What is the definition of gender?

Alex Meyers started his talk by asking us what is the true definition of gender. I sat there thinking and thinking and yet I really didn't know. Gender is something I have never really thought about because I can't think of a time that I have questioned this part of me. My group and I came up with a definition that gender is the social reflection of our sexuality. It's the choices we make every day, what we wear, say and even think. Meyers encouraged us to think about gender as a barrier and or an obstacle for some people. Most trans people feel as if they start their real-life once they transition. This transition symbolizes a new beginning.

Ron Bancroft experienced this new start as he goes out to Wyoming to find what it really means to be a "man." Ron is in search of approval and reassurance that he actually can be a man. He is seeking support after his family refuses to pay his college tuition due to his gender transition. What Ron was really missing was the support system that we all need in order to love and appreciate ourselves. Ron and Alex had a lot of similarities including hesitation from their loved ones and both wanting to get away from home to find themselves. But for me, the stark difference was how Alex knew he wanted to be a boy ever since he was 5. This was very surprising because when Alex was young being trans was never talked about or seen in the media. Alex knew that there was no way he could live as a woman and so he did everything in his power to be true to himself. Nowadays kids are exposed to media constantly, which is highlighting and also discriminating against the trans community. That being said there are a lot more resources and information granted to kids about how to transition if they feel as if they don't "belong" to one gender. Transitioning is a common topic addressed in media now as we see people like Caitlyn Jenner, Chaz Bono, and Carmen Carrara. This sort of media and news can either attract or detract people from being trans if its something they have been thinking about a lot. Famous trans people and even the trans community practically didn't exist when Alex was contemplating his identity. Even though the media can be harsh and bias there is also the power of exposure to a lot more ideas and topics today than we had 20 years ago. Thanks to the media and the news we have the resources to educate ourselves on stories such as Alex Meyers and Ron Bancrofts. Stories that will continue to educate us on what it really means to be transgender in a nonaccepting society.

What inspired me the most about Alex's story and even Ron's story is the courage they had to put themselves and their identity first rather than letting society conform them. Both Ron and Alex decided they needed to get away to think about their own identity and role in society. This is a really important question for me as I grow up. How will I make this world a better place? And how do I even fit into this society? The answers to these questions differ from person to person, but being aware of our own purpose has a lot of strength in society. Alex Meyers addressed lots of critical questions and concerns as we try and move forward as a Govs community and as a country.