My professor in History of the LGBT Movement mentioned in passing last week that it was unfortunate that everyone in our society has to chose from the two "available" genders: male and female. I definitively believe that there are not just two genders, although I also dislike the theorists that assert other numbers as well. As far as I'm concerned gender is infinite because it is endlessly self-defined. Gender is, for me, something I have never had to question; woman was always a quite comfortable title. However, I can definitely identify both masculine and feminine traits in myself if I want to. The business of any one person or group of people or institution telling people what their gender can be, or, what genders are "available" is ludicrous. Does this mean that, depending on the institution you are working under your gender could feasibly change (outside of the realm of gender being fluid, as in, you could feel exactly the same and yet be labeled something different depending on where you are)? Whatever your personal feelings about your won gender, who the hell does it hurt to let everyone identify in a way that makes them comfortable? If it isn't available, create it!
It's interesting from my point of view because, growing up, people would call me a 'boy' because of my interests and attitude. I was totally comfortable with this, as I never really liked the idea of being a girl. I was always so uncomfortable thinking of myself as 'girl' or 'woman' because I didn't seem to fit the definition everyone uses for it. At the same time, I would have never wholly identified myself as a 'man' either. Since coming to college, I've become more accepting of being a 'woman', though I still feel it doesn't quite fit me right.
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