Gender Identities Culture

Sigmund Freud says that everything is motivated by sex.  Sex, of course, is not just the physical act of sexual intercourse between a man and a woman.  It also includes the infinite degrees and combinations of gender identities among various types, breeds or races of humans, which are, as shall be shown later, also gender identities by themselves.  These identities are integrated, interconnected and encapsulating.  And the interaction between people with these multiple gender identities through eye contact, feelings, thoughts, conversation, acquaintance, friendship, intimate relationships or systems of organization are various forms of sex in different degrees.

This report then will compare and contrast gender identitiesincluding male, female, gay, lesbian and bisexualamong the Western world and cultures in Asia.  It will also be pointed out that while the West is defined mostly by Whites, America is also strongly influenced by Blacks.  And the definition of Asia here will include the three major races which are distinct from each other.  East Asians, such as the Chinese, Japanese and Koreans are Yellows.  South East Asians, such as the Malays, on the other hand will be called Small Browns.   Lastly, South Asians, such as Indians and Sri Lankans, will be called Big Browns.  It will be explained in the paper that a single definition of gender identity that is Asian cannot be accurately made unless the Asians are divided into these categories because they are all very different from each other.

Gender Identity Origins
Various sexual orientations, including asexual, bisexual, heterosexual, homosexual, polysexual and pansexual, are inherent in at least 1,500 species of animals, from worms to primates, including humans (Bagemihl).  The clownfish, for instance, which is featured in Walt Disneys Nemo, is transsexual by nature (Vince).  The female clownfish is at the top of the hierarchy and is the largest.  Smaller males are her subordinates.  When the female dies, her immediate male subordinate changes its sex and becomes female.  Smaller fish below the hierarchy simply move up their levels. Other types of animals may exhibit other orientations.  Asexual creatures are not interested or express little interest in sex.  Heterosexuals are attracted to the opposite sex.  Bisexuals prefer either the same sex or opposite sex.  Homosexuals mate with the same sex.  Polysexuals love many, but not necessarily all, types of orientations.  And pansexuals desire all types of orientations.

Gender identity, however, is not always based on sexual orientation and biology.  Because of society, religious conflict or government laws, they may identify with a different gender other than their real orientation.  For example, until the Supreme Court ruling (2003) in Lawrence v. Texas, some states enforced sodomy laws that prohibit homosexual behavior.  Furthermore, religious organizations such as the Catholic Church and Fundamentalist Christians call it a detestable sin (New Living Translation, Leviticus 1822).  Consequently, people who are bisexual, for example, may try to identify themselves more with heterosexuals than with homosexuals.  In fact, people who strongly identify themselves as male and are usually vehement against homosexuals are actually bisexual or have a tendency to be one.
This is often seen in the military or in the Republican Party.  For example, Republican senator Larry Craig, who served in the House Ethics Committee and the Veterans Affairs Committee, was strongly against open homosexuals and heterosexual offenders, who usually identify themselves with the Democrats.  He once said in Meet the Press The American people already know that Bill Clinton is a bad boy - a naughty boy. Im going to speak out for the citizens of my state, who in the majority think that Bill Clinton is probably even a nasty, bad, naughty boy.  The Human Rights Campaign group gave Craig a zero rating in 2004 for supporting anti-gay laws, but in 2007, an undercover police officer in a Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport restroom arrested Craig for soliciting gay sex with the undercover officer.  He pleaded guilty and did not seek reelection the following year.  The Larry Craig Bathroom in St. Paul is now a tourist attraction (Huff).  So while Democrats are usually associated with open gays and heterosexuals, Republicans are usually identified with closet queens or bisexuals.
Transsexuals who change their sex through surgery will also identify themselves with their new gender instead of their original biological gender.  Gender reassignment surgery is also a topic of debate in considering the gender identity of these individuals for marriage, insurance or retirement.  And those who become depressed as a result of not being accepted with their new gender experience gender dysphoria.

Cross-dressers or transgenders, people who want to be the opposite sex but who do not undergo surgery, dress like the opposite sex and identify with that sex.  Male cross-dressers, for example, will dress up like women and wear make-up.  They may identify themselves as women even if they still possess male genitalia.

Theories that Explain Gender Identity
There are three main theories or arguments that explain the rise of gender identity.  First, some people, such as Christians, believe that it is purely caused by the environment that a person lives in.  They claim it is easily mutable and that it is a behavior that can and should be changed.  The second theory is asserted by scientists.  They claim that it is a biological creation while the fetus is in its mothers womb.  Hormonal levels, such as testosterone, in the fetus will later determine the babys gender identity (Hines).  The third theory adds to the second theory and connects it to other gender identities in society.  According to Rodney St.Michael, hormonal levels in the fetus along with neurotransmitter levels are the consequence of biological changes in the mother due to astrophysical phenomena.  St. Michael cites the work of Dr. Winnifred Cutler who says, The lunar cycle and a fertile menstrual cycle are the same, 29.5 days... A real phenomenon exists.  He also cites that the phenomenon is also observed in many animals.  Biologist Rachel Grant, for example, says We now have evidence of lunar cycles affecting amphibians in widespread locations. We definitely think that Moon phase has been an overlooked factor in most studies of amphibian reproductive timing.  St.Michael also cites the work of astrophysicist Dr. Percy Seymour who was able to find the connection between astrophysical phenomena and the functions of biological life.  The planets and the moon exert tidal forces (variations in gravitational forces) that alter the magnetic field of the sun.  In turn, the field of the sun alters the magnetic field of the earth, which has an effect on biological life including homing pigeons, whale sharks, snails and humans.  The tidal force of the moon also alters the earths field and influences biology on earth.  The tidal forces though are never the same.  It varies in infinite degrees, and as it influences the hormonal and neurotransmitter levels of the mother during ovulation, conception and pregnancy, it creates an almost permanent mark that will be left with the baby throughout its life.  St. Michael also cites a primate study that was discussed in Time magazine, wherein pregnant primates were injected the masculine hormone androgen and developed aggressive offspring, which indicates that hormonal levels during pregnancy will influence the child permanently throughout its life.  Thus, the various degrees of gender identity among different cultures are the result of astrophysical influences on biological functions.

Moreover, St. Michael asserts that the astro-biological influence on gender identity also extends to race.  As he points out, recent findings from the Human Genome Project and the Genographic Project confirm that all humans are technically one raceAfrican Homo sapien.  It was previously believed that the Chinese, for instance came from Peking Man (Homo erectus pekinensis), but recent genomic studies confirm this to be false.  The same thing is true for Java Man (Pithecanthropus erectus).  Genomic studies confirm that South East Asians did not ascend from it.  Instead, most scientists now believe in the Recent Single Origin Hypothesis, wherein everyone on earth originated from the same human species in Africa.  If this is the case, then why do people look different  Since it is now technically incorrect to call other people as members of a different race, St.Michael uses the term gender breed instead.  He points out the cutting-edge work of astrophysicist Henrik Svensmark from the Danish Space Institute who was able to show the effects of Cosmic Rays from outer space on earth weather and biological life.  The earth wobbles like a falling top around its tilted axis every 26,000 years, and this long-term cycle is responsible for producing the various gender breeds just as other astrophysical phenomena creates the various genders.

Gender Identity among Various Cultures
St. Michael asserts that Brown and Yellow Asians have intuitively believed since ancient times what Western science is only now recently confirming.  Some Indians, Chinese, Japanese and Koreans all believe in the ancient Five ElementsWood or Air, Water, Earth, Fire and Ether or Metal.  These are abstract symbolisms for all types of things in the universe.  For example, as St.Michael points out, Wood or Air is the males, Yellows, Scholars or political Center Left.  Water is the females, Small Browns, Shamans or the Center Right.  Earth is the lesbians, Blacks, Ubuntu Social Class, or Center.  Fire is the gays, Whites, Military, Militant Business Class or Far Left.  And Metal or Ether is the bisexuals, Big Browns, Working Class, Bi-Military or Far Right.  The Asians believe that all of these orientations are the result of the Force described by Lao Tzu in the Chinese Tao Te Ching.  They also believe in the concept of Yin (female or sun) and Yang (male or moon), which in infinite combinations like the binary code of a computer produces the Five Elements.  For example, Democrats are Yang and Republicans are Yin.  Under Yang is Wood and Fire or male and gay.  And under Yin is Water and Metal which is female and bisexual.  Earth can go on either side.  This explains why Republicans are followed by religions groups, military extremists or closet queens, while Democrats are often favored by the scientific community and open gays.  The parties themselves are gender identities.

As St.Michael asserts, the Five Elements also form a hierarchy that is similar to Abraham Maslows Hierarchy of Needs.  At the top of the pyramid is Wood (male) exhibiting the need for self-actualization or ego needs.  Water (female) follows, wanting esteem or superego needs.  Earth (lesbian) comes next, needing belongingness.  Fire (gay) is next, needing security.  And Metal (bisexual) is last, wanting physiological or basic needs.  All these needs are needed by every individual.  Thus, for some Asians, every person has a little bit of each gender.  In fact, a well-rounded or complete person has a balance of all genders.  St.Michael calls these elements the gender minds that each person possesses and has been proven to be true through studies of people with schizophrenia, bipolar disorder and Multiple-Personality Disorder.

The Elements though are dynamic.  They move around and they can form a five-pointed star.  The Chinese Wu Xing or the Pentacle of Confucius is a common political symbol shown in the Chinese, Hong Kong, Singaporean and North Korean flags.  Each element sits on each tip of the star with intersecting lines that depict the conflict relationships between the elements.  A circle then surrounds the star indicating the harmony relationship between the elements, where harmony and conflict are dynamic and inter-changing.  This can be illustrated with the Wu Xing ecology model.  For example, Wood or trees need water, just as males or Yellows need females or Small Browns.  But Flooding or too much water will rot wood just as the overwhelming presence of females may irritate males.  In that case, Earth or lesbians may absorb the excess water or females.  Wildfire can also burn Wood, just as gays or Whites may annoy or even sodomize men or Yellows.  But mild sunshine will help trees just as friendly gays may help men in fashion or art, for example.  Water can also extinguish Fire, just as Small Browns or females tend to calm down Whites or gays more than Yellow or males.  Metal can also chop down the trees, just like terrorists destroying Yellows, but if Metal does it carefully, they can produce useful fine furniture, just like Indian Buddhists training Shaolin monks in Kung Fu.  Thus, balance among the elements is needed to maintain harmony.

These intuitive Asian beliefs reflect in various dealings with themselves and the West.  For example, in government types, Yellows prefer a male authoritarian system, Browns may form a female democracy or a bisexual authoritarian system, while Whites may want a free gay democracy.  Since systems are actually gender identities also, they are preferences or orientations.  But since the West is not aware of it, usually they think that systems are absolutely correct or incorrect, not preferences like gender orientations.  For instance, China prefers to follow the pyramid order mentioned with males at the top of the pyramid as authoritarians, but America insists on gay freedom and democracy.

The effect of the Wu Xing can also be seen in the actual genders.  For example, gays in the West have more liberties such as same-sex marriage than their counterparts in Yellow countries.  And the Muslim side of the Big Browns or bisexuals even executes the death penalty for homosexuality, since closet queens or bisexuals often hate gays.  But the Small Browns are like females, so they are friendlier toward gays than the Big Browns.  This can be seen for example in countries like Thailand or the Philippines where gays often appear on television as hosts or entertainers, or where transvestites can walk around the streets without fear of being assaulted or killed like in the Middle East.  The Small Browns in Polynesia also accept the Faafafine (transvestites), and they do not face discrimination, unlike in India (Big Browns), where the Hijra (transvestites) are not well-respected, or in Oman (Big Browns), where the Khanith or Xanith (bisexuals) are terms that are often used as insults in the Middle East.

Conclusion
In the end, gender identity is not as simple as it sounds.  In the West, gender has traditionally been thought of as only the actual genders itself with its rainbow-like spectrum.  While gays are sometimes persecuted in the West, they still enjoy more rights and privileges such as same-sex marriage, sex-change surgery, military service and cultural parades.  Their history and literature, especially Greek and Roman, are rich in portraying various gender identities including heroes like Alexander the Great.  Classical Greek literature, such as the ones from Plato, also discusses the role of various gender identities including a part where a gay army is theorized to be an ideal fighting force.  Later, the Sacred Band of Thebes was formed to test this theory, and it worked.

On the other hand, gender identity in Asia is varied according to gender breed or race.  After White cultures, the next best place to be gay, lesbian or bisexual is with the Small Browns who are like females and are relatively friendly toward gays.  However, they dont have legal rights such as marriage.  Next in line are the Yellows.  It is the third place to be if one is homosexual since it is a male culture.  Although they understand homosexuality to be part of nature and do not consider it to be a sin, they are not as comfortable with it as Whites.  In China, while there are now gay bars, spas, movies, festivals, websites and the like, same-sex marriage is also not allowed.  However, the concept of Yin and Yang and the Wu Xing allows many to understand that multiple gender identities are natural, and it is not only the actual genders itself that have gender identities many other things such as race or gender breed, political systems, organizations and so forth have gender identities.  Buddhism also teaches them that the Self and Other are integrated, interconnected and interdependent.  Thus, other gender identities are part of themselves and vice-versa.  Finally, the last place that a homosexual would want to be in is a country where the Big Browns live.  Many of their countries have moderate to severe punishments for being gay.  In Pakistan, for instance, you could end up in prison for life for being gay.  And in many countries in the Middle East, they will sentence you to death if you are discovered to be gay.

And while some of these may conflict with mainstream American perceptions, it is all worth knowing because it is about who people are and why everything is the way it is.  Ignorance leads to conflict, but knowledge leads to peace.  Its about time that people find out what sex is really all about.  And its all about being a clownfish.

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