| PYQ Relevance: Mains Q An athlete participates in Olympics for personal triumph and nation’s glory; victors are showered with cash incentives by various agencies, on their return. Discuss the merit of state sponsored talent hunt and its cultivation as against the rationale of a reward mechanism as encouragement. (UPSC IAS/2014) Prelims: Consider the following statements in respect of the 32nd Summer Olympics:(UPSC IAS/2021) 1. The official motto for this Olympics is ‘A New World’. 2. Sports climbing, Surfing, Skateboarding, Karate, and Baseball are included in this Olympics. Which of the above statements is/are correct? a) 1 only b) 2 only c) Both 1 and 2 d) Neither 1 nor 2 |
Mentor comment: The concept of categories (like citizenship, crime, and gender) is increasingly seen as fluid, leading to conflicts and challenges in governance. Modernity promotes individualism, viewing traditional social norms and communities as outdated, which can lead to fragmentation in society.
Historically, sex was seen as a clear binary (male and female), but emerging views suggest that gender is a personal choice, complicating traditional beliefs. Some argue that while biological sex is often viewed as fixed, the idea of gender as a choice is gaining traction, challenging long-held views. In today’s editorial the recent events, like controversies in sports regarding gender identity, illustrate the complexities and challenges of categorizing individuals based on sex and gender.
Let’s learn!
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Why in the News?
The 2024 Paris Olympics has exposed the complexities in categorizing athletes based on sex and gender, with rigid weight classes contrasting with the fluidity and personal choice aspects of gender identity.
- This debate has become a source of significant social and political tension in the USA.
| What are the complexities and controversies surrounding categorization? • Indian wrestler Vinesh Phogat was disqualified for being 100 grams overweight for her category, demonstrating the rigidity of weight categories. • Algerian boxer Imane Khelif’s sex was questioned after winning gold. The International Boxing Association (IBA) had previously disqualified her for failing a confidential sex test, though the Paris Olympics organizers accepted her passport identifying her as a woman. |
Other fluidity of categories:
The fluidity of categories has historically posed a governance challenge, leading to conflicts and wars over definitions of citizenship, crime, and legitimate politics.
- Contemporary Issues: Current debates include the ethnic identity of Kamala Harris and the categorization of Scheduled Caste and Scheduled Tribes for social justice.
- Modern Individualism: Modernity promotes individualism, viewing traditional communities as regressive, and emphasizing individuals as the primary units in politics and society.
- Impact of Gender Perception: Historically, male and female categories were widely accepted across various fields.
- The increasing view of sex as a matter of personal choice, influenced by gender perception, challenges traditional understandings and creates societal tensions.
The Modern Discourse on Gender Identity:
- Contentious Issues Debate: According to the Canadian Institutes of Health Research, sex is usually categorized as female or male, while gender exists along a continuum and can change over time. In short, sex is what one is, and gender is what one feels.
- This debate raises questions about consent age, public school involvement, and healthcare facilitation, especially in the U.S. political landscape.
- Transition and Liberalism’s Issue: Gender-affirming transitions challenge the old belief that feelings should adjust to biological facts. Now, the idea is that our bodies should change to match how we feel inside.
- Transitioning doesn’t erase the idea of being male or female; instead, it aims to align the body with one of these identities.
- The idea of letting people define their own identities creates a conflict within liberal values, which can lead to confusion and division in society.
Conclusion:
The collapse of rigid traditional categories, particularly in gender and identity, reflects broader societal changes and tensions between individualism and traditional norms.
