why gender?

this website attempts to discuss the construct of gender, and how—if at all—it relates to the physical morphology of our bodies (what many refer to as "biological sex"). we aim to approach the issues with an empirical mindset, but reports of subjective experience are equally important to coming to a better understanding. the imperative to discuss this topic at a higher level comes from the fact that

(1) most of the general public is indifferent or hostile to people who don't fit their schema of how "sex" & "gender" ought to relate to one another 

(2) the standard medical advice for parents of "intersexed" babies currently amounts to genital mutilation and in no way addresses the potential psychological concerns the child will face later in life 

(3) it is still common, even among educated individuals who consider themselves queer and in countless academic journals, to conflate sex/gender with sexual orientation (i.e., assuming more "effeminate" traits in "men" predict a propensity for being attracted to other "men") 

(4) trans* (and other varieties of non-binary) folk have so little voice in the discourse surrounding human rights that they're virtually absent from the politics of the queer community 

(5) all folks who fit under the queer umbrella are at perpetual risk of facing discrimination, bullying, violence, isolation, depression, and suicide 

(6) we need a better repository of information online than currently exists. budding young queers are often confused, and the currently available information online is woefully inadequate 

(7) there are very few people who've approached the study of sex/gender from the lenses of analytic philosophy, biology, ethics, etc., and we need this perspective and expertise if we are to expect worthwhile progress 


the above are subject to change. suggestions are encouraged and welcome. this site has been conceptualized and constructed by one individual, the site admin. but this is not a website for the admin. this is a site that should grow and evolve based on all of its participants' input. please suggest additions, amendments, edits, or deletions to any of the above. 

and, please, forgive the use of ads on the site. they've been included primarily in the hopes that the admin can recoup the costs of running this site. if the ads become too cumbersome, or really diminish the value of the site, admin is willing to consider reducing the quantity of these ads. 

respectfully,
your whygender.org admin