Comment by Heather Spoonheim on March 21, 2011 at 2:03am

On your first point, I could easily be persuaded to acknowledge a third gender if presented with evidence of such a state of existence. I should point out, however, that I'm really not aware of any concrete definitions of gender; it seems to be more of a socially constructed concept than a definition. This would mean that any persuasion of acknowledgment would entail much more than simply contrasting one state of existence to two currently acknowledged states, it would first better defining those two currently acknowledged states in much more concrete form.

The physiological trait of 'sex' is really more of a medical diagnosis than a definition. It just so happens that most people meet all the diagnostic criteria of one or the other, although I am familiar with the fact that many people do not. It has been my experience, however, that people who meet criteria from both categories identify with one or the other gender concepts offered by society.

Now, are you suggesting that there are people who cannot be definitively diagnosed as to category of physical sex who also do not identify with either social construct of gender? If so, do they all identify equally with a universally agreed upon 'third gender' or would more 'genders' need to be added? If more genders need to be added, do more bathrooms need to be constructed? Either way, would it not be more practical to simply be more accepting that such people need to use the toilet from time to time and simply grant them access to one or the other facilities that is already constructed?

Rather than creating third, or perhaps more, choices for gender on 'forms', wouldn't it be more practical to simply accept the option of not checking off either of the categories currently offered?

On issue #5, I don't know that we can ever just 'stop' hate crimes but there have been huge strides in making hate crimes of any sort socially unacceptable. I live in Canada and I can say that, at least in metropolitan centres, the sort of hate crimes you mention are extremely socially unacceptable and also punishable by sentences that are greatly increased when a hate component is identified.

Anyway, I do not remember seeing any posts from you previously, so in the case that you might be new here I would like to welcome you to Think Atheist! It sounds as though you have many interesting ideas that might offer all of us a good deal of food for thought.

Comment by atheistrising on March 22, 2011 at 10:39am

@Cass: I think they should be free what gender they want to choose or if they want to remain the way they are they should be allowed to do so but gender assignment at birth at without their choice is wrong. Secondly you say you disagree with declaring their own gender and they have to be man or woman ? The argument you gave is its is culturally linked well I think if science proves there are people of third gender which it already did then whats the issue? Us linking the gender assignment to culture is same as persisting with the religious ideology?

Comment by atheistrising on March 22, 2011 at 10:44am

@Heather Spoonheim: Thanks for the compliment on the article when you get a chance check out my blog I have written few articles. There are people of third gender science has proved that and there are millions of them. There was a national geographic documentary from where I original inspiration to write this article

This is the link on the nat geo website which explains more facts about the third gender people
http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/series/explorer/4091/behind-t...

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