Blog #7 - Middlesex Book 4

Book four of Middlesex involves the discovery of Callie’s intersexed genitalia and the means by which her parents and doctors handled the situation. The reading this week was reminiscent of Suzanne Kessler’s article, The Medical Construction of Gender, in which she discusses the ways that doctors approach intersexed cases and try to “correct” children born with ambiguous genitalia. In the novel, the Stephanides go to New York to consult Dr. Luce, the head of the sex disorders and gender identity clinic at New York Hospital. Dr. Luce approaches Tessie and Milton in much of the ways that Kessler describes in her article, with extreme care and an oversimplification of their child’s medical status. He does not reveal to the parents that Callie is in fact a boy, and that despite her gender identity she is biologically more male than she is female. After examining Callie physically and psychologically, Dr. Luce decides that the most beneficial and logical treatment for her condition would be to perform cosmetic surgery to construct “normal” female genitalia and to regularly administer hormone injections to stimulate the outward manifestation of female secondary characteristics. In this case, the basis for the doctor’s decision was not biological or genetic, but rooted in the idea that a constructed gender is more significant in determining an individual’s identity. “According to Luce’s thinking, that did not mean that I had a male gender identity… In addition to chromosomal and hormonal factors, Luce had to consider my sex rearing, which had been female.”(p.413) The fact that Callie was a teenager when her ambiguous genitalia was discovered complicated the process in which Kessler described in her article. In the Medical Construction of Gender, Kessler does not address the difficulties in assigning a sex to an individual who has already developed a gender identity. If I were in Dr. Luce’s position, I think that one of the most significant factors in assigning Callie’s sex would be her gender identity. If a child is content being a female and is accustomed to functioning in society as a girl, there is no reason to change her sex. In the novel, what complicated the doctor’s sex assignment was that Callie lied during most of the psychological assessment. This misled Dr. Luce into thinking that she was attracted to men and has on more than one occasion enjoyed participating in intimate “heterosexual” relations. If Callie had told the truth, Dr. Luce’s evaluation may have been different. There is one point in the doctor’s final evaluation that I want address. He writes, “The ability to marry and pass as a normal woman in society is also an important goal, both of which will not be possible without feminizing surgery.” (p.437) This quote clearly shows the common perception in society that hermaphroditism is not normal and that the only possible way of functioning in society is by conforming to one of the two acceptable gender categories. Callie never undergoes cosmetic surgery to construct female genitalia. When she learned that she was in fact a male, she journeyed to California to begin her transformation into Cal and find her true identity. I really enjoyed the conclusion of the novel. Although the end was bittersweet, I was glad that Cal embraced his true identity and that Tessie and Chapter Eleven accepted his new gender.

The novel Middlesex not only describes the childhood of Calliope, but the adulthood of Cal and his relationship with a woman named Julie Kikuchi. Throughout the entire narrative Cal talks about his difficulties with women and his inability to engage in serious sexual relationships. But by end of the novel the author reveals Cal’s personal growth when he is finally able to tell Julia the truth about his sexual identity.

Blog #6 - Middlesex

Middlesex, is a novel by Jeffery Eugenides that discusses the trials and tribulations of a girl named Calliope, who was born a hermaphrodite. I have been thoroughly enjoying this novel, because Eugenides does not simply tell the story of Calliope, but he alternates between the past, present and future to show how the genetic mutation developed, and how it affected Calliope throughout her adolescence and into her/ his adulthood. What I enjoy most about the novel is the way that Eugenides narrates the story. He describes Calliope’s life in stages and gives a multitude of historical background so you can actually feel the passing of time. For example, every year of Calliopes young life is marked by a new Cadillac, which not only indicates the time period, but symbolizes the changes in society and the changes occurring in Calliope. The historical background not only creates a reference point in time, but also makes the novel more interesting and enjoyable. One of my favorite parts in the reading this week was the description of the Detroit race riots. My perception of the 1967 race riots has been shaped by what I’ve read in textbooks, and Eugenides description of the event was shocking and eye opening. I had no idea that the riots were less like a demonstration and more like a “guerilla war.” Eugenides description made me think about everything I’ve ever read in textbooks and wonder how much is reality and how much is warped by the government and the media.

One of the most obvious symbols in the novel is the Stephanides’ house, on Middlesex Boulevard, which symbolizes Calliope. The house is awkward and different from all the other houses in the neighborhood. “Middlesex! Did anybody ever live in a house as strange. As sci–fi?” (p. 258) Just like the house, Calliope’s hermaphroditism is considered strange and abnormal. Calliope is not a conventional girl and she does not fit into society, the way that the house does not fit into the neighborhood. The street name alone characterizes Calliope, in the middle, between a male and a female.

In book three Eugenides discusses Calliope’s transition into high school and the troubles she faced in understanding her physical transformations and fitting into society. As a child, Calliope appearance was very unique and appealing. “No single freature was right in itself and yet, when they were taken all together, something captivating emerged.” (p.218) But as she grew up, Calliope began to develop male secondary sex characteristics and exhibit masculine features. She was five foot ten, and had a flat chest and a deep voice. Calliope struggled to find a group of friends and constantly felt like and outsider. She created a hierachry in her mind in which the “charm bracelets” were at the top and she was at the bottom. The “charm bracelets” were the girls who were beautiful, preppy and popular. They were the stereotypical rich, stuck up girls, who were idolized by every other student. Calliope considered the “charm bracelets” to be a completely different species and she knew she would never fit into their group. In school, Calliope struggled with little things that many people take for granted, like changing in the locker room. Not only did she have to deal with her obvious physical differences but also the confusion that arouse from the absence of female secondary sex characteristics and her intimate feelings toward other women.

Blog #5 - Kessler

In her article, The Medical Construction of Gender, Suzanne Kessler reveals the inherent problems associated with sex assignments for children born with ambiguous genitalia. A major issue that Kessler addresses is the belief that intersex children are not born with a gender and therefore need to be altered to become either a male or a female. The option of a third gender is unacceptable to society, and therefore all children born neither male nor female are considered abnormal and deformed. Kessler argues that hermaphrodites are neither male nor female, but a separate, third gender category. Because society only recognizes two genders (male and female), doctors and parents of intersex infants strive to “correct” their children by unnaturally molding them to fit into one of the two acceptable gender categories. Society’s gender dichotomy is reinforced by the medical community, because they view hermaphroditism as a deformity that needs to be corrected through surgical reconstruction. Kessler makes the strong point that, “Accepting genital ambiguity as a natural option would require physicians also to acknowledge that genital ambiguity is corrected not because it is threatening to the infant’s life but because it is threatening to the infant’s culture.”

Societal factors greatly impact the sex assignment of hermaphroditic children. One of the main factors in deciding the gender of an intersexed child is the appearance and function of the genitalia. “Doctors today schooled in the treatment of the various intersex syndromes, view decisions based primarily on chromosomes or gonads as wrong… and that decisions based primarily based on phallic size, shape and sexual capacity are right.” According to Kessler, the appearance of the genitals are so important to the child’s ultimate sex assignment, because if the child looks “normal” than they will be more accepted by society. Kessler also stressed the affects of our patriarchal system on sex assignment. In most cases a child is constructed into a male if he has an average functional penis. If the child has a smaller than average, or inadequate penis, then their genitals are constructed to look and function like a vagina. “A good penis equals male; absence of a good penis equals female.” Essentially, the goal of gender assignment is to create and individual that is capable of engaging in heterosexual sex. So males are created if they have a sufficient penis, and females are created to accommodate an average sized penis.

Blog # 4 - Lorber, Zinn & Dill, Myhre

In her article, Night to his Day, Judith Lorber describes gender as a human production rather than an inherent biological characteristic. An individual’s gender identity is not fixed or predetermined by their genetic makeup, but rather it is constructed and molded to fit into society’s concept of what is truly masculine and feminine. Lorber makes a clear distinction between an individual’s sex and gender, but at the same time shows how the two principles are related. The sex of an infant is determined by anatomical cues such as the type of genitalia and reproductive organs. However a child’s gender identity is developed through social conditioning, in which that individual learns which behavior and responsibilities are socially acceptable for men and women. From the time that a child is born they are molded and taught how to act in a socially acceptable way. “Gendered norms and expectations are enforced through informal sanctions of gender-appropriate behavior by peers and by formal punishments or threat of punishment by those in authority, should behavior deviate too far from socially imposed standards for women and men.” Lorber illustrates how the development of gender identity leads to different “characteristics, feelings, motivations and ambitions,” among the sexes. The characteristics assigned to each gender causes men and women to have different life experiences and ultimately become different kinds of people. The creation of different genders and “different kinds of people” leads to a “stratification system in which gender ranks men above women of the same class and race.” Society has created a gender system in which male is the dominant norm, and female is the other that is different and subordinate. The other lacks the redeeming qualities present in the dominant group. I thought that one of the most interesting ideas in Lorber’s article was the Marxist feminist view of gender inequality. This idea states that gender is created to demean women’s abilities and keep them in a subordinate position so that they can be exploited as a cheap supply of labor. The lower jobs are reserved for women, while the more esteemed, higher paying jobs are reserved for men.

Theorizing Difference from Multiracial Feminism, is an article by Maxine Baca Zinn and Bonnie Thronton Dill, which highlights the benefits and necessity for a multiracial feminist movement. Zinn and Dill define multiracial feminism according to six distinct features. The first and most important point that they discuss in their article is that gender inequality does not just stem from differences among men and women, but also from differences in class and race. Zinn and Dill site the matrix of domination, which is a paradigm for individual oppression that involves the interlocking relationships between gender, class, race and sexual orientation. The matrix of domination displays how the experiences of women of different races and classes are not the same and that all women experience different levels of oppression. The importance of a multiracial feminist movement is that it will address not only gender hierarchies, but also racial and socioeconomic hierarchies. “The matrix of domination seeks to account for the multiple ways that women experience themselves as gendered, raced, classes and sexualized.” Multiracial feminism brings together women from all backgrounds and forces them to see the interrelation between privilege and subordination. Through the exchange of different life experiences, women will be able to identify the matrix of domination and see how race and class relations affect all women.

Blog #3 - Lorde, McIntosh, Miles

The Master’s Tools Will Never Dismantle the Master’s House, by Audre Lorde is an article that addresses the underlying racist and homophobic views of people not only in society but in the feminist movement. The title of Audre Lorde’s piece is a metaphor that serves to criticize the lack of regard that women in the feminist movement have for the views and experiences of lesbians and women of color. Lorde argues that a major tool of a patriarchal society is the ability of men to “divide and conquer” or emphasize the gender, class, racial and sexual differences among people, in order to create a hierarchy in which white middle and upper class males are in control. The statement, “the master’s tools will never dismantle the master’s house,” conveys the idea that women will never be able to transform and overcome our patriarchal society if they create a hierarchy within the women’s movement and ignore the voices of women with different racial and sexual preferences. Lorde uses the term “racist feminism” to describe the inability of women to recognize and embrace the differences among other members of the feminist movement. In order to dismantle a sexist patriarchal society, women need to identify what makes them different and learn from each others experiences to create an “interdependence of mutual, non-dominant, differences”. Only when our differences are recognized can women create a powerful community that is able to combat the oppression that confines all women.

White Privilege and Male Privilege, by Peggy McIntosh is an article that looks at the unearned privilege and conferred dominance of white, male and heterosexual individuals in our society. McIntosh defines unearned privilege as an advantage that a person is born into as opposed to an advantage that is earned through ones achievements. Conferred dominance relates to unearned privilege in that it is the feeling of superiority, or “permission to control”, that people of privilege feel over individuals of a “lower status”. McIntosh shows how individuals with such unearned privileges do not always recognize the advantages that are given so freely to them, but that they always benefit from their birth into a privileged group. In order to illustrate her point, McIntosh sites forty-six examples of white privilege, including “I am never asked to speak for all the people of my racial group.” “If a traffic cop pulls me over or if the IRS audits my tax return, I can be sure I haven’t been singled out because of my race.” “I can take a job with an affirmative action employer without having my co-workers on the job suspect that I got it because of my race.” In reading the list of white privileges I was not only embarrassed but disturbed at how little I have actually thought about white privilege and its impact on individuals of other races. McIntosh’s article reminded me of Johnson’s piece, Patriarchy, the System, when she talks about the role that an individual plays in the mistreatment of “unprivileged” groups. She states that racism and sexism does not stem from individual acts of cruelty, but from the “invisible system” that confers dominance, or gives the impression of superiority, to a particular group. McIntosh affirms that the only way to end racism and sexism is to use unearned privileges to combat and break down the privilege system.

The article On the Rag, by Tiya Miles documents the obstacles and failures of her college feminist newspaper, “The Rag”. In reading the piece, I immediately drew parallels between On the Rag and the article, The Woman’s Question by Alice Echols, which documented the history of the second wave of the feminist movement. So I was not surprised when Miles actually brought up Echols article in order to compare the collapse of “The Rag” and the failures of the SNCC and the SDS during the 1960’s. In both cases there were major issues over leadership and a sharp rift between the white and black members of the groups. Like Miles states, most of the problems that “The Rag” faced could have been avoided if the members looked back to the history of the feminist movement and learned from the mistakes of the prior generations.

The path of least resistance I chose was to stand up to my friends who were talking about a fellow student behind their back. I was in Frank Dining hall eating lunch with some of my friends, when a boy walked past our table. After he walked away my friends began to talk negatively about him and call him names. At that point I told them to stop talking about the student and that it wasn’t nice make fun of him behind his back. Surprisingly, I wasn’t met with any opposition. Most of my friends agreed with me, but it seemed like they were just waiting for somebody else to step up and do what was right.

Blog #2 - Frye, Johnson

In her article, Oppression, Marilyn Frye builds up an argument against that claim that men are subjected to the same level of oppression as women are due the expectation that men will remain stoic and refrain from crying during emotional situations. Frye points out that although men are restrained by society’s expectations, they are in no way oppressed in the same way that women are. In her definition of oppression, Marilyn Frye highlights the word "press" in which she explains, “Something pressed is caught between or among forces and barriers which are so related to each other that they jointly restrain, restrict or limit the mobility. To immobilize or reduce.” She describes oppression as a barrier that restricts a group for the benefit of another group. In this case women are being confined to a “women’s sector” in which they are expected to act and live a certain way. Women in society are expected to be quiet, patient and nurturing and any woman who strays from these characteristics are often labeled as unfeminine. The barriers that enclose women are erected and maintained by men to reinforce female’s vulnerability and weakness and make men feel powerful and superior. The women’s sector was created to benefit men and keep women in an inferior position. To look at the “oppression” of men we have to identify the barriers that confine them and determine who is benefiting from the confinement. In society men are subjected to a level of societal pressure in which they are expected to be strong, independent and emotionally callous. But if you look at the barriers closely you will notice that these expectations actually benefit men. These strong characteristics assigned to men keep them in control and maintains their superiority over women, whose barriers make them look weak and dependent. So in other words, the pressure that men face from society was actually created to protect them from looking vulnerable and loosing control over women. Frye clearly defends her point that women and men are subjected to completely different levels of societal pressure. When I first read the opening paragraph, it frustrated me to think the men were trying to convince women that they are oppressed the same way, and I completely agree with what Marilyn Frye discusses in her article. Frye addresses the fundamental differences between the expectations of men and women in society, and she illustrates how these expectations always work to the benefit and empowerment of men.

In the article, Patriarchy, the System, Allan G. Johnson evaluates the problems of a male dominated society by approaching patriarchy as a system of interrelating individuals. Johnson states that the root of all social problems arises from an individual’s decision to choose the path that will be met with the least amount of objection. Johnson illustrates this point by describing the response of a man to a sexist joke. Instead of pointing out the wrong and inappropriate nature of the joke, he will laugh and go along with his friends, in order to avoid any confrontations. I agree very strongly with Johnson’s argument that the problems in society are caused by the individuals resistance to speak out for what they believe in. Most people refrain from speaking their mind because they do not want to be isolated for being different, but the problems that we face in society will never be solved unless people speak out for positive change and work to improve society.

Blog # 1 - Dubois, Truth, Sentiments

The most pervasive idea in Dubois article, Feminism: Old Wave and New Wave, is that “women must lead the way,” in the battle for equality. Dubois illustrates, through the struggles of women’s activists, such a those of Lucretia Mott, that women cannot rely on male politicians and reformers to fight for gender equality. The equality that these activists strive for will only be reached if all women unite and fight for their beliefs. Lucretia Mott dedicated years of her life to the abolitionist movement during the nineteenth century, only to be turned away from the World Anti-Slavery Convention in London, because the male delegates at the convention were “offended by the thought of women functioning politically as the equals of men.” Reading about the adversity Lucretia Mott faced not only frustrated me to think that such an influential person was looked down upon for being a women, but also made me think about the article “Imagine My Surprise” and in general how women are viewed in today’s society. The women of the Old wave of feminism were the first to question the “programming” described in Ellen Neuborne’s article. Most people were shocked by the ideas that people like Lucretia Mott and Elizabeth Caddy Stanton were fighting for, because it put into question everything they had ever been taught. Even women during the nineteenth century were apathetic to the arguments raised by feminine activists, and to this day apathy and indifference is one of the major hindrances to the feminist movement. In order to change the way men view women in society, all women need to care enough to identify sexism and fight for change. Dubois piece serves as a timeline that depicts the long and hard struggles that the women of the Old Wave have overcome to gain legal equality. But now it is up to the New Wave of feminist to combat the programming in society, and gain freedom from the “women’s sphere,” or the accepted role of women.

The Declaration of Sentiments, is one of the oldest and most influential pieces of feminist literature. The authors of the Declaration of Sentiments, modeled the document after the Declaration of Independence. The Declaration of Sentiments was such a brilliant piece of writing because it illustrated to people the struggles that women were facing by relating it to the struggles that the colonists experienced with Great Britain during the Revolution. By modeling the Declaration of Sentiments after such a well known document, women’s rights activist were able to connect with all Americans and show them the level of oppression women were subjected to. Drawing parallels between women’s struggles during the nineteenth century and the colonist hardships a century earlier, helped people to better understand the grievances of women. For example the Declaration of Sentiments focused on the unconstitutionality of women being forced to abide by laws that they did not vote on. This issue directly relates to the idea of no taxation without representation, which the colonists vehemently opposed and which was one of the major causes of the American Revolution.