[Cross Post: http://www.masculineimagery.net/?p=12]

When I began the certificate program in Gender Studies I accepted that I did not know a lot about gender, and probably even less about sexuality.

Before I began the program I accepted that men have a penis and women have a vagina. This was my essential “truth” of sex. I also implied to myself that they had those organs since birth. Now I find myself 5 weeks into the program and I must now accept that most males were born with a penis, but not all of them, and not all people with a penis are “men” or were born with them.

Before I began the program I knew that men tended to be in control in relationships due to cultural precedents, but I wasn’t sure why. Now I have a lot more data on the topic and still don’t have a clue what makes men so special.

The bottom line… I know nothing about sex or gender, and labels are more trouble than they are worth.