Once upon a time, there was a planet. It still exists today, it is called Earth, and it is inhabited by genes. These genes, through a myriad of fascinating creatures, engage in the act of reproduction, employing a variety of ingenious methods. One of their strategies is to allow these creatures to have sex, a playful experience cherished by these creatures.
What follows is nothing short of a miracle. These genes are sliced into smaller fragments, then mixed with genes from the sexual partner, given a good shake, and voila! A new creature emerges, unique and unlike any seen before. While it bears some resemblance to its parents, it is still an extraordinary being. Sometimes, this new creation possesses exceptional traits that give it an advantage over other beings, making it better adapted to its environment or making it more attractive, increasing the likelihood of its genes being passed on. This process has led to the emergence of new species, greater variety, and increased diversity. This is something that genes seem to revel in, and it has proven to be a successful strategy.
Let us come back to sex. The game of reproduction is typically played by two partners. In the case of humans, the genes need an XX individual and an XY individual. Yes, there are other human variations, but I will set aside this fascinating group for now. The genes do find it important that an XX individual and an XY individual find each other. And that they also find each other attractive. So attractive that they want to have sex. It is beneficial for the genes that XX individuals can recognize XY individuals and vice versa. Consequently, the average XY individual differs slightly from the average XX individual. Most XX individuals are inclined to engage in sexual relations with XY individuals and vice versa. These smart genes seem to have orchestrated this.
Moreover, people also like to conform. They like to belong to a group, and so they will make arrangements. XX-people will agree with each other on how they look best, on what clothing to wear, on how to style their hair, on their manner of speaking, moving, and dancing, on what their core values are, and on how they treat each other, and on how they interact with XY-people. They even settle on a word to denote their group membership, using “girls” when they are young and transitioning to “women” as they mature. XY individuals engage in similar processes but with different agreements. They have their own terms for group members: “boys” and “men.” Our genes favor these behaviors, as they improve the recognition between XX and XY individuals. This aligns with the genes’ hope for these creatures to continue having sex.
Ander after sex, the lottery begins again. Another new unique creature is in the making. Exciting! Will it be an XX individual or an XY individual, or yet another kind of human being? And if it is an XX individual, will it later become a “girl” who wants to have sex with an XY individual? The answer is usually “yes.” And XY people usually become “boys,” and they later want to have sex with XX people.
But genes would not be genes if they did not seek diversity. Consequently, some individuals never feel the urge to have sex with anyone. Or there are XX individuals who long for sex with other XX individuals. Or XY individuals who want sex with other XY individuals. Or for whom it does not matter with whom they have sex. It could also be an XY individual who recognizes herself so hard in what XX individuals are like that she is not a “man,” but a “woman.” Or it could be an XX individual who prefers to stick to the arrangements XY individuals have made for their group. Or that human is someone in between “man” and “woman,” or someone outside of that.
That’s all very natural. That’s the game our genes have been playing for millions of years, and they will continue to play that game.
Epilogue. The story of the new creatures does not actually end with the new gene combination. To turn this combo into a new human being, there are still many exciting steps to be taken. That story is also incredibly fascinating and multifaceted. Lots of things happen there, and not all the steps are predictable. That only leads to even more diversity. Smart genes, I guess.
Louise Loverix' musings 