2019 Gender No.1: Gender and its Social Construction

Class 1: (Wednesday, Oct. 16)

[Note: Update on my lecture series content.]

Big Questions to Answer: What does “gender” mean and why is it important?

Framing news article:

Watch this TED talk then answer the “Questions for reflection.” (Subtitles and/or transcript of your choice) Leave your answer in the reply below.

Biology of Gender

Questions for reflection

  • What are the main points of the TED talk, “The Biology of Gender”?
  • What are the details that supported her main points?
  • Is her talk effective? Why or why not?
  • What questions do you have about her talk or about gender in general?

Link to my lecture slides

30 thoughts on “2019 Gender No.1: Gender and its Social Construction

  1. Her talk is effective.
    Because she is a transgender,and experienced various things that can’t be known by transgenders.

    Like

    1. ・Every people needs to learn about gender and understand it.

      ・Her talk is effective.Because she is a transgender and she experienced prejudice.
      ・She said about 40% people of transgender tend to commit sucide.
      I wonder how each country is dealing with the problem.

      Like

  2. ・To decide gender is not view.
    ・Season of decision which decides their gender in body and in mental.
    ・I think her talk is effective because I understand why they different between body and mental.
    ・Nothing.

    Like

  3. The main points of the TED talk, “The Biology of Gender” is the string-like molecule inside our cells that once a woman got pregnant the fertilized egg cells grow into newborn babies, that it requires thousands of DNA decisions. And it says that it happens during the first semester, some in their second nut others in the third. So, gender actually changes while babies are inside the womb and you cannot fully know whether it would be a girl or a boy biologically.

    The detail that supported the main points was is that she said we need to actually see the process of knot formation in atomic detail because even the most powerful microscopes can’t see it, she said. So they had simulated an entire gene of DNA and said that the DNA knot information can be seen beautifully in calico cats. The decision between orange and black and that it happens early on in the womb.

    Her talk was effective because as she said in her speech at the end, female and male brains do develop differently in the womb, that it somehow possibly giving us females this innate sense of being a woman. And to ask about someone why is he/she, he/she is, is really not a good idea because it somehow feels like we’re being a judge for who and what we are.

    The question that I have is that, how and what are the best options that we can make or do to have equality for all genders?

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  4. Main point is that everyone understand gender. Her talk is effective. Because only few person know about gender problem.
    So genderless parson’s pain isn’t kown by
    general parson.

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  5. To tell you the truth, I couldn’t understand precisely The main points of what she said in TED,so I will watch it again!

    It is just a little difficult for me to understand people who are transgender and LGBT perfectly.
    However,I have never felt strongly the difference between people and those who LGBT because I had a friend who was transgender.
    I met her when we were elementary school students. She always said that Sha wanted to be a men. I said her , “that’s so you .”
    Now I think , “Was my remark right??”

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  6. ・what is women
    ・DNA system
    ・Yes,because she explain difficult technical knowledege in an easy-to-understnd manner.
    ・the difference between women seen from men and women seen from women.

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  7. What are the main points of the TED talk, “The Biology of Gender”?
    -“What does it mean to be woman?”
    -Importance of accept each other

    What are the details that supported her main points?
    -DNA knots

    Is her talk effective? Why or why not?
    -I found it effective becouse I could learn about DNA.This TED talks makes me more consider gender.

    What questions do you have about her talk or about gender in general?
    -What can we do against streotypes?

    Like

  8. 1. The main point is “what doest it mean to be a woman”, being a female or male is not about chromosome. But the woman share something that makes they women, common connection. And brain cell giving us female this innate sense of being a woman to accepting who we are.

    2. That supported her main point is she share new discoveries from epigenefics and she is a scientist and doctorate in astrophysics and she also research this.

    3. She talk effective, because she is expert in this field she already research about this and she give a detail and image when she presentation.

    4. Gender is not only about female and male, and even researchers suggest five or seven different sexes, how it could be happen?

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    1. I think the point is that gender is at least part “brute fact” of our complicated biology, and part a socially constructed reality. Humans are amazingly complex!

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  9. 1. The main point of the TED Talk is that the DNA plays a big role in making decision of the change of our body biogically. DNA also could permanently change due to some event in the past, and it could also change our gender as well.

    2 From her study which learn about epigenetics, whereis it explained about how could DNA changed, event the sequence remains same.

    3. It is very effective, because she understand about the topic very well, and she also displaying the visual image of how DNA works.

    4. I have a question about the talk: How long the process needed until the DNA permanently change, and what factor which makes our DNA change?

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  10. • What are the main points of the TED talk, “The Biology of Gender”?
    I think main points is what dose it mean being a woman.
    • What are the details that supported her main points?
    I supported her study and her thought about gender.
    • Is her talk effective? Why or why not?
    Her talk was very effective because she was scared of talking in front of everyone because of her previous experience but she seemed to have a confidence and she trust she is a woman herself.
    • What questions do you have about her talk or about gender in general?
    I have two questions
    First, why is she interested in a gene and how long has she started studying about a gene.
    Second, do you think how many genders in the world.

    Like

    1. Some researchers suggest that there are five to seven genders, if you consider the types of people who are neither male nor female. But this is from the perspective of sociology, not biology.

      Like

  11. • Basis of gender is not just about chromosomes. There’s a DNA knots formed.
    • How DNA works and bulid things, connecting knots in our cells to make life happen.
    • Effective. Cause as a transgender and as a scientist, she mastered to explain of how the gender and DNA’s decision making works.
    • Question: is it possible for transgender people do 100% gender transition? Not just change physically.

    Like

  12. – What are the main points of the TED talk, “The Biology of Gender”?
    The main points, first of all, is that how Karissa tries to define her gender using science. She proves that our body does, at some point define our sex, whether we are female or male, using genitals and brain structure. But even biologically, there’s no such thing as completely being a man, or being a woman. Like Karissa’s case, there are people who are born with specific genital (male/female) but inside themselves, they feel like the other way around or has more other sex’ patch in the brain structure. It can happen, and so gender is not something you can easily define using science. Sometimes, it is the judgment of society that defines us.
    Second, she tells us about this DNA knots thing and how traumatic event can lead us to stress and how it works inside our body in scale unseen by human eyes, of course, in science. And how being a transgender leads to a traumatic event in her life to the point that she needs therapy.
    And third, she talks about how our genitals are defined during the first trimester of our mothers’ pregnancy. But the way we think about ourselves are defined the next trimester. We are a man or a woman, ever since we were not born (in the womb). So why care about the judgment of society?
    This talk by Karissa relates science with gender.

    – What are the details that supported her main points?
    She summarizes (in a quite complicated way that I, as a social science graduate, would not understand perfectly) about DNA knots, and about some science wonder that define us biologically a man or woman, or both, or neither. Brain structure, precursors, and things. And that explanation, alone, is enough to support her main points about defining gender with science, how our DNA is related to the times when we feel down and traumatized, and about genitals and brain precursors formed during the times we are still in our mother’s tummy.

    – Is her talk effective? Why or why not?
    I must say, it’s half effective, and half not. Because she explains it in a way that my brain can’t really process, I just can get that the moral value of her talk is that, don’t be afraid of who you are. Embrace it. Because in science, there’s nothing called right or wrong, like the society prejudice and judgments. It’s okay to be you, with science, nobody would judge you for being you.

    What questions do you have about her talk or about gender in general?
    When will people stop thinking that gender is about roles and norms in society, and start thinking that gender is about science (like Karissa did)? Overall, to be honest, I don’t really get what this video is about, Biology of Gender. Seems so scientific. But I would like to ask, “Why gender really matters? Why should our gender be questioned? What exactly is gender?” It’s the same with religion. Why gender matters?

    Like

    1. The science is heavy, I agree. I think she is explaining the biological processes involved in the formation of gender. It’s not as simple as used to be thought. This observation alone is a direct challenge to a social hierarchy that puts men above women.

      Like

  13. What are the main points of the TED talk, “The Biology of Gender”?
    DNA
    What are the details that supported her main points?
    what does it mean to be a woman? The latest research is showing that female and male brains do develop differently in the womb, possibly giving us females this innate sense of being a woman. On the other hand, maybe it’s our shared sense of commonality that makes us women. We come in so many different shapes and sizes that asking what it means to be a woman may not be the right question. It’s like asking a calico cat what it means to be a calico cat. Maybe becoming a woman means accepting ourselves for who we really are and acknowledging the same in each other.
    Is her talk effective? Why or why not?
    effective.This talk is logical.
    What questions do you have about her talk or about gender in general?
    none

    Like

  14. ・It is that man and woman’s
    DNA is different tipe.
    So,man and woman are different
    thinking and figical.
    ・DNA dicide to man or woman’s
    thinking.
    ・Her talk is effective.
    Becaus, she thoughat own genders
    and she have many strrugul.
    But she study her probrem from biology. And her study and word are encouraged for people who trance gender .So her talk is effective.
    ・If my friends tell me
    “Actually I am trance gender”
    what talk to my friends?
    I want to know correct word .

    Like

  15. – the main point of her talk was how are the decisions of fertilized egg’s DNA made.

    – its DNA is decided in different times. some in the first trimester, some in the second and some in the third. the precursor genitals transform into either female or male during first trimeseter of pregnancy, while the precursor brain transform into male or female during the secon trimester. the transformation of precursor genitals and brains of people who are transgender went differnt way. that’s why transgender have male looking with female inside, and vice versa.

    – it was effective, because her talk made us aware of what we should do to people who is in touble with their gender. we should care about them and accept them, and she said they should also accept who they are.

    – how society can make those who are LGBT feeling confidence about thierselves, make them not feeling fear.

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  16. 1
    I think the main point of this ted talk is ”what makes gender”.
    2
    It is Epigenetics.
    3
    Yes, Because I have never heard such as biological view of gender before.
    4
    Why we don’t have the official organization in relation to gender in kochi university?

    Like

  17. This TED talk’s main point is brains developing way gives us innate sense of being a woman or man. It supposed by the fact that female and male brains do develop differently in the womb. In addition, it is during the first trimester of pregnancy to the precursor genitals transform into either female or male on the other hand the precursor brains transform into female or male during the second trimester of pregnancy. Also there is a model that mom’s womb caused the precursor genitals to transform one way, but the precursor brains to transform the other way. So, it is happen naturally that body sex and mind sex are different.

    Her talk is very effective. I think that explain something chemically or logically is good way to get to understand. It was first time listening to explanation that difference between genitals and brains of transform, but it let me realize that gender issue is very natural thing and it can happen to anyone. Like that, it is effective for get people understand to let them know that it is no wonder thing.

    I saw today’s lecture slides, I was shocked at person who have criticism board. It maybe no good question, I want to ask person who hate gender identity disorder people why you hate them? If they just know nothing, we may possibly can manage.

    Like

  18. 1.There is no difference between women and men clearly.
    2.Her study supports her main points scientifically.
    3.Yes,it is. Because her speach encourages a lot of people who are transgender.
    4.Nothing.

    Like

  19. 1.What are the main points of her talk?
    The main point of her talk is that What does it mean to be a woman.
    2.What are the details supported her main points?
    I think The latest research is showing that female and male brains do develop differently in the wornb, possibly giving us female this innate sense of being a woman.
    3.Is her talk effective? Why or why not?
    Her talk was effective for me and very cool ,because she is searching for a biological of gender to understand what makes her her . Also,when I listened to her talk , I thought it is necessary for us to reach out to them as she said.
    4.What questions do you have about her talk or about gender in general?
    Now, there are so many LGBT people in the world.
    Although there is a fact that ,in her talk, 40% of transgender people attempt suicide,
    What percentage of people are Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual and so on attempt suicide?

    Like

  20. —What are the main points of the TED talk, “The Biology of Gender”?
    I think it is “What does it mean to be a woman”.

    —What are the details that supported her main points?
    Her main point is “maybe it’s our shared sense of commonality that makes us woman”. People have different shapes and sizes. So asking what it means to be a woman may not be the right questions.

    —Is her talk effective? Why or why not?
    Her talk is effective because this story gave me new perspective about transgender. I sometimes see the man wearing female clothing. When I see him I feel like something is wrong. I had never thought he may be transgender. I may not be the right to judge by appearances.
    Also I could understand this story because her talks while associating the transgender with biology.

    —What questions do you have about her talk or about gender in general?
    If transgender changes sex, are they transgender?

    Like

  21. 1. I think the main points of the TED talk is how gender appears biologically in DNA decision making and to recognize how “unique mixes” are made.

    2. The details are her research that found out when and how gender is decided in DNA decision making. She discovered that precursor genitals transform during the first trimester in pregnancy, and the precursor brains transform in the second. The “unique mix ” made during these trimesters allow various kinds of gender to appear.

    3.Her talk was very effective to me. It was interesting to know how gender is decided and to understand how “unique mixes” appear biologically. As a student who studies biology, her logical talk really made me want to know more about her research. In addition,I think her jokes and experiences also made the talk effective. It absorbed the audiences attention and made us concentrate to her talk.

    4.I have one question. I was wondering who has named the various kinds of genders we already have. Is there somebody who does that job, or not?

    Like

    1. Ha! No, nobody is in charge of naming. The various terms are what different researchers, writers, and activists are using. It’s an ongoing social construct.

      Like

  22. 1.What does it mean to be a woman?

    2. Becoming a woman means accepting ourselves for who we really are and acknowledging the same in
    each other.

    3.Her talk is effective.Because her speech is humorous.

    4.I thought gender problem was difficult. But I understand the importance of aceepting them. If they say “I
    am woman” they are woman.I haven’t met such a person since I was born.But when I met them,I want to
    respect their opinion.

    Like

  23. 1 What are the main points of the TED talk, “The Biology of gender”?
    − I think the main point is “What does it mean to be a woman?”.

    2 What are the details that supported her main point?
    − I supported her study.She says “The latest research is showing that female and male brains do developed differently in the womb, possibly giving us females this sense of being woman. Maybe it’s our shared sense of commonality that makes us woman.” We have so many different shapes and sizes but it means¥s to be a woman may not be the right question.

    3 Is her talk effective? Why or why not?
    − Her talk is effective because I was able to learn about sex from different aspects. I have heard about gender many times but when I heard her talk, I felt that I didn’t understand about gender enough. Therefore, I wanted to be a consideration to someone’s feelings.

    4 What questions do you have about her talk or about gender in general?
    − Why can’t people easily accept sexual minority?

    Like

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