Kazuko TANAKA
CGS Director
[The article below is the same as the article that appears in the sixteenth issue of the CGS Newsletter.]
It has now been 10 years since I first became involved in setting up CGS in 2003. CGS started as a friendly, open space for communication among people with a shared interest in gender and sexuality. In my view, it has served as a catalyst for "chemical reactions" with the crackling collisions of ideas and emotions of people both within and outside the university. I am bewildered by how much I have been inspired by this powerful space myself. In this article, I will discuss three ongoing chemical reactions within my own psyche that were sparked by my involvement in CGS activities.
First, I am increasingly aware of how the system of gender discrimination is interlinked with the male/female dichotomy and heterosexual norms. It may seem obvious, but gender discrimination cannot be discussed today without considering these two related issues. Theories of gender disparities based on preconceived ideas about the sexual division of labor take for granted the male/female dichotomy and the cohesiveness of the modern heterosexual nuclear family. These norms must be challenged and scrutinized in any debate of gender inequality, regardless of the issues pertaining to gender identity or sexual orientation.
Theories and debates in gender studies have, until recently, been based on the assumption of heterosexuals and "cisgender" men and women, that is, those whose gender at birth matches their self-perception. Yet, gender discrimination is concerned with discrimination against any gender, not just women. It encompasses gender minorities, who feel uncomfortable with the gender assigned to them at birth and are discriminated against based on the male/ female dichotomy that prescribes one as either a woman or a man. It also encompasses sexual minorities, who suffer discrimination for falling outside the heteronormative models of sexuality.
Second, I emphasize the importance of bringing those people who are being excluded to the center, not driving them to the periphery. There are inevitable limitations in advocating for gender equality using heterosexual cisgender men as the standard in society. Why don't we challenge the system of gender discrimination by shifting the standard to those people who are engaged in unpaid housework and child rearing or to those people who fall outside the heteronormative framework? What kind of social system would we require then? It is important for us to consider changing the focus and perspective of our debate in this way.
Third, I wish to highlight the responsibility of the "majority." It is often said that minorities themselves must speak up and fight for their own rights. The powerful cannot speak for the powerless, but the majority should be aware that they are complicit in creating the excluded, invisible minority and subject this to scrutiny and debate. Heterosexuals need to think about the system of discrimination against non-heterosexuals and cisgenders should consider the problem of discrimination against gender minorities. Indeed, it is the primary responsibility of the excluders to consider how the excluded can make their voices heard.
As for you, my readers, what kind of chemical reactions have you experienced and where have you done so? I encourage you to feel free to share those precious ideas, hopes and aspirations that are nestled in your heart.