Category: Gender Science

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Queer Theory & Quantum Physics?

Claiming that sex is rooted in gametes is arbitrary, outdated, and oppressive. So says this Drag Queen: ‘Reality is a social construct with no real, fixed foundation.’ Quantum Physics shows the way…

Uh huh.

Check out his argument.

Quantum physics to Newtonian physics is, to me, what queer theory is to heteronormativity, i.e. looking for normative constructs of society – male, female, of gender, of race categorizing everything in a neat, rigid way. I am very comforted by this as a queer person with no real fixed identity. It gives me immense hope that there’s this model of the world. This real physical, philosophical model which shows us that reality is just a set of contradictions with no real fixed foundation.

Amrou Al-Kadhi or Glamrou.

My Take

We can land a space explorer on Mars using only the insights of Newtonian physics. Nothing we learn from quantum physics is necessary to do that. There is actually quite a lot of certainty built into the structure of the Universe. Observed ‘bizarre’ activity at the sub-atomic level could perhaps be interpreted as evidence of the possibility of genuine freedom in the physical Universe. Perhaps.

Of course, we humans are not free to fly. The ‘givens’ of human nature may be philosophically rejected but life won’t end well if they are.

Particle Behavior & Human Identity

The principles and phenomena observed in quantum physics, such as superposition1At the subatomic level, particles can indeed exist in multiple states or places at once, a phenomenon known as superposition. and entanglement2Quantum entanglement is a phenomenon where particles become interconnected and the state of one instantly influences the state of another, no matter how far apart they are. This phenomenon is a physical property of particles and doesn’t translate directly to human experiences or identities., are confined to the realm of subatomic particles and do not have direct parallels in macroscopic systems, including biological entities. While these principles can inspire philosophical discussions and metaphorical interpretations, as the Drag Queen above has done, it is scientifically inaccurate to apply them directly to explain or justify behaviors and phenomena at the biological or sociocultural level.

The transition from the quantum scale to the macroscopic scale involves a complex interplay of numerous forces and factors, and the behaviors observed at the quantum level do not manifest in the same way in larger, more complex systems.

Therefore, using quantum physics as a basis to explain human identity or behavior is more of a poetic or philosophical endeavor rather than a scientifically grounded argument.

To say the discoveries of quantum physics justifies random, bizarre, unpredictable behavior at the more complex biological level distorts Reality.

Again, try jumping off a building and see if you can fly. A ‘fixed foundation’ will impede your flight. There will be nothing ‘probabilistic’ about it. The quantum ‘principle of indeterminacy’3A principle that underscores the probabilistic nature of quantum mechanics, where outcomes are not determined until a measurement is made, and it challenges the deterministic view of the universe as proposed by classical physics. It introduces a level of fundamental unpredictability and randomness in the behavior of particles at the quantum level. will be of no use to you then. We can know with certainty the flight of your biological system will end soon and suddenly.

You may identify as a bird, but you are not.

At the human level, there are few things in the natural world more empirically ‘nailed down’ than the mammalian male/female sex-binary. Without that natural coupling, i.e. without heteronormativity, we would cease to exist as a species. And all talk about expressive freedom & ‘oppressive’ social constructions would be impossible.

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God Made A Beautiful, Organized, Predictable World

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Intersex Statistics

“The existence of intersex people proves sex is on a spectrum,” say the Gender Activists. Not true. The vast majority of people labeled by the activists as “intersex” are unambiguously either male or female.

Understanding Intersex Conditions in a Scientific Context

You might have come across statements suggesting that intersex individuals make up 1-2% of the population, equating their prevalence to that of red-haired individuals. This claim has been widely circulated by various human rights organizations, activists, and even some scientists. The primary intention behind this claim is twofold:

  • To normalize the existence of intersex individuals and promote societal acceptance. (good)
  • To challenge traditional understandings of biological sex and suggest that male and female categories are social constructs or exist on a spectrum. (bad)

Origins of the 1.7% Statistic

The 1.7% figure originated from Anne Fausto-Sterling, a professor of biology and gender studies. In her work, she aimed to challenge the idea that human sexual anatomy is strictly dimorphic, meaning that all humans fit neatly into male or female categories. To arrive at the 1.7% figure, she and her colleagues defined an intersex person as someone who deviates from the “Platonic ideal” of physical dimorphism at various levels, including chromosomal, genital, gonadal, or hormonal.

Critique of the 1.7% Statistic

However, this definition has been critiqued for being overly broad. Dr. Leonard Sax, a physician and psychologist, pointed out that many conditions included in the 1.7% statistic, such as Klinefelter syndrome and Turner syndrome, are not considered intersex in a clinically relevant sense. In fact, the majority of the conditions that contribute to the 1.7% figure do not result in any sexual ambiguity.

For instance, late-onset adrenal hyperplasia (LOCAH) makes up a significant portion of this statistic (1.515%). Individuals with LOCAH have typical male or female genitalia at birth that align with their sex chromosomes. Therefore, labeling LOCAH as an intersex condition doesn’t align with common clinical definitions.

From a clinician’s perspective, however, LOCAH is not an intersex condition. The genitalia of these babies are normal at birth, and consonant with their chromosomes: XY males have normal male genitalia, and XX females have normal female genitalia.

Dr. Leonard Sax

A More Precise Definition

When we define intersex conditions more narrowly, as conditions where chromosomal sex doesn’t align with phenotypic sex1Phenotypic sex refers to an individual’s sex as determined by their internal and external genitalia, expression of secondary sex characteristics, and behavior. It is the physical manifestation of sex, as opposed to genotypic sex, which refers to the genetic makeup of an individual. Phenotypic sex can be influenced by developmental processes, hormone treatment, and/or surgery. Source: https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/books/NBK10943/ or where the phenotype isn’t clearly male or female, the prevalence drops significantly. According to Dr. Sax, the true prevalence of intersex, when defined in this clinically relevant manner, is about 0.018%.

The Takeaway

While the prevalence of intersex conditions, as defined in a clinically relevant sense, is relatively low, it’s crucial to understand the rights and treatment of individuals should not be based on their prevalence within a population.

But to use the unfortunate circumstances of 0.018% of the population to justify the belief that “sex is on a spectrum” or that “there are more than two sexes” is clearly a gross mischaracterization of the Truth, scientific or metaphysical.

Pass this info to others. Please.

Click through for more information of the statistics.

Here is my take on DSD’s (Disorders of Sexual Development) which is what an Intersex person has, although not all DSD’s are Intersex.

DSD’s and “Sex Assignment” – Podcast

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