1) What is “natural” about how you experience gender and human sexuality? What aspects are at least partially shaped by culture? How do other cultures’ beliefs and practices regarding gender and sexuality differ from those commonly found in the United States? Are there any parallels? Does it depend on which U.S. community we are talking about? What about your own beliefs and practices?
2) Reflect on the various ways you have “learned” about gender and sexuality throughout your life. Which influences do you think had the biggest impact?
3) How important is your gender to how you think about yourself, to your “identity” or self-definition, to your everyday life? Reflect on what it would be like to be a different gender.
4) How important is your “sexuality” and “sexual orientation” to how you think about yourself, to your identity or self-definition? Reflect on what it would be like if you altered your sexual identity or practices.
5) In what ways have your school settings been shaped by and around gender norms?
6) How are anthropologists influenced by gender norms? How has this affected the discipline of anthropology?
Recall what you read in the article “Why English Might Let Go of ‘He’ and ‘She’,” by Tom Boellstorff
1) In the article, Tom Boellstorff writes, “Of course, they isn’t the only option for a gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun, and it doesn’t come without issues.” What issues does the author identify with the use of “they” as a gender-neutral third-person singular pronoun? Do you think any of the alternative options might overcome these issues? Why or why not?
Recall what you read in the article “India’s Third Gender Rises Again,” by Ina Goel.
1) When European powers colonized other parts of the world, they also sought to colonize culture in the places they colonized. Among other things, this involved forcefully asserting European systems of morality in ways that marginalized and even criminalized non-binary genders and sexualities. Based on what you read in the article, how did colonization impact the status and experiences of hijras in South Asia?
