mormonism beyond the gender binary

Mormonism Beyond the Gender

Binary

AUDIENCE AWARENESS

Heard the word "postgender" before today

Have a personal friend who's intersex

OUTLINE

1. Discuss the shortcomings of gender roles

2. Explain why the gender binary fails

3. Defend my view that Postgenderism will result in many genders, rather than no genders

4. Conclude as to why this is a good thing for Mormonism

BIO

-Feminist, Biologist -Wrote a book

OUTLINE





SHORTCOMINGS OF GENDER ROLES

Stories:

-Feminist Mormon Housewives angst (angry, hurt women and indignant singles because of motherhood emphasis and governance gap)

-Arbon: MPA faculty

SHORTCOMINGS OF GENDER ROLES

-Intersex: square peg, round hole

-Friend Steve- likes boys, effects on self-concept and esteem

"Fiercely gendered world"

OUTLINE





GENDER BINARY ≠ REALITY

“Everybody is either a boy or a girl- this is a pretty obvious and common sense proposition. Until you examine it closely.”

PRIESTHOOD OR RELIEF SOCIETY?

•What about when appearance doesn’t give it away?

PRIESTHOOD OR RELIEF SOCIETY?

SO, LET’S VOTE!

“GENDER IS AN ESSENTIAL

CHARACTERISTIC OF INDIVIDUAL

PREMORTAL, MORTAL, AND

ETERNAL IDENTITY AND

PURPOSE.”–FAMILY PROC

Jessica Taylor

Conclusion from uncertainty: perform both marriages, or perform neither; choosing only one couple is irrational.

Jessica Taylor

Spiritual sex of each?

Jessica Taylor

Excommunication Exaltation

Jessica Taylor

If physical appearance cannot ground the bishop’s decision, the criterion of appearance must be rejected, not just the “fringe” cases.

•“But,” you might contend, “intersex folks are such a small minority- sure there are a few questionable cases, but that doesn’t mean the whole male/female system is a failure.” The border cases reveal the underlying truth we usually don’t otherwise think of, however. Sex and gender are a photomosaic rather than a binary: for everyone.

OUTLINE





POSTGENDERISM= MANY GENDERS

(NOT GENDER NEUTRALITY)

This mouse has two,

and only two, parents:

two male mice.

"Assisted reproduction will make it possible for individuals of any sex to reproduce in any combinations they choose, with or without 'mothers' and 'fathers'”



•Sexual traits may become as freely

chosen as eyesight (through wearing

contacts or undergoing lasik surgery),

or even hair color (by dying your hair).

•When humans gain the ability to

"talk" to our cells the way our

genomes presently do, a whole world

of choice opens up that is tough to

imagine presently.



•"Greater biological fluidity and

psychological androgyny will allow

future persons to explore both

masculine and feminine aspects of

personality. Postgenderists do not call

for the end of all gender traits, or

universal androgyny, but rather that

those traits become a matter of

choice."



•Analogy: gender vs.

literary genre

•[Male/female]

will be replaced by

[?]

•Analogy: gender vs.

literary genre

•[Fiction/non-fiction]

will be replaced by

[fantasy, historical fiction, memoir, tragedy, scripture, romance, diary, fable]

OUTLINE





POLYGENDERED MORMONISM>

BINARY MORMONISM

Marriage= Two Intersex

POLYGENDERED MORMONISM>

BINARY MORMONISM

Governance

Mormonism Beyond the

Gender Binary

mormonism beyond the gender binary

Education