*Note: I don’t actually identify as an attack helicopter, because that’s impossible*
Easily one of the most controversial issues when it comes LGBTQ+ is the debate on gender identity and the assertion that there are only two genders. This has spawned many digs like the famous “If there are more than two genders then I identify as an attack helicopter” or the annoying “I’m a pansexual no binary gay gender-queer homoromantic transgender boy,” all of which usually comes from an individual repulsed by the idea of there being more than two genders. And while I am a cisgender male (i.e. my gender identity lines up with my genitalia) and not on the receiving end of these jokes, I’m sick of this debate.
As infuriating as it is to me to see so many people so vehemently oppose having more than one gender, it makes sense why they do. Historically, the words gender and sex have been used interchangeably, so when people hear gender they think sex. Couple that with websites like Tumblr emboldening individuals to basically make up nonsense genders like “Earth gender” and “Bat gender” and it gets harder to differentiate what is concrete and what isn’t. But at the end of the day, most of the pushback to the idea of more than two genders comes from ignorance and a desire to remain ignorant.
Gender and sex are two different things. Gender is a social construct, meaning humans created it and therefore it can bend and change (which is why gender is often described as a spectrum). Sex is biological, meaning it’s something you can’t 100% change. There can be more than one gender, but only two sexes (unless you count people born with both male and female genitalia a third sex). This is not “social justice warrior” bs, it’s basic science and psychology.
Despite all of this information, people will look at these facts and choose to dismiss them. Whether it’s out of fear for the changing world, refusal to conform to “society’s beliefs,” or just deflection to hide the fact that a person doesn’t understand “gender-queer,” they belittle and degrade an entire community of humans on a daily basis. And the thing is, no matter how much you complain and belittle, non-binary people will still exist. Gender fluid people will still exist. More than two genders will continue to exist. So the real question is – other than getting the brief and shallow satisfaction that you made someone feel bad – do you really gain anything from screaming “tHeReS oNlY tWo GeNdErS”?