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It is no secret the Western way of life regarding gender identity is not universal. In fact, it is far from it. Over the past decade, there has been more acceptance towards the thinking that gender lies on a spectrum with many identifying outside the traditional gender norms. Yet some still argue for the traditional gender binary. This poses the question, should we be rethinking the gender binary?

Although there has been a shift towards becoming more inclusive, we still have a long way to go to validate and recognise those identifying outside the gender binaries of male and female. Interestingly enough, many other countries do not combine sex and gender and thus, allow for more gender identities to be recognised. Within our Western framework, those identifying outside of male or female are grouped within the LGBTQIA+ community. While other countries such as Samoa, Mexico, India, the Philippines, and Native American culture acknowledge multiple genders and see gender as more fluid, challenging our way of thinking. These countries acknowledge that gender identity is not so black and white and have shown that acceptance is possible.

Fa’afafine and Fa’afatama, Samoa

Samoa recognises four genders, male, female, fa’afatama and fa’afafina. Fa’afatama and fa’afafina are gender fluid roles that move between the male and female worlds. Within Samoan society, acceptance is widely preached and gender roles are not something one must conform to in order to gain acceptance. Instead of placing worth on one’s gender orientation and confirmation of gender roles, Samoan society places worth upon contribution within the community. It is no secret that these third and fourth genders play a crucial role within society caring for elders and educating others about sex, a taboo topic within public conversations for men and women.

Muxe, Mexico

In the Zapotec cultures of Oaxaca (Southern Mexico), a Muxe is a person assigned a particular gender at birth who dresses, behaviours, embodies and lives their life as a different gender. This can vary according to the individual, as some prefer to dress as a woman and wear makeup while others undergo gender-affirming surgeries. This means in Oaxaca there is he, she and Muxe. Muxe’s just as the third and fourth genders in Samoa are being integrated into society, recognised and their identities validated with Muxe’s playing an important role in the community by caring for their families. For this, they earn great respect and are heavily revered. It is important to note that Muxe’s are not simply transgender but are a distinct group of people with their own ways of thinking, feeling, and living. They have diverse identities, some completely defying gender.

As mentioned above there are many other countries and cultures which acknowledge, validate and respect multiple genders. Again, this leads me to ask should we be rethinking our rigid outlook on gender? By rethinking our binary and looking at gender across a spectrum we can promote inclusivity, as well as, placing less worth on gender roles. Other countries have done it and succeeded. Now, it’s our turn.

By Alexis Pallister