The Resurrection of Gender Stereotypes

How gender ideology depends on the persistence of gender norms.

A Twitter friend of mine recently shared a screenshot from a Facebook post that posed an interesting question:

Who is more female: A masculine woman or a feminine man?

The only world in which a feminine-presenting man is considered more “female” than a literal woman is a world in which stereotypical gender norms are the determining factor in one’s gender.

What is a Woman?

I never imagined this would be a controversial question. A woman is an adult human with XX chromosomes. Boom. Done. Next question.

However, with the rapid proliferation of trans-identifying people, what it means to be a woman or a man is now entirely subjective. The new “definitions” of male and female often consist of nothing but emotional declarations and rigid gender stereotypes.

A woman is anyone who feels like a woman. A woman is anyone with a female brain. A woman is someone who looks like a woman.

But…what does it mean to “feel” like a woman if you don’t know what a woman is? And how can you look feminine without defining “female”? And how can you “transition” to something if you can’t define it? The premise of gender ideology necessitates sexual dimorphism, while also trying to negate it. The circular reasoning is as dizzying as it is nonsensical.

I was recently called a TERF (trans exclusionary radical feminist) for asking what it means to be a woman. I was told it’s a “gender critical talking point.” The lack of logic is quite striking: If the definitions of man and woman aren’t relevant, then why are trans people demanding—often quite aggressively—that we use their preferred gender pronouns?

Biologically based definitions of male and female are an abomination to gender ideologues because they’re immutable. Acknowledging the unchanging nature of our inherent biology doesn’t leave room for “transitioning,” but defining male and female by mercurial metrics like “feelings,” does.

You can’t transition your chromosomes, but you can buy a dress.

Stereotypes Make the Man (or Woman)

Without a concrete definition of “woman,” how does a man become a woman? Turns out, it’s largely by adhering to female stereotypes. Some of the options include:

• Get breast implants

• Grow out hair

• Wear dresses

• Paint nails

• Remove testicles and take estrogen

Likewise, how does a woman become a man?

• Remove breasts

• Cut hair

• Wear “masculine” clothes

• Take testosterone

• Grow beard

Gender transition always involves adopting outwardly stereotypical characteristics of men and women. Boobs and beards. Skirts and slacks. The perceived “feminization” or “masculinization” of personality may or may not materialize, but the outward appearance is the largest obstacle to overcome, hence the importance of “passing” (appearing as a legitimate member of the opposite sex) for trans people.

The Demeaning of Men and Women

When we define gender (male and female) by stereotypical outward expressions, we demean biological men and women who don’t fit these molds. Is a female with short hair who hates dresses any less of a woman than a female with long hair who wears a skirt every day? I’m not interested in living in a regressive society that judges the nature of a man or woman based on appearances and stereotypes. It’s not a direction we should be eager to take.

A trans woman (biological man) was recently celebrated as the first woman to win one million dollars on “Jeopardy.” The headlines didn’t say first trans woman. They said first woman. This male contestant won a female-only distinction by wearing a dress, getting breast implants, growing out his hair, and claiming he’s a woman. Biological men are also setting new records in women’s athletic competitions. Long hair, hormone pills, and a name change is all it takes. Society is trying its best to convince us that men are better at being women than biological women.

How utterly insulting to believe that a man who dresses like a stereotypical female is equivalent to an actual biological woman. It’s an afront to our intellectual dignity, an idea I explain in a previous article (read it here). A man can never be a woman simply because he’s changed his appearance. The charade only stops when we decide that outward appearances do not have the power to transform a man into a literal woman or vice versa. Gender ideology thrives when gender stereotypes are continually encouraged and affirmed.

My womanhood isn’t wrapped up in the clothes I wear, the length of my hair, or if I “seem feminine.” I’m a woman because I have XX chromosomes and I experience everything that comes along with that genetic makeup. “Woman” is not a costume.

Outward appearances are expressions of our personalities and preferences, so—dress as you please! If that means you’re a man who wants to wear dresses, have at it. If you’re a woman who prefers short hair and no makeup, go for it. Womanhood and manhood aren’t dependent on the clothing we wear or the haircuts we choose.