Yes, genders are tentatively assigned at birth because most languages are based on gendered pronouns and gendered words. So we need a gender to refer to this new person, and we can’t ask babies for their input.
But that’s not different than a father saying his baby will like sports. Or, in my case, saying your baby will grow up to play Magic The Gathering with you.
Because when they’re old enough to decide for themselves, they can change whatever temporary labels you attached to them. And they can say they don’t like Magic. Gender. I meant gender.
First, only about 25% of languages are fully based around everything being gendered.
Second English has some specifically gendered words as remnants from old English and the languages that blended together to make English.
Third, of those gendered languages, they don’t necessarily agree on what gender things are. In the video, they mention that “A Key” in German is masculine and in Spanish is feminine.
First, only about 25% of languages are fully based around everything being gendered.
Guilty of western bias. But should be a bit obvious that I didn’t mean smaller languages, or languages spoken from people that are usually not here discussing with us. But if it wasn’t obvious before, I am making it explicit now.
Third, of those gendered languages, they don’t necessarily agree on what gender things are. In the video, they mention that “A Key” in German is masculine and in Spanish is feminine.
How different languages gender a key (or a chair, or teapot, or whatever object) is not really relevant for a discussion about genders in people.
And I don’t even mean that to defend anything, just trying to explain why people apply genders to babies. And how people just do that for convenience, and how that’s not relevant as a “permanent” gender.
Yes, genders are tentatively assigned at birth because most languages are based on gendered pronouns and gendered words. So we need a gender to refer to this new person, and we can’t ask babies for their input.
But that’s not different than a father saying his baby will like sports. Or, in my case, saying your baby will grow up to play Magic The Gathering with you.
Because when they’re old enough to decide for themselves, they can change whatever temporary labels you attached to them. And they can say they don’t like Magic. Gender. I meant gender.
Relevant Tom Scott video: https://youtu.be/46ehrFk-gLk
First, only about 25% of languages are fully based around everything being gendered.
Second English has some specifically gendered words as remnants from old English and the languages that blended together to make English.
Third, of those gendered languages, they don’t necessarily agree on what gender things are. In the video, they mention that “A Key” in German is masculine and in Spanish is feminine.
Guilty of western bias. But should be a bit obvious that I didn’t mean smaller languages, or languages spoken from people that are usually not here discussing with us. But if it wasn’t obvious before, I am making it explicit now.
How different languages gender a key (or a chair, or teapot, or whatever object) is not really relevant for a discussion about genders in people.
And I don’t even mean that to defend anything, just trying to explain why people apply genders to babies. And how people just do that for convenience, and how that’s not relevant as a “permanent” gender.