BUZZTUBE

In a recent video, conservative commentator Matt Walsh attempts to demonstrate that the gender binary is not solely a Western construct. He does so by interviewing an African tribal elder and asking him about his views on gender identity. The elder responds by stating that men and women have their own duties, and cannot perform the duties of the opposite sex. When asked about transgender individuals, the elder states that wanting to change one's gender is a sign of something wrong in the family or in oneself. Finally, when asked about non-binary identities, the elder dismisses the concept as something he has never seen before. While this exchange may serve as evidence to some that the gender binary is not solely a Western construct, it is important to note that the views expressed are not representative of all African cultures, and that the concept of non-binary gender identities is not a recent Western invention.