The Gender of Objects
By Romana Annette 08/26/2008
Material objects can have gender, but they do not have sex. This is a curious use of language. Technically speaking, gender is all about being a man or a woman, and sex is about chromosomes: whether an organism is male or female. When one mentions sexual relations or sexual intercourse, it is all about sexuality.
Nouns and adjectives in language can have gender: masculine, feminine, or neuter. The rules of syntax can be arbitrary and full of exceptions, so an object or organism can have an actual gender that is different from its description in words.
I will limit my discussion of objects having gender to electric and audio connectors, and to clothing and accessories.
Electrical and audio connectors have gender. The analogy is obvious: the male connectors plug into female connectors. A plug is a male connector, and an outlet is a female connector. If this does not work, there are gender-changers that can correct the situation. This feature does not have a simple real life corollary.
Some connectors are dual, featuring both a male and a female connector. I suppose one can refer to these as hermaphroditic or intersexed connectors, but not intersexual connectors, since the North American Intersex Society does not approve of that term.
Electrical and audio connectors are inanimate and without feelings. While they might be hot, there are no emotions involved.
Clothing is
different, since it can have gender by association, and it can be
ambiguous. Still, dresses and skirts are
strictly female attire, unless one lives in
Conventions can change. High heels were invented by men for men, but only women wear them now, unless one includes cowboy boots. Early in the twentieth century, pink was for boys, while blue was for girls, but this assignment of color had pretty much reversed by 1950.
Women’s clothing is often more colorful and ornate than men’s clothing. It can also have the connotation of being more inconvenient, since it is often lighter and flimsier as a means of enhancing sexual attraction. Thus, clothing can be said to be sexy, in order to draw attention to a wearer.
Men do not purposely wear women’s clothing unless they are transgendered. The average man would simply be too humiliated and feel too emasculated to dress as a woman. Most men would never venture to walk in a woman’s shoes. Women, on the other hand, feel they have the right to commandeer interesting men’s fashions for their own use without any erotic stimulation. In fact, one often sees women’s wear labeled as having a man cut. Thus a dress with a man cut would be just like a dress that a man might wear, if men wore dresses.
During the 1970’s, there was a brief push to introduce dresses and skirts for men. Conservative institutions responded with a loud NO, and the idea has never been brought up again.
Underwear is different, since men and women are anatomically different. Women’s underwear has an additional attribute of imbedded and often intricate design and flourishes. Women’s underwear can also be considered to be extremely sexy, but that is in the eye of the beholder. Some people can even turn bedroom adventures into erotic clothing games.
Years ago, when I attended Unity of Kent, some boys (one Sunday) wanted to know what I was wearing under my external women’s clothing. I told them that when dressed as a woman, I always wore women’s underwear, and when dressed as a man, I always wore men’s underwear. I do not consider any underwear to be erotic.
Makeup and jewelry are the most gender-stereotypical products. Just look at all the television advertising: makeup and jewelry are always being advertised for women. Many men do wear earrings, necklaces, bracelets, and such, but such can still be considered to be counter-cultural. The only television image presented for men is that they can score all kinds of points by buying all this stuff for their wives and girlfriends. Lipstick, with all its fantastic shades, is only for women.
As a transwoman, my gender image looks woman in public. I can wear all kinds of jewelry and makeup, as well as dresses and skirts without attracting even a questioning glance. I can even wear bright colors such as red and orange. If I apply lipstick, well, that is simply what women do. If I wore any of this looking like a man, everything would be different, and all the stares would be overwhelming.
Our culture
sets most of our gender standards. Some
even think that our cultural standards are absolute, being the only way
possible. However, past cultures were
different. For instance, in ancient
One can only guess where men’s fashions could go, if the almost dictatorial restrictions were to be lifted.