Gender binary

"Binarism" redirects here. For other uses, see Binary (disambiguation). This article is about gender from a sociological perspective. For further information, see Sex and gender distinction. For other uses, see Genderism.

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The gender binary (also known as gender binarism)[1][2][3] is the classification of gender into two distinct forms of masculine and feminine, whether by social system, cultural belief, or both simultaneously.[A] Most cultures use a gender binary, having two genders (boys/men and girls/women).[4][5][6]

In this binary model, gender and sexuality may be assumed by default to align with one's sex assigned at birth. This may include certain expectations of how one dresses themselves, one's behavior, sexual orientation, names or pronouns, which restroom one uses, and other qualities. For example, when a male is born, gender binarism may assume that the male will be masculine in appearance, have masculine character traits and behaviors, as well as having a heterosexual attraction to females.[7] These expectations may reinforce negative attitudes, biases, and discrimination towards people who display expressions of gender variance or nonconformity or those whose gender identity is incongruent with their birth sex.[8] Discrimination against transgender or gender nonconforming people can take various forms, from physical or sexual assault, homicide, limited access to public spaces, in healthcare and more. The gender binary has been critiqued by scholars of intersectionality, who say that it is a structure that maintains patriarchal and white supremacist norms as part of an interlocking hierarchical system of gender and race.[9][10][11]

  1. ^ Marjorie Garber (25 November 1997). Vested Interests: Cross-dressing and Cultural Anxiety. Psychology Press. pp. 2, 10, 14–16, 47. ISBN 978-0-415-91951-7. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  2. ^ Claudia Card (1994). Adventures in Lesbian Philosophy. Indiana University Press. p. the 127. ISBN 978-0-253-20899-6. Retrieved 18 September 2012.
  3. ^ Rosenblum, Darren (2000). "'Trapped' in Sing-Sing: Transgendered Prisoners Caught in the Gender Binarism". Michigan Journal of Gender & Law. 6. SSRN 897562.
  4. ^ Kevin L. Nadal, The SAGE Encyclopedia of Psychology and Gender (2017, ISBN 978-1-4833-8427-6), page 401: "Most cultures currently construct their societies based on the understanding of gender binary—the two gender categorizations (male and female). Such societies divide their population based on biological sex assigned to individuals at birth to begin the process of gender socialization."
  5. ^ Sigelman, Carol K.; Rider, Elizabeth A. (14 March 2017). Life-Span Human Development. Cengage Learning. p. 385. ISBN 978-1-337-51606-8. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  6. ^ Maddux, James E.; Winstead, Barbara A. (11 July 2019). Psychopathology: Foundations for a Contemporary Understanding. Routledge. ISBN 978-0-429-64787-1. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  7. ^ Keating, Anne. "glbtq >> literature >> Gender". www.glbtq.com. glbtq: An Encyclopedia of Gay, Lesbian, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer Culture. Archived from the original on 3 April 2015. Retrieved 2 April 2015.
  8. ^ Hill, Darryl B.; Willoughby, Brian L. B. (October 2015). "The Development and Validation of the Genderism and Transphobia Scale". Sex Roles. 53 (7–8): 531–544. doi:10.1007/s11199-005-7140-x. ISSN 0360-0025. S2CID 143438444.
  9. ^ Scaptura, Maria N.; Hayes., Brittany E. (2023). "The Intersection of Race, Gender, and Extremist Violence.". In Dawson, Myrna; Vega, Saide Mobayed (eds.). The Routledge International Handbook on Femicide and Feminicide.
  10. ^ Belkhir, Jean Ait; Barnett, Bernice McNair (March 2017). "Race, Gender and Class Intersectionality". Race, Gender & Class. 8 (3): 157–174. ISSN 1082-8354. JSTOR 41674988.
  11. ^ Crenshaw, Kimberlé (1 March 2017). "On Intersectionality: Essential Writings". Faculty Books.


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