According to Grewal $ Kaplan (2005), ‘The two-gender system that seems so “natural” has not been so for all time or everywhere in the world (p.2) .” Drawing on the course material (readings, films, lectures, tutorials, etc.) , wrte a short essay to discuss this statement. Your essay should address the following questions:
1 What is the two-gender system and how does it operate as a binary?
2 What are the limitations of the sex/gender binary?
3 How has the concept of sex and gender varied across cultures and historical periods?
4 How has the sex/gender binary been imposed and regulated
Your essay should include multiple references from the readings and, where possible, specific examples to illuminate key points.
The readings are;
Grewal, Inderpal & Kaplan, Caren (2002). Women’s bodies in science and culture. In Inderpal Grewal & Caren Kaplan (Eds.). An introduction to Women’s studies: Gender in a Transnational World, pp. 1-5. New York: McGraw-Hill.
Gould, Stephen Jay (1980/2018). Chapter 16 Women’s brains. 144-148
Fausto-Sterling, Anne (1997). How to build a man. In M. di Leonardo & R. Lancaster (Eds.) The Gender/Sexuality Reader (pp. 244-248). NY: Routledge
