The Alphabet Art Challenge - Day Seven- 'G' for Gender

I read a report recently about Trinity College Dublin’s decision to abandon the word ‘freshman’ in favour of the gender-neutral ‘fresh’. I was surprised that anyone could consider that necessary and saddened to see that the hysteria and fear had spread even to an institution you would expect to be more self-confident. Fortunately, at my own alma mater we were referred to simply as freshers, thus managing to avoid the horrendous psychological scarring experienced by our Trinity College counterparts.

Don’t get me wrong. I’m all in favour of respecting other people and their personal gender identities, and I care not if you are male, female or hermaphrodite, but is it really necessary to adopt this gender neutral language as the new universal norm?

Even primary schools are not exempt. Last year INTO head Peter Mullan asked that primary schools adopt uni-sex or non-gendered uniforms, along with non-gendered toilets, so that transgender children are protected; while a report by Glen, the Gay and Lesbian Equality network states that transgender students “should be permitted to wear a uniform that is consistent with their gender identity”. “For example single-sex girls’ schools may need to consider allowing trousers to be worn. Single-sex boys schools may need to consider a variation in uniform options.” I’m presuming they’re referring to skirts!

Can the trans-gender demographic in primary schools really be so significant as to warrant such action? I mean how many people is this really affecting? I would venture to suggest that class sizes and teaching resources might be of more urgent concern.

Then we have the high street chain stores clamouring to climb aboard the gender-neutral train, with the likes of Marks & Spencer making its toy labelling gender-neutral and Zara with their new 'Ungendered' section. I spent much of my teenage years dressing in men’s suits, shirts and ties and needed no special arrangement to shop in the men’s/boy’s section. That’s me in my suit second from left in the photo below.(excuse the quality, it was the early 80s).
That's not to mention that London Underground staff have been instructed no longer to use the phrase "ladies and gentleman" when greeting and making announcements to travellers. Staff will now use the greeting "good morning everyone" to ensure that all passengers feel "welcome".

But forgive my naivety. I come from a time way back in the 20th century. A simple time when we had two genders determined by chromosomes. There are differences between men and women in our brain chemistry and genetic makeup. Try as you might to redefine sex from a biological reality to a social construct, that's just a fact. Can’t we just let people identify however the hell they please with no judgment, and just leave it at that?

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This post is part of a challenge proposed by @tonyr to post a work of art each day for 26 days, each corresponding to a letter of the alphabet.

Source of top image: pixabay
Second image is my own