Gender and Bodies

[tychoish]

I’m editing a story for Critical Futures this week, and I’m re-encountering an old problem with this novella.

There are some characters without specified genders, it’s important to their characterization, and I’m pretty wed to it, though I did slip up and use some he/she in the first drafts, which I’ve since edited out.

Interestingly, or maybe

Comments

[metallumai]

Say whutt? If characters don't have genders they still have bodies, don't they? I mean, unless they're ectoplasm or angels or something. As far as relating to people's bodies, we usually don't, if they're just strangers or polite acquaintances, in our normal walking-around daily activities. We just you know, move aside when they need more room but for the most part, we save actual *relating* for friends or enemies, or closer relationships.

Also, if you have gender-neutral sentient characters, do you call them "it?" Just askin'.

Apart from that I have NO IDEA what you're on about. :D

[metallumai]

also: a gender-neutral actual relationship happens with computer contacts, all the time, often between people who either purposely leave gender out of it or else lie. It's a MENTAL, INTELLECTUAL relationship. Which can be cool.

What's the frustrating part, to you?

[tychoish]

so i'm not saying that they don't have bodies or they don't have gender, but that we don't really have a way of talking about peoples bodies *without* gendering the discussion/description. If you can only refer to people by their names, and not gendered pronouns, practically it limits how much of the bodied experience you can convey. Or at least that's my feeling