“Male and female represent the two sides of the great
radical dualism. But, in fact, they are perpetually passing into one another.
Fluid hardens to solid, solid rushes to fluid. There is no wholly masculine
man, no purely feminine woman.” Pg 565
What is man? What is woman? The answer given to us by science
is that it depends on the sexual organ a person is born with. From there, our
culture creates categories, rules, and expectations that a person should follow
as a consequence of their type of genitalia. However, humans are born every day
with multiple types of sexual organs, no sexual organs, a combination of the
two— termed “intersex”. Humans are also born every day who have what is deemed
“normal” sexual organs but who do not follow the expectations we place on them.
Margaret Fuller, whose book Woman in the 19th Century was first
published in 1843, recognized this societal conundrum and the detrimental
implications it has, not only for individuals but also for humanity as a whole.
“Let us be wise, and not impede the soul. Let her work as
she will. Let us have one creative energy, one incessant revelation. Let it
take what form it will, and let us not bind it by the past to man or woman,
black or white. Jove sprang from Rhea, Pallas from Jove. So let it be.” Pg 566
The categories we use to define sexuality, and other facets
of identity such as race, class, age, ect. show us commonalities between each
other. We use them to relate to one another and develop connections. However,
these categories also allow for differences to be visible between one another
other. Certain categories can be given advantages over others and therefore
impede on the development of a persons full potential. Fuller, who was a
transcendentalist, believed that humans must be allowed to discover their
“souls” on their own, instead of being told their identity by the society they
were born into. Though her concepts were shrouded in religious beliefs; this
idea of allowing each other the freedom to search for an inner authentic self, instead
of assigning identities to each other based on rules which have proven to be
merely suggestions, is the solution we need to prevent the cycle of oppression.
Instead of telling or expecting people to act a certain way, we should allow
them to discover how they want to act. Instead of using categories to see
commonalities, we should see a larger commonality—humanity.
“In families that I know, some little girls like to saw
wood, others to use carpenters’ tools. Where these tastes are indulged,
cheerfulness and good-humor are promoted. Where they are forbidden, because
“such things are not proper for girls,” they grow sullen and mischievous.” Pg
570
Fuller mainly discusses the rules placed on women during her
time period. The expectations placed on women however inherently affect people
of any gender and sexuality. When we assign a person born with a vagina a
certain occupation, a certain dress code, or even certain personality traits,
we therefore declare it inappropriate for others to inhabit them. Preventing
people from developing and understanding their true selves hurts their personal growth
but also hurts humanity's growth as a whole. We rely on the discoveries and
developments of each other to progress forward. If a woman does not feel like
she can become a scientist, yet her own experiences, set of genes, and personal
intelligence would hold the key to preventing a disease, then we have not only
harmed her, but countless others.
“So Man did her more and more justice, and grew more and
more kind. But yet—his habits and his will corrupted by the past—he did not
clearly see that Woman was half himself; that her interests were identical with
his; and that, by the law of their common being, he could never reach his true
proportions while she remained in any wise shorn of hers.” Pg 568
