One of the biggest cultural challenges-I believe- is reframing the apparent binary boxes of identity I.e-women are women because they're not men, women are soft vs men are hard etc etc. This process is continued in pretty much all aspects of life- you're gay because you're not straight, you're young because you're not old, and for me during the world cup, I'm english because I'm not scottish. Identity is often formed as a reaction, whether because you form that identity yourself, or you are told that is your identity by someone else. You are something because you are not the norm.

Whilst we may put ourselves in these boxes unconsciously, we are also forced to prescribe to certain behaviour's within the binary system and there is no possibility of a third, forth or even multi-layered identity.

There's a great article in the Independent regarding an inter-sex woman who wishes to be recognised as such. She may socially be a woman, but genetically she is a man. She does not automatically "fit" into he/she but has been forced to instead.

Binary sexaulities and gender's are the basis for western gender structures.Bisexuality is little understood, but gays are ok if they're in drag/acting like dale winton, because essentially gay men are women in disguise. Likewise, lesbians are often construed as either soft-porn girl on girl action (for straight men) or looking like men.

Therefore, there are only two camps men (or women who act like men-ie sleep with women) or women (or men who act like women).An example that springs to mind in regards to progressing beyond binary sexualties or genders is my sisters accounts of "lady boys" in Thailand, being quite accepted in the families they came from. It was accepted that they constituted a sort of third sex. Now, whilst there may be a whole host of issues surrounding "lady boys", especially sex tourism, what is interesting in this context, is that there is, for the most part according to my sister's experience, the acceptance of a third sex.

What would be the worst thing that would happen if there was an accepted third/fourth/fifth sex? Marriage and the family as a male/female instituion would be irrelevant? Sexuality would be more fluid, less restrictive? Prescribed gender roles such as nuturer vs carer would be eroded? Would we have to rewrite how we socialise our female children? Our male children? our x, y and z children?

Here it become clear just how important language is. Without the ability to name and to understand, people are left as a "silent minority" unable to see themselves in the rigid gender boxes they've been squeezed in to.