actitivies associated with being a girl at as young as 18 months. The parents noticed the change in his attitude from happy and playful to depressed and no longer finding joy in the activities he used to and realized Coy was not comfortable with being a boy. After having him diagnosed as transgender by a psychologist and Coy questioning when he was going to be changed . Everything was fine after the procedure until the school he attended decided to change their rules and required he use the boys restroom or a private one even though he was identifying as a male. He was being singled out and trated differently causing bullying and harrassment. The parents hired a lawyer and began home schooling Coy. Colorado(Where Coy lives) is one of the 16 states protected by transgender laws so the school was violating that law.
I chose this article because from an early age Coy is naturally drawn to things we would associate with girls even though everything biologically about him would be associated with a boy. I played with transformers and hot wheels when I was a kid the same as I played house and with barbies, but never felt as though I were the wrong gender. In second grade I remember a boy saying his favorite color was pink and everyone just kind of shocked by his answer, so young and yet these ideas of what boys and girls should like so clear. Coy did not have to change his gender simply because of his likings, but he just “felt more comfortable” as a girl. Even though he was only 4 when he went through the change I can’t help but wonder if society made him uncomfortable the way he was to begin with, just because his likes differed from the likes of others his gender.
That picture is also Coy after his surgery to become female.