Defending the Sex/Gender Binary: The Role of Gender Identification and Need for Closure

Abstract

In the Western world, gender/sex is traditionally viewed as binary, with people falling into one of two categories: male or female. This view of gender/sex has started to change, triggering some resistance. This research investigates psychological mechanisms underlying that resistance. Study 1 ( N = 489, UK) explored the role of individual gender identification in defense of, and attempts to reinforce, the gender/sex binary. Study 2 ( N = 415, Sweden) further considered the role of individual differences in need for closure. Both gender identification and need for closure were associated with binary views of gender/sex, prejudice against nonbinary people, and opposition to the use of gender-neutral pronouns. Policies that aim to abolish gender/sex categories, but not policies that advocate for a third gender/sex category, were seen as particularly unfair among people high in gender identification. These findings are an important step in understanding the psychology of resistance to change around binary systems of gender/sex.

The multiple meanings of the gender‐inclusive pronoun hen: Predicting attitudes and use

“…This could indicate a certain form of transphobia. Following this, previous research shows that individuals highly invested in their binary gender identity have stronger beliefs about gender as binary, are prejudiced against non‐binary individuals and display negative attitudes towards the pronoun hen (Morgenroth et al., 2020).…”

“…All these factors have been shown to be relevant for attitudes towards hen (Gustafsson Sendén et al., 2015, 2021), such that women and younger individuals are more positive to hen. The strength of gender identity has been related to more negative attitudes towards non‐binary identities and hen and associated with the conviction that gender is binary (Gustafsson Sendén et al., 2015; Lindqvist et al., 2016; Morgenroth et al., 2020). In Study 1, we also controlled for political orientation and interest in gender issues.…”

“…By adding feminine word‐forms to masculine generics (a reform often labelled balancing or femininisation), such as the use of he/she instead of generic he, or adding feminine forms in occupational titles (e.g., Lehrer/Lehrerinnen, see Sczesny et al, 2016 for an overview), women are made linguistically visible. However, pairing feminine/masculine words can symbolically reinforce the notion of gender/sex as a binary construct (Butler, 1988; Lindqvist et al., 2020; Morgenroth et al., 2020) when the paired forms are presented as a unit highlighting the two genders. Hence, individuals with intersex variations and/or non‐binary gender identities become invisible (Hyde et al., 2019; Lindqvist et al., 2020).…”

Characteristics of Transgender Individuals With Emergency Department Visits and Hospitalizations for Mental Health

“…Symptoms and behaviors consistent with diagnostic criteria of borderline personality disorder may be better understood as reactions to stress and oppression experienced by members of minority groups (21,22). A society that subscribes to a rigid sex-gender binary viewpoint (23), where transgender individuals are regularly misgendered and face daily discrimination and marginalization, creates environments that can produce such symptoms and behaviors in response. Diagnosis of borderline personality disorder is also prone to health care provider bias (24,25), which may have influenced our results.…”

Let's bring emergency departments out of the closet: Improving care for LGBTQIA+

“…Gender refers to a sociocultural construct consisting of the norms, behaviours and roles associated with a specific gender within a specific culture. Within Western traditions, it is thought to be a binary between women and men, 5 but many First Nations and non‐Western cultures encompass broader gender diversity 6 . Transgenderism is when an individual's gender defined at birth is incongruent with their later gender identity or expression.…”