[Serious] Non-binary

[Rev. Rye]

Semantics.

Here's the definition of Gender according to the Oxford English Definition, specifically 3b:

 b. Psychology and Sociology (originally U.S.). The state of being male or female as expressed by social or cultural distinctions and differences, rather than biological ones; the collective attributes or traits associated with a particular sex, or determined as a result of one's sex. Also: a (male or female) group characterized in this way.

1945   Amer. Jrnl. Psychol. 58 228   In the grade-school years, too, gender (which is the socialized obverse of sex) is a fixed line of demarkation, the qualifying terms being ‘feminine’ and ‘masculine’.
1950   Amer. Jrnl. Psychol. 63 312   It [sc. Margaret Mead's Male and Female] informs the reader upon ‘gender’ as well as upon ‘sex’, upon masculine and feminine rôles as well as upon male and female and their reproductive functions.
1968   Life 21 June 89   When the separation of fashions according to gender began to vanish, retailers discovered a bonanza.
1978   D. Pearce in Urban & Social Change Rev. 11 i–ii. 35/1   The major implication for policy of both the feminization of poverty and the..labor-force participation of welfare mothers is that gender cannot be ignored.
1981   Heresies 3 67/3   Our ideology and practice of sex roles construct..two mutually exclusive categories, that is, genders.
2007   New Yorker 6 Aug. 13/2   There's no breaking news here—identity and gender have been on the contemporary-art docket for years.

The distinction between gender and sex is really nothing new, as the quotes section shows. That said, it looks like the OED has yet to fully codify how some people have seen fit to take these notions of gender and go beyond the binary of male and female into their definition. The OED is being updated constantly, although it can take a bloody long time for them to codify terms. You remember how they added a new definition of "literally" that blatantly contradicted the original meaning in 2013? That meaning's been in use since before America declared independence from Britain.

[Silver]

As a concept, gender identity now seems to include pretty much anything anyone can invent.

And having latched itself beneath the LGBT umbrella, most people are too afraid to question or offend this conceptual movement. But me being gay, I have no qualms pointing out that in my community which makes no sense.

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1. I think it's important to distinguish what psychologists call gender identity from what the public talks about. Since I'm sure you're familiar with how social media currently uses it, as this sort of individuality and self-expression concept, here's a short video lecture from the psychology side (not the best audio). Notice that these are developmental stages—things you can actually observe children going through.

2. Right; biological sex is redundant, but it is a useful redundancy. People forget that you're talking about biology when you mention sex, and that you're not talking about biology when you mention gender, so the extra adjective does help emphasize that.

Also, from a psychological perspective, I can understand and accept the trans person. But that is an entirely different subject, and I only brought it up in comparison to the nonbinary concept which is not psychologically sound.

Someone stating that s/he is nonbinary seems to resonate quite clearly with a, albeit harmless, self delusion.

[The Architect Of Fate]

And having latched itself beneath the LGBT umbrella, most people are too afraid to question or offend this conceptual movement. But me being gay, I have no qualms pointing out that in my community which makes no sense.

It didn't latch itself on it's as much a part of it like any other part. Funny this sounds like exactly what  Gay people who reject Trans people say or what  Gays who refuse to accept Bi people as say.

Also, from a psychological perspective, I can understand and accept the trans person. But that is an entirely different subject, and I only brought it up in comparison to the nonbinary concept which is not psychologically sound.

No, it's not there are plenty of people who claim Trans isn't "psychologically sound"

Someone stating that s/he is nonbinary seems to resonate quite clearly with a, albeit harmless, self-delusion.

Insert criticism of every other member of the LGBT community

[John 6IX Breezy]

Someone stating that s/he is nonbinary seems to resonate quite clearly with a, albeit harmless, self delusion.

I think self-delusion is rather strong; but there could be elements of self-diagnosing involved. I think the safest position to take is simply wait and see. There's just too much noise in the system currently.

p.s. That said I do think the only antidote humanity has against delusion is conversation—both with society and with reality itself. My biggest disagreement with gender politics is the way in which experiences are made private and unquestionable. They're removing the social aspect from social construct, in favor of a solipsistic and personal construct. I think this is an unfortunate overcorrection. Children develop gender in conversation with the world; they bounce ideas back and forth between peers and parents until they develop a coherent picture of their internal experiences. I'm not a clinical psychologist, but I wouldnt be surprised if developing a gender identity in isolation was not only impossible, but unhealthy.

[Belacqua]

the nonbinary concept which is not psychologically sound.

I'm still hoping you will explain to us why you think so.

[Silver]

It's too easily compared to other psychologically acknowledged self delusions.

[The Architect Of Fate]

It's too easily compared to other psychologically acknowledged self delusions.

Again people say the same thing about Trans. Decades psychologists insisted Homosexuality was a mental illness. These were both wrong.

[Belacqua]

It's too easily compared to other psychologically acknowledged self delusions.

In the bad old days it was common to compare homosexuality with bestiality. People saw similarities. 

Articulate people can say why the cases are different. 

So the ease of comparison is not always helpful.

If you want to make an argument, based in facts, that a feeling of non-binary gender IS a self-delusion, you could give that a try.

[Silver]

With poor counter arguments such as that, there's nothing more to add.

[The Architect Of Fate]

With poor counter arguments such as that, there's nothing more to add.

Accept it's not bad.