Serano, Sexism, and Scapegoating Femininity

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In Serano's book Whipping Girl: A Transsexual Woman on Sexism and the Scapegoating of Femininity, the relationship between sexism, feminism, masculinity, and transsexual activism is discussed. Serano highlights that "most of the anti-trans sentiment that I have had to deal with as a transsexual woman is probably better described as misogyny", and I found it interesting that she was ridiculed more for her femininity rather than an inability to conform to gender norms (Serano, 3). I can see how misogynists would assume that everyone wants to be a man because they believe men are superior to women, and as a result, they mock transgender women for their feminine qualities. I never realized that the choice transsexual women make when they choose to be women actually challenges preconceived beliefs in our society, as societal norms promote masculinity and adore men as they are in a higher power position. If society assumes that men and masculinity are superior, it seems that transsexual women pose a threat to this societal norm because "despite being born male and inheriting male privilege" they choose to identify as women, which threatens "the supposed supremacy of maleness and masculinity" (Serano, 15). 

The concept of cissexism stood out to me because I can imagine people invalidating a transsexual individual's gender identity by stating that they should use different restrooms, as this has been a heated topic of debate for politicians who debate the development of gender-neutral restrooms. This unnecessarily creates a gender hierarchy in which cisgender individuals have more "real" identities than transsexual folks, when in reality people assume the gender identities of others every day without knowing "their chromosomes, their genitals, their reproductive systems, their childhood socialization, or their legal sex" (Serano, 12-13). Therefore, it is clear that this concept of "real" gender is subjective and it is more complex than simply stating that cissexual gender identities are more valid than transsexual identities.

Although I am aware of the harmful effects of sexism, I never considered that sexism can specifically oppress individuals who do not identify as women. I always assumed sexism occurs when a man discriminates against a woman based on her gender (or a woman discriminates against another woman), but it did not occur to me that victims of sexist behavior can include non-binary or intersex individuals as well. Oppositional sexism reinforces the gender binary system, as this is the belief that male and female categories are distinct. Oppositional sexists discriminate against those who do not fall into this binary gender system, as the presence of non-binary or sexually fluid individuals threatens the concept that women and men are opposites. Another type of sexism, the more familiar traditional sexism, maintains a gender hierarchy with men at the top by encouraging the idea that "maleness and masculinity are superior to femaleness and femininity" (Serano, 14). I did not realize that there were two separate categories for the specific types of sexism that keep the gender hierarchy system in place. Both types of sexism ensure that masculine individuals have authority and power over feminine individuals, and they guarantee that "only those born male will be seen as authentically masculine (Serano, 14).

I agree with Serano's claim that transgender activism and feminism go hand and hand. If "anti-trans discrimination is steeped in traditional sexism" and both feminists and transgender activists want to "challenge the idea that femininity is inferior to masculinity and that femaleness is inferior to maleness", it seems as though the goals of both of these movements is similar (Serano, 16). I am a firm believer that my feminism should be intersectional in order to include women of color, disabled women, and transgender women. With regards to the struggle between masculinity and femininity, I agree with the concept of learning to "empower femininity itself", as I do not think a woman has to dismiss her femininity or that a man cannot express feminine traits in order to gain gender equality (Serano, 18). I disagree with those who say women who dress or behave in a feminine way are more submissive, as women often do this to feel good about themselves or increase their sense of self-confidence. As Serano says, acting in a feminine manner is "our way of reclaiming our own bodies and fearlessly expressing our own personalities and sexualities", which I see as a positive aspect of femininity that should be celebrated (Serano, 18). Thus, I view behaviors like wearing a bold red lip color at a business meeting or wearing heels as powerful actions that women should feel free to engage in, rather than something to be ashamed of or discouraged. I also think that if we disapprove of women who act in a feminine manner, we are actually implying that there is something wrong with femininity in itself. As a result, I think this way of thinking would not support the point that masculinity and femininity should be valued equally, as it would have the opposite effect of reinforcing that masculinity is superior and actions that reflect femininity should be limited.

Serano argues that empowering femininity and destigmatizing the expression of feminine traits is not adequate enough, as we also have to "stop pretending that there are essential differences between women and men" (Serano, 19). I agree that there are often exceptions to gender norms and our understanding of gender, especially when it comes to sweeping generalizations or stereotypes about how women and men should behave strictly based on their gender (ie. men are aggressive, women are passive). I really liked Serano's point that women and men are not opposite sexes, because this has the implication that women and men cannot share traits such as strength or sensitivity. Traits that could easily belong to both men and women become associated with only one gender if we believe that men and women are opposite sexes, when in reality the behavior and personality of human beings are more complicated than the isolated characteristics attributed to one's gender. I appreciate Serano's thought that not only do we have to stop valuing masculinity over femininity, but we also have to stop believing that there are opposite sexes with inherently distinct traits in order to reach gender equality.

I appreciated Serano's personal experiences that refute the claim that "female hormones make women more emotional than men" (Serano, 67). I have heard this argument used as a reason why a woman should not be president, as people claim she would make rash decisions based on emotions rather than logic. It was fascinating to read about Serano's psychological changes due to a switch in hormone levels, as she still had the same feelings and emotions but they were higher in intensity and she expressed her emotions more after hormone therapy. I think this shows that labelling women as emotional and men as logical would be reductionist, because while the expression of emotions may differ between genders, all genders are capable of experiencing the same feelings. For the example of world leaders, I think this increased sensitivity and awareness of one's emotions would actually be beneficial, as expressing these feelings makes it easier to understand how a person truly feels and in Serano's experience being more conscious of emotions helped her "feel more in tune with the world, and with other people" in general (Serano, 69).

Serano makes the point that while there are hormones are biologically different, these differences do not necessarily result in essential gender differences that always hold true for women and men. While testosterone will probably give a person a higher sex drive, there are definitely some women that have higher sex drives than men (Serano, 73). I found the societal reinforcement of the effects of these hormones to be an aspect of gender that is often overlooked, as people regulate these behaviors in a manner that exaggerates their effects by telling men they should not cry and praising them for acting on their sex drives. I think Serano's approach aligns most closely with what I believe to be true about gender, as I believe that biological hormones do play a factor in a person's actions and tendencies but I realize that social factors greatly exaggerate them and have a larger influence on a person's gender identity. Serano says it is "more accurate to say that...socialization acts to exaggerate biological gender differences that already exist", rather than stating that socialization directly produces these gender differences (Serano, 74). Socialization reinforces that men and women belong to opposite sexes by creating distinct differences between them and creating strict categories of behavioral tendencies for both categories. 

The concept of experiential gender emphasizes that gender is a person's individual experience, which is a combination of their "gender inclinations, social interactions, body feelings, and lived experiences (Serano 225). The gender that others assume a person to be does not always match a person's experiential gender. The idea of experiential gender helps people see the limits of their own understanding of gender identity, as social, hormonal, and personal experiences of gender vary from person to person so gender experiences cannot be universally applied to all people. If a transgender woman claims she feels like a woman, this does not mean they know exactly how cissexual women feel, as they are just saying that the gender identity of being a woman resonates with their experiential gender (Serano, 226). I think the concept of experiential gender is liberating, as it highlights the diversity even within a single gender identity and it does not invalidate transgender individuals who feel that they could not possibly relate to every aspect of a cissexual individual's gender identity. For example, an older transgender woman who never experienced menstruation or a transgender man who had a child in the past may feel as though they do not belong to the gender identity they most closely identify with due to their different experiences from the typical woman or man. Acknowledging the concept of experiential gender highlights that there is no one way to be a woman or man, as a person's own personal experiences shape their gender identity rather than a set of shared experiences that may not be applicable to all individuals within a gender category.