'Anatomy Determines Destiny' and Mental Health

Abstract

Ever since the Garden of Eden, issues of sex and gender have affected the life of every human being on our planet. In the words of martin Heidegger, Each age has only one issue to think through and one only. Sexual difference is probably the issue in our time which could be our salvation on an intellectual level (Geert, 1998). Human history is much about resisting, changing and denying ascriptions of gender as it is about reinforcing, legitimizing and normalizing gendered practices that occur simultaneously. concept of gender was invented or adapted to hold in place a conception of historically specific socio-cultural forms of being men and women. Therefore, gender is conceived as an emergent feature of social institutions: both as an outcome of diverse social arrangements and as a means of legitimating one of the most fundamental divisions of society.Sigmund Freud mentioned: 'Anatomy determines destiny', (Freud, 1961) and this can be observed as early as an individual enters the world. When a child is bom, the idea of blue or pink booties sets in and gender training that begins from infancy, determines the life-course of an individual. socialization is not a linear process; a number of institutions shape it, primarily, family. As an institution, family establishes patterns of expectations for individuals, runs the social process and is fundamental in establishing social associations. Depending upon the anatomy (sex) of a child, he is trained in respective gender role behaviours and later, society, culture and peer-groups play a significant role in shaping gender of an individual. Though family plays a primary and instrumental role in the fruitful development of this dichotomous seed, society however, is more influential in moulding the individual through stipulated gender boundaries based upon anatomical differences. Sociologist Joan Acker mentions, The differences between women and men are produced in the family and in this way inequality between women and men is legitimated. Institutions are like factories, and one of the things that they produce is gender difference. overall effect of this is the reproduction of gender order as a whole. Institutions accomplish the creation of gender difference and reproduction of gender order through several gendered process. (Acker 1989) Therefore, gender is an entity in itself and remains a much debated and contested phenomenon. Sociologist Judith Lorber suggests, Gender is a human invention like language, kinship religion and technology; like them gender organizes human social life in culturally patterned ways... Virtually everything social in our lives is gendered, hence gender is an integral part of our daily experiences (Mandell, 2001).Gender socialization which is based on the division between the dichotomies of gender teaches each individual to follow ascribed rules laid by its society and culture. In Indian philosophical text Sankhyyog and Post Sankhyayog systems of ancient Hindu philosophy, the set of 'PurushaPrakriti' is used. This is an apparent binary opposition but in fact constitutes two equally important aspects of reality.It may be translated as passive-active or static-dynamic forces that cannot function without each other. Akin to Indian social structure, each culture assigns a binary division of gender and based on the structure of binary opposition, the 'male' and the 'female' are assigned diametrically different gender roles. roles are systematically important in all institutions and cultures, especially family as they decide the social behavior and character of an individual. Universally there are specific differences between the male and the female roles and much more than biological differences, it is this gender-role socialization that classifies an individual as feminine or masculine and finally as 'man' and 'woman'. Masculine and feminine biases bring into focus the aspect, shape and change in identities based on gender boundaries pre-determined for them. …