Final answer:
The Azawagh people, studied by anthropologists like E. E. Evans-Pritchard, demonstrate cultural specificities in how they define male and female bodies and roles. Gender identity can be fluid, as shown in Azande society where same-sex relationships with socially constructed gender roles were accepted. This suggests cultural definitions of male and female are not strictly binary and gender perceptions can vary greatly between cultures.
Step-by-step explanation:
The perception of male and female bodies and their differences are culturally specific and can differ significantly from one society to another. According to the anthropological research, particularly in the studies of the Azande and Nuer by E. E. Evans-Pritchard, we see that gender roles and the social construction of gender can be fluid and complex. In Azande society, for example, there were instances where warrior men took younger men as 'wives' due to the scarcity of marriageable women, engaging in socially accepted same-sex relationships where the younger men considered themselves as women. This implies that in certain cultures, the distinctions between male and female bodies are not strictly binary and can involve a range of roles and identities that do not conform to Western binary norms of gender.
Gender identity and biological sex are distinct, with biological sex being based on physiological features such as chromosomes and hormones, while gender identity is a deep-rooted sense of self that may align or not align with one’s biological sex. As an illustration, Samoan ‘Fa'afafines’, who are recognized as a third gender, are biologically male but exhibit both masculine and feminine traits and are valued in their culture. In some Western societies, biological differences such as menstruation and lactation are associated with female sex, but in terms of gender expression, what is considered masculine or feminine can vary greatly, such as the differing cultural significances of attire like kilts or sarongs.
Furthermore, the dichotomy of male and female is a social construct that is not universal. Gender can be seen as fluid in various cultures, challenge the binary view of gender as simply male or female. The dynamic nature of gender identity and the varying societal roles reveal that our understanding of male and female bodies is deeply influenced by cultural contexts.