Impact Of Culture On View Of Biological Sex
To a large extent my culture encourages me to believe so. Hong Kong’s culture is heavily influenced by traditional Chinese values, in which men are expected to be assertive, dominating and strong while women are supposed to be gentle, obedient and weak. I am expected to be thin, dress feminine, act graceful, for I was born a female. The society, of course, becomes more open-minded comparing to the past decades. Women are now very much welcomed in the workplace. However, there is definitely room for improvement as there are many gender stereotypes are yet to be broken. For example, it is considered emasculating if men decided to become stay-home dads. Or simply women are often discouraged from participating in manual work as we are believed to be not physically strong enough.
I believe my culture does not incite others to discuss my sexuality. The majority of Hong Kong population is Chinese and sexuality is a controversial and very personal topic in China. Some may even consider it as a taboo. People will therefore avoid talking about each other’s sexual orientation for it may be believed to be offensive. Also, the Chinese may tend to assume or even prefer people to be heterosexual. Therefore, steering the conversation away from one’s sexuality may prevent them from finding out about one’s rather forbidden sexual preference and thereby avoiding discovering the possible ‘ugly truth’. Despite sex being a rather unspeakable subject in Hong Kong and China, people are somehow prompted to speculate one’s sexuality when one’s identity doesn’t match one’s gender stereotype. For example, people may pay extra attention to men wearing makeup which is perceived as a rather feminine trait by the Chinese. Therefore, they may be tempted to examine the sexuality of those whose actions are deemed unorthodox so as to satisfy their own curiosity.
Various possibilities of sexuality
First, as parents exert the greatest influence on their young children, I would encourage parents educating their kids about the wide spectrum of sexuality and gender. I would organise some workshops and courses about the LGBTQ community for the parents. Through the workshops, parents will learn more about the LGBTQ group. I would encourage the participants to keep an open mind and various experts in education will be invited to teach these parents the correct way to discuss with their children. I would recommend parents to talk to their children about homosexuality and transgenderism at an early age at which their mindset and values are still shaping. Parents should also act as a role model for their kids by showing deep understanding and empathy towards the LGBTQ community.
Second, I would invite some representatives from the LGBTQ community to present their personal stories to the young children. The young kids may not have the precious opportunity to meet these rather unique members of our society. By having the guest speakers sharing their voyages of self-discovery and struggles, the young kids may realise that there are limitless possibilities regarding one’s sexuality. Therefore, through increasing their exposure to the LGBTQ community, they may also learn that their biological sexes should not be ruthless boundaries that prevented them from unveiling their true selves.
A big deal out of gender nonconformity
Society values sameness and conformity enormously. People are afraid of the unknown. What was unknown to all of us, is different from what we used to know. Some may feel they have lost control of their surroundings if there are changes or any differences. Gender nonconformity is one example of being different. It doesn’t fit into the underlying social and cultural norms. The LGBTQ group is a relatively young and small community and there were only a few precedents about gender nonconformity. People tend to reject changes and new ideas for we have grown accustomed to our old ways of thinking. Therefore, people make a big deal out of gender nonconformity simply because it was a rather foreign and strange concept to them. I would feel helpless if I happen to experience a non-concordance between my mind and body. Gender nonconformity is often seen as a rather taboo subject here in Hong Kong and people usually don’t talk about it with others. Such non-concordance is therefore quite alien to me and I wouldn’t know who should I seek help from. There are numerous families, which are heavily influenced by traditional Chinese beliefs, disown their own children once they reveal they’re part of the LGBTQ community. Also, I would be scared to reveal this information to my family and friends as I am afraid of being disapproved and treated differently.
What makes a man and what makes a woman
People’s biological sex is not what makes them men or women. Our own identities are what make us men or women. Being a man doesn’t mean he has to acquire all of the traditional masculine traits and the same goes to women. Being a woman doesn’t mean she has to perform the conventional gender roles and the same goes to men. We should not be confined by our biological sexes and society’s expectations. Both men and women should be allowed to be emotional and strong. We should have the right to choose our gender as long as we love ourselves and every inch of our own body. We should have the right to claim ourselves as men or women or something beyond the binary system as long as we are happy and content with that. We need to ask ourselves, deep down, what makes us happiest and most satisfied? Being a man or a woman or something else? That answer, I believe, is what makes us a man or a woman.
