nature v. nurture
One of the concepts I struggle with most as a feminist thinker is this notion of biology. Specifically, the biological differences between genders, between people in general.
We're all intelligent enough to recognize that no human difference is as simple as nature OR nurture, but there's also a danger in just leaving it at "It's too complicated" and dropping the discussion. So, what do you think - how much does your genetic makeup, your biological sex, etc. contribute to who you are as a person?
What role should biology play in our understanding of gender and sexuality, and how should we address this as a culture/society (I'm assuming a Western perspective, but please do add your own thoughts)?
Is it worthwhile to think about biology as, to an extent, destiny? For instance, the queer movement has done a lot of work to assert that gay is predestined at birth. That has some political value, but is it true?
And when it comes to gender, we've seen arguments that hold either men or women superior based on their biology. I know parents who were converted to the "biology is destiny" argument when their children began to express traditionally gendered behaviors at a young age - but even there, it's clear that we begin socializing gender as soon as a baby is born. Are there significant, biology-based differences in men and women as far as emotion, intellect, physical capability are concerned? What are those differences?
Feel free to work any angle of this very broad question that intrigues you (don't feel obliged to tackle gay/straight, man/woman, and every other duality); I'd love to see even random ideas on this one.
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I tackled this on my blog. Thanks April for being so articulate about the question.
Posted by: Kerri on May 20, 2003 09:38 AM |
This one might actually be too heavy for me. My brain just tied itself in a know just thinking about it!
Posted by: drublood on May 20, 2003 09:05 PM |
It doesn't have to be heavy! Just something to think about. Any bit of it that appeals to you.
Posted by: april on May 20, 2003 10:36 PM |
Intense topic... One which I expect to write about and think about and change my mind about a million times in a million ways.
My first post is up here.
What I found it to be is a BIG topic. I have a partial response up.
This is interesting. I'm going to post a response soon. It kind of falls into a few things I've been thinking lately. As soon as I can, expect a response up!
Posted by: Alison on May 22, 2003 07:00 AM |
my microcosmic treatment of the topic is here
Posted by: the absent student on May 22, 2003 12:39 PM |
My response is up and on my blog.
Posted by: Bernie on May 22, 2003 05:24 PM |
Oops, brain farts caused me to forget to put the url in for my blog :)
http://badbinky2.blogspot.com/
Posted by: Bernie on May 23, 2003 10:47 AM |
The short answer, for me, is that biology never implies destiny. I don't think the physiological differences between genders are inherently significant, but there are obviously cultural, genetic & freely chosen forces at work in any individual.
I answered in much more detail [phrases like "Gender is Dead!" involved] on my blog: here.
Thanks everyone who has taken time to comment on this; it's really helped me think through some things. [And anyone else who comes back to this question later, I promise I'll read and comment.]
Posted by: april on May 23, 2003 02:55 PM |
Extremely and ridiculously late, but up.
Posted by: Prue on June 8, 2003 11:44 PM |
Why are you who you are? Is it nature? Is it nurture? I am inclined to say that it's both as well as any good dose of some of the random events life puts us through. How much and which is more relevant differs widely among people. I'm not going to undertake the insane task of understanding exactly how society affects each individual person, but I will try to understand the fact that society can lead us to "new" understandings of ourself just as biology can determine how I feel on a given day, thus leading to drastically different outcomes in either case. They both determine, in a way, who we are and what we do and with whom we do it and how we do it and many other facets of life but on slightly different yet commingling levels.
It is indeed a topic worth tackling, but be mindful of the noise surrounding the topic, as it tends to lead us away from any truth we may hope to glean from conversation.
Just my .02
Joe
I don't mean to intrude, I found this article on google and thought it interesting enough to warrant response. Feel free to ignore my gender and the lateness of my post. =)
Best wishes,
Inca
Joe, you're not intruding at all. The WHB site is very much about encouraging discussion. Glad you found us!
And I agree, the nature v. nurture issue is much too complicated to be boiled down to one or the other.
Posted by: april on July 9, 2003 11:29 PM |
I think psychology most directly answers your questions as a whole. The studies I've seen show there are some inherent biological and behavioral differences (though there are exceptions, due to spontaneous gene selection and having a pool of 6 billion to draw from) between males and females at birth and throughout life. It might be argued that biology causes the behavioral differences or that we socialize the subject into being what we think they should be, or a little bit of both happen. In any case, so long as we recognize similarities and differences and deal with them accordingly (such as understanding what strengths and weaknesses a person has) everything should be fine.
(against your request, I respond=)
As for the gay community's "gay" gene, there is no evidence for that specific thing. There are genes that make men more feminine and women more masculine, but there is nothing so far that specifically determines our "sexuality" which makes sense because the entire concept of sexuality is completely defined by our society and our languages. Whether it be conscious or subconscious or socially insinuated I think our sexuality is largely something of a choice we all make at some point in our life. Which brings me back to the more relevant discussion of how we become who we become. Choice. Always a choice. Whether informed or not, conscious or not, it is the choices we make in life such as who we spend time with, what problems we decide we can solve and which we can't, when we ask for help, or even what am I going to eat today that determine who we are.
Most sincerely,
Inca
hey im called samathew stocks and i love ur site its gr8 and really helped me with my studies.
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i thought what you had to say was very interesting. i have a psychology assignment due in in feb. on this topic.
Posted by: ecrosby on January 7, 2004 02:17 PM |
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