Male, Female and In-between The Biology and Theology of Gender Patricia Weerakoon Faculty of Health Sciences The University of Sydney

The Plan

“..in the image of God he created him, Male and Female he created them” Genesis 1:27 “God saw all that he had made, and it was very good…” Genesis 1:31

The Present

 Transgender - someone whose physical appearance, behaviour etc goes against what other people in the same culture would normally expect from someone of that gender  Intersex - Person born with mixed sexual biology

The Complexity of Gender Biological ‘gender’ Chromosomes, Gonads & Genitals Gender role How do I behave? Gender identity Do I identify as a male or a female? Gender orientation Whom am I erotically attracted to?

The Complexity of Gender Who am I? – Biological ‘gender’ Chromosomes,GonadsGenitalsMaleMaleMale Gender role How do I behave? Male Gender identity Am I a male or a female? Male Gender orientation Whom am I attracted to? Female

The Complexity of Gender Who am I? – Heterosexual male Biological ‘gender’ Chromosomes,GonadsGenitalsMaleMaleMale Gender role How do I behave? Male Gender identity Am I a male or a female? Male Gender orientation Whom am I attracted to? Female

The Complexity of Gender Who am I? Biological ‘gender’ Chromosomes,GonadsGenitalsMaleMaleMaleMaleMaleMale/Female Gender role How do I behave? MaleMale Gender identity Am I a male or a female? MaleMale Gender orientation Whom am I attracted to? FemaleFemale

The Complexity of Gender Who am I? – A male child with ambiguous genitalia INTERSEX Biological ‘gender’ Chromosomes,GonadsGenitalsMaleMaleMaleMaleMaleMale/Female Gender role How do I behave? MaleMale Gender identity Am I a male or a female? MaleMale Gender orientation Whom am I attracted to? FemaleFemale

The Complexity of Gender Who am I? Biological ‘gender’ Chromosomes,GonadsGenitalsMaleMaleMaleMaleMale/FemaleMale/Female Gender role How do I behave? Male Male?? Gender identity Am I a male or a female? Male Male?? Gender orientation Whom am I attracted to? Female Female??

The Complexity of Gender Who am I? – Intersex / hermaphrodite Biological ‘gender’ Chromosomes,GonadsGenitalsMaleMaleMaleMaleMale/FemaleMale/Female Gender role How do I behave? MaleMale?? Gender identity Am I a male or a female? MaleMale?? Gender orientation Whom am I attracted to? FemaleFemale??

The Complexity of Gender Who am I? Biological ‘gender’ Chromosomes,Gonads,GenitalsMaleMaleMaleMaleMaleMale Gender role How do I behave? MaleFemale Gender identity Am I a male or a female? MaleFemale Gender orientation Whom am I attracted to? FemaleMale

The Complexity of Gender Who am I? – Transexual/Transgender Biological ‘gender’ Chromosomes,Gonads,GenitalsMaleMaleMaleMaleMaleMale Gender role How do I behave? MaleFemale Gender identity Am I a male or a female? MaleFemale Gender orientation Whom am I attracted to? FemaleMale/Female

The Complexity of Gender Who am I? Biological ‘gender’ Chromosomes,Gonads,GenitalsMaleMaleMaleMaleMaleMale Gender role How do I behave? MaleMale Gender identity Am I a male or a female? MaleMale Gender orientation Whom am I attracted to? FemaleMale

The Complexity of Gender Who am I? – Homosexual/Androphilic Biological ‘gender’ Chromosomes,Gonads,GenitalsMaleMaleMaleMaleMaleMale Gender role How do I behave? MaleMale Gender identity Am I a male or a female? MaleMale Gender orientation Whom am I attracted to? FemaleMale

Biological “gender” Defined by birth – but can be altered. Do we make biology define all others? Or change/align biology to the other three factors?

Gender identity – am I male or female ? Defined by:  Nature?  Nurture? Do we  Express it?  Control it?