What is gender?

Gender is a physical trait but we spent too much time assigning gender to actions. What makes one action more masculine or feminine than another? What if all actions, except those relating to anatomy, are simply human? Could it be that by assigning these arbitrary gender roles we have actually decreased the productivity of our species? If a woman is capable of doing a typical man's task than why stop her? Likewise if a man can do a typically woman's task why not allow him to do so? By association of gender we have made perfectly reasonable tasks taboo for members of a specific gender group.

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What makes one action more masculine or feminine than another?What if all actions, except those relating to anatomy, are simply human?

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Some actions are naturally (genetically) determined by chromosomes and hormones:
males (XY chromosome)- testosterone and, females (X chromosome)- estrogen and progesterone.
Some actions are socially constructed.

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could it be that by assigning these arbitrary gender roles we have actually decreased the productivity of our species?

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it has changed society but not in terms of productivity. in the end productivty requires the conception of sperm and egg.

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If a woman is capable of doing a typical man's task than why stop her? Likewise if a man can do a typically woman's task why not allow him to do so?

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Don't stop either, we should all be treated equally. After all we are all the same species- human.

i hate when you get all siency like that. its real impersanol.

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science is always best guess

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If you don't like another opinion maybe you should stop contradicting yourself on other posts- hence your reference to science always being the best guess. You seem quite confused.

thats exactly what i meen. its a guess so why use it?

You claim 'science' is a guess and invalid, yet any other reason is true. Unfortunately you may fail to realise that scientific theories are not facts. The ultimate goal of science is to best understand the natural world in terms of scientific theories, which are only concepts. In terms of this thread, science is most valid. 'Theory' refers to a speculative idea. You claim falsity in science but before you said it was the best method of knowledge. You are condradicting yourself. Science is an explanation of observation and testings, they are not guesses. They are simply reasons. Attempting to totally ignore science would be very feebleminded.

"asking the man who started the thread"

did you want a scientific answer, or a more personal and more non-factorial answer? y'know like a good point of view.
oh and i know everything you just said, and i'm not sure but don't think i ever said it was invalid, just a guess. -thats you summit

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did you want a scientific answer, or a more personal and more non-factorial answer? y'know like a good point of view.

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Any answers at all.

notice awakenedwraith that you haven't actually given your opinion on what ethereal asked yet. You have simply wasted your time trying to critisize me. It would be interesting to here your so called 'personal, non-factorial answer' awakenedwraith. Once you have given your opinion then people may start to respect you.

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social and ethical roles each culture gives when differentiating between the two genders

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But those roles are limiting, why do we need to assign roles to gender? Aside from reproductive actions are there really acts that are exclusively male or female?

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thank you for taking a stance sleepingwraith. The way people value what is 'right' depends on their context. I'm all for gender equity. Social/ethical rights between genders are evening out (as sleepingwraith said), but only predominately in the western capitalist world. For the rest of the world (80% are poor) , inequity remains at its extreme, unfortunately.
When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, people will respect you. He who does not have the courage to speak up for his rights cannot earn the respect of others. I am open to hear from anyone, that is why I am here- wisdom listens.

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When you are content to be simply yourself and don't compare or compete, people will respect you.

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Only people who are also content to be themselves will respect you. Others who are insecure will seek to break you down because you have something they do not.