User:Evangruiz/sandbox

The Standard Model (Ann Fausto-Sterling Wiki page) Sex and gender are two separate characterizations of people and a standard model exists for both sex and gender. Biology characterizes sex by dimorphism. In other words, people are either male or female and nothing in between. Surgical procedures ensure that people are assigned to one of the two accepted sexes. Gender, separate from sex, is socially constructed by culture. People determine the definition of gender by assigning roles to each gender. For example, generally, males are expected to work and women are expected to stay home and care for their family. By assigning a specific role to a gender, we have created a standard model of what it means to be male or female. In essence, the standard model characterizes by masculinity and femininity and separates nature and nurture.

In chapter three of Sexing the Body, “Of Gender and Genitals” Anne Fausto Sterling criticizes the standard model and the way it impacts those both neither male nor female. She explains that doctors surgically assign infants male or female when they are not born with “normal” genitals. When doctors studied the spectrum of genders, Sterling criticized that “they never questioned the fundamental assumptions that there are only two sexes, because their goal in studying intersexual was to find out more about normal development.”[10] The doctors’ motives for the research of intersexual show that they promote the standard model for sex and are unwilling to accept the fact that there are different variations of sex. Sterling strongly believes that doctors are unethical in that they do not allow variations of sex and immediately assign a sex within a few hours of birth because there is not a way of telling whether the infant will be content with their assigned gender.Science is a discipline compromised of logistics and facts that aid us in making predictions. Furthermore, “whatever treatment they choose…physicians… decide how to manage intersexuality act out of…deeply held beliefs about male and female sexuality [and] gender roles.” (pg.48) Sterling argues that the consequence of performing sexual reassignment surgery on intersex infants “[develops] a language that reinforces the idea that lurking inside the mixed-sex child is a real male or female body.” (pg. 76) She claims that this is unacceptable because now that society vehemently believes that only males or females should exist, a window to a spectrum of genders closes. Even more so, those who are born intersex are forced to live unhappy lives full of surgery and scrutiny because they did not fit the standard model. In order to change the standard model, Sterling suggests that we should question, “should there be only two sexes?”

Notes: *Not posted on a Wikipage

Gender can act as a lense that allows us to view science and the universe in different ways. Scientific facts are made and they change over time. There is a standard model for both sex and gender. Biology is characterized by dimorphism in sex. The standard model characterizes by masculinity and femininity. The standard model separates nature and nurture. They are mutually dependent. Metaphors and consequences- “imagery you employ guides you to ask certain questions and not to ask certain others.” –lecture. Naturalization is to make something appear normal or natural. Metaphors shape the truth, facts, and what scientists see. There are deep implications of metaphors in science. (Biological determinism: biology determines what happens) Metaphors being things together that don’t necessarily belong together. The six aspects of feminist science: 1) reflexivity: sensitivity to context and cultural bias in scientific work. 2) critical attention to the “female point of view” 3) repect for nature and ethic cooperation with nature 4) move away from reductionism 5) primatology + feminist science 6) feminist science and primatology is a community that is diverse, accessible, and egalitarian. Feminism is about getting better science for everyone.

Intersex Wikipage Subcategory: Sexual Ambiguity Not having a distinct gender being shown to the world can be very difficult. Often times, doctors decide the sex of an interest infant immediately after birth. Doctors choose the sex based on what they believe a male or a female should look like. In essence, society decides what is male or female.

1) Added a Subcategory titled: Testing the Pill  on the Birth Control Wikipage under the category History (3rd subcategory) 2) Tried to add it to a separate page titled "History of Birth Control"

When the birth control pill first emerged on the market, doctors told women to put all their faith on the pill despite the alarming side affects including but not limited to weight gain, mood swings, ect. Back then, women were given an alarming overdose of birth control compared to birth control pills today. Gregory Pincus aided in the development of the pill. He worked on decreasing the side affects of the pill. The new pill contained estrogen as to combat the heavy bleeding that they old pill caused. He tested the new pill on women in Puetro Rico even though they did not know that they were participating in an experiment. In addition, they were not informed of the possible side affects of the pill. Many people claimed that it would defeat the purpose of the experiment if the patients were told of the possible side affects of the pill because then they would develop these side effects. In time, women fought in congressional hearing panels for a warning of the side effects on the pill bottle.

UPDATE: This paragraph was taken down because I did not include references. I found this information in my notes from The Pill documentary. I am currently trying to find a way to give credit to the documentary. After reading my post, I understand why it was taken down.

Metaphors and Consequences There are deep implications of metaphors in science. They employ us to see events in different ways. For example, conventional wisdom holds that sperm attacks the egg during fertilization. Hardly anyone questions this because of the various metaphors that are attached to fertilization. Some of these metaphors describe the sperm as: warrior, torpedo, active, penetrating, a key, and prince charming. The egg is referred to as: damsel in distress, target, passive, inert, a lock, and sleeping beauty. In Chapter 5 of The Gender and Science Reader, Hubbard argues that in order “to free ourselves from debilitating misrepresentations, we need to understand the ideological base of the medical/scientific misinformation and disinformation we get about how genes, hormones, muscles- in a word, our bodies – function.” These misrepresentations are derived from metaphors.

Peer Edits

By: Gabriela Santana On: Metaphors and Consequences: Suggestions: Hyperlink: fertilization Hyperlink: egg, sperm Capitalize: Prince Charming and Sleeping Beauty Talk about the consequences a little more, like what have these implications caused the egg to be seen as. edits by Eva Solorio •	Suggest that you do research to support you claims. •	Try to rephrase some very vague and bias phrases you have to make it more creditable and fit for an objective not opinion piece of work. •	Sites that you might find evidence and references to the claims presented in your work: For you side effect claim : this article by a a dr. http://www.medicinenet.com/oral_contraceptives_birth_control_pills/article.htm For the section of when you say back then, women were given….. You will find a timeline of the pill. http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/pill/timeline/timeline2.html For Gregory Pincus, if you look him up, you will find his trails and experiments that you can use for your section. For the last sentence in your work, maybe you will find this resourceful http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/pill/peopleevents/e_hearings.html

When the birth control pill first(perhaps think of adding the year of when birth control came out to make it more creditable) emerged on the market, (this is very vague by saying doctors. If you add what type or who it may be more creditable)doctors told women to put all their faith on the pill despite the alarming side affects including but not limited to weight gain, mood swings, ect (cite where you got these side effects to give it creditability). Back then(back then is vague as well, I would suggest using a date to refer to the era you mean), women(perhaps if you specify what type of women were targeted for this because you are generalizing all women)  were given an alarming overdose of birth control compared to birth control pills today. Gregory Pincus (perhaps by adding a citation to this or hyperlinking this person to give creditability to why you refer to him.) aided in the development of the pill. He worked on decreasing the side effects of the pill. The new pill contained estrogen as to combat the heavy bleeding that they old pill caused( use reference to give creditability to this). He tested the new pill on women in Puetro Rico even though they(I suggest specifying who the target of this experiment was instead of using the word they) did not know that they were participating in an experiment. In addition, they were not informed of the possible side affects of the pill. Many people (if you look at the page the proffessor gave us for editing you will find that using phrases like many people is a no no; suggest you specify who you refer to)claimed that it would defeat the purpose of the experiment if the patients were told of the possible side affects of the pill because then they would develop these side effects. In time, women (Once again specify because you are generalizing. Not all women fought) fought in congressional hearing panels for a warning of the side effects on the pill bottle.( try to add a reference to this claim) Note: my edits and suggestions are in brackets. Your were right it does look strange. I'll try emailing you this so it can appear more clearly with the color coding.