As we begin to talk about gender and biology, you may find interesting the Mütter Museum here in Philadelphia. Maybe some of you have been to the museum? The Mütter provides a fascinating look at the range of possibilities within the human anatomy, as well as insight into our own responses (medical, psychological, sociological, and so on) toward what we call “unnatural.”
When I visited the museum a few years ago, there were several schoolchildren standing around the corpse of the “soap lady,” laughing and making jokes. My initial response was annoyance, which changed to sadness as I witnessed the same derision used in playgrounds to cast out any number of children as "weird, not normal." Of course, laughter is a typical response from a fearful, confused child—a compensatory show of strength to disguise feelings of vulnerability—and sometimes adults make derisive comments in moments of discomfort, confusion, and fear. As we study gender, make sure to note not only your intellectual responses, but also your emotional responses. For example, if you feel uncomfortable with Garber’s discussion of multiple sexes and genders, ask yourself where your discomfort comes from: Your social groups (peers, family)? Your religious and cultural beliefs? Your class? Your race and ethnicity? Your gender? Your sexuality? It’s okay to feel discomfort, so long as you critically examine the source of those feelings.
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