Why do you think that the adjectives "male" and "female" properly refer only to the status of the SRY gene and not chromosomal sex or phenotypic sex? — Michael
They are descriptions, not adjectives, when we are defining sex, as opposed to differentiating. It is not a "quality" of a male to be male eg (tautology).
Male and Female are adjectives when applied to phenotype (because we're saying "masculine" and "feminine" but taking a short-cut), though. Maybe not adequately prizing this apart is hurting our discussion. I will try to be clear when I use each in my response.
Our disagreement has nothing to do with biology, but about the meaning of the adjectives "male" and "female". — Michael
If you think this, I don't think you're adequately participating. Your problem is that "sex" is not binary, but it is. I have shown that it is (well, as far as I need be satisfied anyway. I'm sure there are objections available, but I've canvassed all that have come my way). If this is not the case, most of what you've said seems superfluous and possibly disingenuous? I don't think that, I'm just trying to ascertain whether this claim (that i've quoted immediately above) is actually the case. I will try to answer to both issues...
Male and Female are adjectives when applied to phenotype, and actually standing in for "masculine" and "feminine". That allows a relatively (though, not properly) large grey area as to what traits fall into what bucket (physical, psychological or behavioural i suppose. A perception thing, anyway).
The use of "male" and "female" as
reproductive terms is
descriptive and not adjective in the way you are saying. "male" and "female" do not admit of degrees, in this context. They either are, or aren't (though ,the whole point is if not 1, then 2 (and no 0s)). When we speak descriptively about, let's say, facial features we can say "That face is a bit more male than this one" and be making sense because we actually mean to say "more masculine" (you can tell, because we say this often when we know the sex, and our expectation has been violated (Statue of Liberty for instance)).
We cannot say "this organism is a bit more male than this one" and be making sense, because there is no degree we could admit under that description.
This may sort out the whole thing. But assuming not.. onward...
I put it to you that if there is an alien species that is phenotypically indistinguishable from humans, such as Kryptonians in fiction, but with different chromosomes and DNA, then the adjective "male" in the phrase "male human" means the same thing as the adjective "male" in the phrase "male Kryptonian". — Michael
Rejected, wholesale with a bit of a smirk. We could not call them 'male' unless we understood their reproductive system and could find an analogous place for their counterparts as we have in 'males" and "females". This is because:
phenotype is the most immediate determinant of how the adjectives "male" and "female" are ordinarily used — Michael
Disagreed, quite strongly. I think this might be hte case in small slivers of "woke" demographics and the like, but this is absolutely not what is generally understood by those words. We
definitely fall back on the heuristic of "looks like a duck, walks like a duck" because we are so incredibly accurate at assessing sex on-sight (more than 93%, it seems). But that is not what we
mean. We we
mean is that we have assessed the phenotype and assume, via statistical analysis, that this person is "a male" or "a female". We are
not, almost ever, saying something akin to "This person's appearance is male" because that makes absolutely no sense. Either, they are male and their appearances adheres, or it is deviant and we need a further assessment to understand whether A. we care, and B. we can know their sex from appearances.
the "male" chromosome pair (or the SRY gene) is only described as being male because it is the most common cause of a male phenotype. — Michael
I cannot understand that this isn't a bit of satire? I am really, truly not trying to be rude. This seems Monty Python-esque. We call the phenotype male because it is the typical response to SRY-activation in gestation. It is an observational term. We didn't assign it (well, we did in the sense of 'invent the word', but the place it was assigned existed and we just named that place "male"). The same way we didn't "assign" "Lion". It
describes something stable and "true".
Tennis? Maybe no difference — fdrake
Serena Williams has some extremely strong words for you. Extremely. (this is true, but I mean to make light.. not start a fight).
Domestic abuse support groups - mix them up. Regardless of the other considerations, these are supervised group sessions of non-criminals, there's about the same risk to anyone as going to a cafe. I don't see a good argument for excluding trans peeps from these especially when they have a GRC. — fdrake
Domestic abuse is overwhelmingly perpetrated by males. Males cause trauma to those who have been abused by males. It doesn't matter what you think yourself as, or whether you have a piece of paper saying X. You are male. That is dangerous for females who have been abused by males.
That doesn't cover everything, but is, I think, a substantial counter point.
I'd probably want someone who has a GRC to get a choice of which gender prison they go to. — fdrake
That's fucking wild. Convicted criminals shouldn't (and really, do not) get hte privilege of choosing their incarceration terms. You do not, as a convicted criminal (particularly when the majority seem to be sex crimes (we've been there - I know your position. this is mine)), get to tell others where you're going to serve your term. That is absolutely beyond the pale as far as i'm concerned. There's a reason Isla Bryson was removed.
Even then I don't think this one would matter much for domestic abuse support groups. — fdrake
I think you maybe don't take that issue as seriously as you should. Would you views change if the issue was a domestic abuse
shelter or a rape crisis shelter? Please answer, as there are several very interesting follow-ups I'd like to pry into here.
that should also apply to women who provide such risks — fdrake
The difference in ratio of males and females who present this risk vastly outweighs an appeal to logical consistency. Your point is taken, but as with sports, women involved have signed up to be
involved with women(read: females). Males, and their inherent risk profile are not within that scope and so present an
unfair risk rather than a risk that is taken by being a female criminal. Does that maybe clarify at least what the argument is?
there is something uniquely risky about trans women — fdrake
There is. Whether this is just that there's a 'unknown" aspect, or whether it is the empirical fact that they are more likely to commit a sex crime than even non-trans males, there is. This is an unavoidable issue on the facts. What we
do about it is where the conversation starts. I think this is what frustrates most attempts to come to terms. At least admit hte bloody facts and we can get on with it... sort of thing.
is already subject to social condemnation, revulsion and hatred — unenlightened
Sorry about the glibness - but what are you talking about here? Truly don't get it. Are you saying that anyone who doesn't fit typical physical appearance suffers
hate? That seems... an extreme overstatement (that is not to say it doesn't occur, at all).
I apologise, it was a bit pointed. — unenlightened
No need! It was funny
:)
The UK law in effect forces such people into places where that hatred and revulsion will be worst. — unenlightened
Nope.
meant they couldn't tell if I was a boy or a girl — unenlightened
Do you truly think this is what was being said? Or was this used as hyperbole to represent an arbitrary dissatisfaction with your long hair? Because, I can tell you, long hair does not change one's ability to assess sex. That is .... bizarre to claim.
"If you can't tell, it is none of your business." I still maintain that. — unenlightened
And this is why I ask the above: for trans people, I have never met a trans person who 'passes'. I've even delved into the internet culture of passing, and I have never been 'got' by someone 'passing'. Granted, that's a situation of scrutiny - which generally wont happen in the real world. But heres the thing: under these laws, if you pass, no one will ask, and you can get on with it. So, that's perfect. But if you don't, then it's not your choice.
To the extreme that defecation has to be done in secret behind a locked door alone. As though pulling one's pants down made one sexually irresistible??? — unenlightened
Are you seriously suggesting that the reason for privacy in ablutions is to avoid rape during ablutions? Hygiene is the largest motivating factor, as was the development of private plumbing and the general rise in quality of private homes (thus, not requiring one to perambulate to take a piss cleanly).
It is rather odd that society mandates the covering up of the sex, but then turns that same covering into a conventional display of it as gender — unenlightened
I don't think it's odd at all. 98% of people identify strongly with their sex, and so express that. There is far, far, FAR less oppression and pressure involved in gender presentation, than is currently assumed by activist groups. The areas of the world which have been left the most alone in terms of forcing gender roles (though, a further comment someone pooh-poohs this) have resulted in larger differences between genders. That said, those societies (Scandinavian, generally) actually enforce female representation in many ways. I think that's wrong, but ignoring my stance that clearly shows that social pressure around sex and gender is fine, if you agree with it.
Seems sort of vague. — substantivalism
I don't think so. It might be in terms of predictive power, but every person knows what those two benchmarks are for themselves. Even "norms" differ from person to person within a society.
sorties series of conflict percentages and when it gets high enough to actually warrant said action. — substantivalism
I assume you mean sorities - this isn't relevant. My previous comment should clear that up. The "vagueness" is somewhat baked-in to the concept because "other minds" can't be read.
However, that 'widely condemned' thing you just noted works as a double edged sword and pushes potential offenders underground so they cannot get the treatment they require. In cases of extreme anti-social disorders or pedophilia they are bound to offend in some cases sooner or later unless treated — substantivalism
I want to be careful how I address this, because in some sense I hear, and agree with this - but is this a Tachellesque appeal to empathy for people who fuck kids? Cause, no bro. That said, the bolded is an extremely good point for other reasons: I want to know who my local sex offenders are. When we can't tell who is who, we should be:
Reducing the number of POTENTIAL offenders — substantivalism
So, it may be we agree entirely.
Do you see the tremendous social/cultural task before us now? — substantivalism
I'm not sure you finished your previous thought, but I am a pro-legalization of all non-medically-developed drugs basically. Recreational drugs being legal would let us seek help, provide help and approach produces much more readily.
This is
not in any way analogous to the issues before us here.