That’s a really interesting question. It makes me think about what the differences are between a movement to rebel against another group, and a movement to change a group that you’re part of. And under what circumstances is it possible to create a movement for more freedom when you already belong to the power group?
I think we may be in the midst of such circumstances right now, actually. I’d be interested to know how much the LGBT rights movement is influencing gender roles, particularly male gender roles. The movement encourages people in general to question gender roles. Acceptance of transpeople, for instance, requires that people rethink the idea that gender and sex are equivalent.
Also, I think it’s interesting that gay men (or some of them, in any case), who belong to an oppressed subset of the power group, have been able to push gender boundaries to a great extent. This may have to do with the fact that traditional male gender roles dictate attraction to women, so gay men are already questioning their roles. I wonder, though, if the fact that they’re a subset of the power group will allow the movement to benefit all men.
That’s a really interesting question. It makes me think about what the differences are between a movement to rebel against another group, and a movement to change a group that you’re part of. And under what circumstances is it possible to create a movement for more freedom when you already belong to the power group?
I think we may be in the midst of such circumstances right now, actually. I’d be interested to know how much the LGBT rights movement is influencing gender roles, particularly male gender roles. The movement encourages people in general to question gender roles. Acceptance of transpeople, for instance, requires that people rethink the idea that gender and sex are equivalent.
Also, I think it’s interesting that gay men (or some of them, in any case), who belong to an oppressed subset of the power group, have been able to push gender boundaries to a great extent. This may have to do with the fact that traditional male gender roles dictate attraction to women, so gay men are already questioning their roles. I wonder, though, if the fact that they’re a subset of the power group will allow the movement to benefit all men.