A Genderless Society?

When we are born, we have no concept of gender. Boy or girl, we lie together, undisturbed. Our bodies appear nearly the same. Only the marker of an adult, clothes, blankets and other man-made items, distinguish us.

As we grow up, we learn to hate the other gender. We run around the playgrounds screaming out, "Don't touch them, they've got cooties!" They are different. They are to be treated so. Girls hang out with girls. Boys hang out with boys.

When we mature, we find we must unlearn our bias against the other gender. Some of us go on to love and fantasize the other gender. Others chose to become the other gender.

And finally, in death there is no discrimination. Male or female, the cold hand will touch each of us.

Here is where the analogy diverges. The Internet, at its birth, knew no gender bounds. It was not born with distinctions between males and females who entered its realm. The handles chosen early on were cryptic, numbers and letters.

As it grew up through the late 80's and early 90's, the Internet learned... or more correctly, humans brought into it the hate and division between genders. Events like Mr. Bungle or the "Flavour of the Month" started to pop up.

Now the Internet is maturing. The stark gender divisions are slowly being broken down. People are finding love on the Internet. Some are even experimenting with swapping genders to see what it feels like.

But the Internet does not have to die, does not have to be touched by the hand of death. It can continue to grow and evolve and learn.

Perhaps even one day it will be able to teach us how to be a true genderless society.

What do you think? Join in on the discussion below and let me know.

Go To Page: 1

Articles in this Topic    Discussions in this Topic