Male & Female 2: The Crisis of Gender – Modernity’s Challenge and the Illusion of Becoming

Modernity brought unprecedented change—technological progress, scientific discoveries, and social revolutions reshaped human life. Amid these transformations, traditional gender roles, once tied closely to function and hierarchy, began to shift dramatically. The shift reflects a broader cultural and philosophical movement: the rejection of fixed structures in favor of change and becoming. This movement, however, overlooks a crucial point—polarity, including gender polarity, isn’t arbitrary or oppressive; it is a necessary expression of Being itself.

Historically, gender roles were more than social constructs; they were expressions of the polarity inherent in reality. The roles of male and female were intertwined with societal functions—leadership, family structure, labor, and spiritual roles—each acknowledging the complementary aspects of this polarity. These roles mirrored a metaphysical truth: the coexistence of distinct expressions within the unity of Being.

Modernity’s challenge to this structure arises from the mistaken belief that all structures are contingent and subject to change. Influenced by the rise of individualism, relativism, and postmodern thought, the notion that gender roles are socially constructed and malleable gained prominence. This shift is part of a broader cultural embrace of becoming—where identity, including gender identity, is seen as fluid, subject to personal choice and evolution.

From Severino’s perspective, this emphasis on becoming reflects a nihilistic worldview. Nihilism denies the eternal and necessary structure of Being, replacing it with contingency and change. In the context of gender, nihilism fosters identity fragmentation. The belief that gender roles can be reshaped at will, or that polarity itself is optional, fractures the recognition of polarity as a necessary structure.

This fragmentation manifests as confusion and crisis. On an individual level, people experience anxiety and disorientation when caught between traditional roles and the pressure to redefine their identities. On a societal level, the disruption of gender roles contributes to broader instability—reflected in family dynamics, social structures, and cultural norms.

The illusion of becoming suggests that by rejecting traditional gender roles, one gains freedom and authenticity. However, this illusion overlooks a key point: rejecting polarity doesn’t liberate individuals; it severs them from the necessary structure of Being. As Severino argues, Being is eternal and unchanging—its structures are not oppressive chains but expressions of truth. The polarity of male and female is part of this truth, not a barrier to freedom but a foundation for genuine identity.

This crisis isn’t unique to gender; it is a symptom of a broader existential crisis—the collapse of meaning and the rejection of necessity in favor of contingency. As the next article will explore, the dissolution of fixed gender roles signals a deeper movement toward recognizing identity as necessity. The crisis we witness today isn’t an end but a necessary stage in the unfolding recognition of Being’s eternal structure.