The term woman should not be limited by feminists but rather, should be open to intervention
KARACHI: The idea of institutionalised gender is radically different from contemporary understandings. Present day notions are rigidly structured where the idea of being a man or a woman is specific within itself creating strict boundaries that differentiate between the two.
The truth is that the idea of gender does not stem from biological differences, rather, the idea of a man or woman is constantly shaped and transformed with the passage of time. One can argue that gender is nothing more than a performative act. Our culture is responsible for setting down these ideas and it is important to resist such forms of imposition because we are not ascribed a specific gender at birth but rather spend our lives in this performative act. What we perceive as biological differences are actually produced by culture.
Gender roles have been constructed by society over the course of many years and individuals act in a certain manner in order to be associated with a specific type. Any other behaviour outside the accepted norm is regarded as abnormal. To maintain these constructions, various policing bodies exist that try to ‘fix’ or ‘normalise’ those individuals who do not conforming to their accepted ways of behaviour.
Social positions should be implemented according to an achieved rather than an ascribed status is of significance. While feminists have debated upon the need for the separation of sex and gender for decades, many criticise them for using the idea as a basis for identity politics. For this reason, the term woman should not be limited by feminists but rather, should be open to intervention.
Sabiha Ishfaq
Published in The Express Tribune, May 27th, 2020.
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