We believe a conversation on balancing the Feminine and Masculine incomplete without discussing Gender Roles as possible tools for oppression of the freedom of expression and the freedom to love that all men are supposed to be tough, brave, fearless and unemotional has caused untold harm to the human race. Just as dangerous is the idea that all women are to be emotionally open, compassionate, easily scared, delicate and passive. These concepts reinforce division among the masses and allow the authorities to pit Men and Women against each other.

I appreciate the message of mindfulness toward our notions of gender that this post encourages; many see these as concrete as the concept of sex and confirmation bias makes personal evolution of these goals slow or inefficient. I agree with Halpern's view that gender identity is a product of biology and society; freedom from inaccurate societal norms for gender seems to require either accepting society's painfully drawn-out evolution, or opting to shift to an objective, individual view that allows for immediate application of one's one person morality.

The cited examples of ambiguous gender roles beyond the biological sexes to me illustrates that while humans fancy ourselves good at finding patterns and association, we may not be as adept at identifying which associations to focus on. In a society whose value is rapidly evolving away from reproductive candidacy, perhaps the individual does better to challenge their own views of what their existence can provide, beyond the ability to procreate, to help achieve perspective on the importance of membership to a given sub-set.