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The Originals and Gender Physiology
1.0 Physical Issues
Gender physiology essentially pertains to physical issues better ascribed to the concept of sex, the biological characteristics, which distinguishes the male from the female (Torgrimson and Minson 785). Consistent with essentialism, it emphasizes physical differences in anatomy, hormones, reproductive systems and related characteristics, which arise from the fundamental and differential impacts of the human chromosomes (Carothers and Reis 3). In the TV series The Originals, there exists a clear demarcation between biological characteristics. The male main characters include Klaus Mikaelson, Elijah Mikaelson, Marcel Gerald, and Finn Mikaelson. In the second episode of season two, entitled “The Brother That Care Forgot”, Kol Mikaelson also appeared. The main female characters include Hayley Marshall, Camille O’Connell, and Davina Claire. Special guesting for the season was also Rebekah Mikaelson.
One issue involving biological characteristics is role stereotyping. Historically, cultures attribute to males the role of the warrior, the husband, and breadwinner for the family and community; while to females the role of the wife, child rarer, and manager of home affairs. Most women of traditional societies have no issues about their roles in the family and in the community. However, contemporary sexist philosophies tend to misinterpret that female role as indicator of an ‘inferior’ to the male role, but unwittingly using the male role as the comparative standard. The flaw in the sexist perspective though is in the standard. From the standard of the male role, the female role will always appear inferior, often without realizing that, in the standard of the female role, the male role, too, will be inferior. Nevertheless, the status of sex certainly cannot be altered because the biological difference defines that status of maleness and femaleness (Carothers and Reis 3).
2.0 Psychosocial Issues
The issues surrounding the psychosocial differences between sexes are essentially issues of gender (Torgrimson and Minson 786). Amidst the perceived misuse of the term ‘sex’ to also mean ‘gender’ in the research literature, there is growing effort to correct this error and clarify the differences between sex (functional) and gender (behavioral) (Carothers and Reis 3). Although behavior had long been established as culturally determined, current evidence in biological sciences also indicated that physical factors (e.g. hormones) also significantly influence behavior (e.g. masculinity/femininity) much like culture.
Meta-analyses of gender differences, for instance, revealed various differences with significant consistency and reliability. In the area of personality, these differences had been found in smiling, anxiety, bodily esteem, and self-efficacy. In the social area, these differences include sexuality, interruptions, self-disclosure, aggression, assertiveness, and geniality (Carothers and Reis 3-4). Klaus, for instance, behaved in a stereotypical masculine trait of fury, aggression, and rough leadership; thus, essentially fits with the power-defined emphasis of conflict theory; while his sister Rebekah exhibits the stereotypical feminine gentleness, subtlety, unique feminine sensibilities, and operates through functionalistic consensus. Both, however, shared similar characteristics such as manipulativeness, loyalty/devotion, and strong protective instincts, which differ only in the manner of expression (e.g. motherly vs. fatherly). Moreover, Rebekah’s feminine gentleness was surprising because of clear family dysfunction and the lack of gentle matriarchal model. Thus, it can be attributed as essentially sex-defined.
3.0 Social Issues
The social issues of gender go beyond the differences in non-biological sex traits. They affect the changes in gender conceptualization, which evolve through the years of interaction between culturally diverse people. In contemporary times, these diversity became feminist issues often with exaggerated emphases. These issues typically encompass the diversity or inclusiveness, such as gender equality, female discrimination, or gay/lesbian discrimination. In fact, the high emotionality resulted to the attempts at defining sexes with gender conceptions, resulting such phenomena as transgenderism or transexualism (Torgrimson and Minson 787), and away from the more logical path of allowing sexes to define gender conceptions as a reality check based on the unchangeable and essentialist biological differences (Carothers and Reis 3).
In the episode, the fantastical community in New Orleans showed, in general, no problem in understanding the biological differences between the male and the female with each sex functioning their specific traditional roles: the female mothers while the male fathers. Hayley’s was a clearly defined female role as the mother of Hope and Klaus as Hope’s father. The Mikaelson siblings also never questioned the motherhood of Esther. There was also the culturally accepted ritual marriage between the male and female sexes (e.g. between Jack and Hayley). However, there was also the character Josh Rosza, a male vampire, who dated a male werewolf.
More than that, the New Orleans society worked consistently with structural functionalism with males and females behaving interdependently and complementarily. Overall, the story dynamics reflected a perception of reality as a social construction wherein interaction, modified by the collective diversity of participants, defines social reality.
Works Cited
Carothers, B.J. and H.T. Reis. “Men and Women are from Earth: Examining the Latent Structure
of Gender.” Journal of Personality and Social Psychology 22 Oct. 2012, a0030437: 1-24. PDF file. (Carothers and Reis)
Torgrimson, Britta N. and Christopher T. Minson. “Sex and Gender: What is the Difference?”
