Once never talked about, the topic of gender identity, sexuality, preference, and many more ideas that used to be foreign to my tongue have now become prevalent pieces of conversation in my life. While my parents and the older generations still seem to find it uncomfortable to talk about such topics, discovering new information regarding gender and sex has become an increasing trend that harbors a lot of support among younger generations. As people nowadays grow more accepting about this “gender movement”, people are likewise growing more bold and confident in their attempts to find a fitted spot in society. In Middlesex, Jeffrey Eugenides’ shows the beginnings of this movement and the repercussions that occurred to individuals like Cal
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Throughout the novel when Cal would bring the readers away from the inner frame, he mentions that even in the present he retains certain female actions that provide more comfort for him due to the structure of his body. For example, in order to urinate, [Cal] had to sit” since he “had an interior like a girl” (Eugenides 388). While Cal ultimately does not identify as a female, this biological element that he cannot control conveys Cal’s occasional struggle about accepting himself as a male. Due to the fact that Cal’s mental state would sometimes fall back into the mind of Calliope since he was forced to perform the same feminine action over an extended period of time, Cal’s anatomical design confirms the fact that biological elements still play a role in determining gender identity. However, anatomical issues as such are overcome by even stronger biological “impulses of hominids” such as raw desire (Eugenides 478). When it comes to developing a gender identity, the development depends on the individual and his or her instinct. Humans are constantly seeking ways to fit into society and live comfortably, thus demonstrating that the natural instincts of an individual are what eventually hone in on a specific …show more content…
As Cal wraps up his tale about discovering his gender identity, he makes it clear that the basis of how gender identity if formed is connected to the concept of child rearing. Tessie and Milton’s manner of raising Cal up was through a typical female routine, evidently linking to the idea that the development of gender is like “a native tongue” that is “imprinted in the brain during childhood” (Eugenides 411). As a result of Cal’s upbringing, he was influenced to identify himself as a female for fifteen years without any qualms. Growing up in a household where Cal answered with Calliope, wore makeup, and dressed in feminine clothing, Cal’s initial identification as a female makes sense. Carrying on in the present time of the outer frame, Cal remains “in essential ways Tessie’s daughter” since he continues to perform activities that Calliope would do like remembering to call home or taking care of his aging parents (Eugenides 520). These actions further emphasizing the notion that Cal’s upbringing as a female has not only molded but still remains as a small part of his gender identity. Almost as influential as child rearing,
Throughout the novel when Cal would bring the readers away from the inner frame, he mentions that even in the present he retains certain female actions that provide more comfort for him due to the structure of his body. For example, in order to urinate, [Cal] had to sit” since he “had an interior like a girl” (Eugenides 388). While Cal ultimately does not identify as a female, this biological element that he cannot control conveys Cal’s occasional struggle about accepting himself as a male. Due to the fact that Cal’s mental state would sometimes fall back into the mind of Calliope since he was forced to perform the same feminine action over an extended period of time, Cal’s anatomical design confirms the fact that biological elements still play a role in determining gender identity. However, anatomical issues as such are overcome by even stronger biological “impulses of hominids” such as raw desire (Eugenides 478). When it comes to developing a gender identity, the development depends on the individual and his or her instinct. Humans are constantly seeking ways to fit into society and live comfortably, thus demonstrating that the natural instincts of an individual are what eventually hone in on a specific …show more content…
As Cal wraps up his tale about discovering his gender identity, he makes it clear that the basis of how gender identity if formed is connected to the concept of child rearing. Tessie and Milton’s manner of raising Cal up was through a typical female routine, evidently linking to the idea that the development of gender is like “a native tongue” that is “imprinted in the brain during childhood” (Eugenides 411). As a result of Cal’s upbringing, he was influenced to identify himself as a female for fifteen years without any qualms. Growing up in a household where Cal answered with Calliope, wore makeup, and dressed in feminine clothing, Cal’s initial identification as a female makes sense. Carrying on in the present time of the outer frame, Cal remains “in essential ways Tessie’s daughter” since he continues to perform activities that Calliope would do like remembering to call home or taking care of his aging parents (Eugenides 520). These actions further emphasizing the notion that Cal’s upbringing as a female has not only molded but still remains as a small part of his gender identity. Almost as influential as child rearing,