By Lloyd Metcalf

Much of what drives our social interactions with one another is sex- and gender-related. There are numerous publications regarding gender, sexuality and how it affects us — but is anyone asking “what if”?

What if we had no gender?

Assume for a moment that we are asexual beings that reproduce like amoebas. We split in two when we want to reproduce. We have no gender roles in society, with no attached expectations.

How would this situation alter our daily interactions with one another? How would it change how we look at our relationships? Friendships? Who would you be attracted to romantically — WOULD you even be attracted to anyone romantically?

We would find ourselves in relationships that were based solely on our intellectual and recreational interests. When we met new people, we would get to know them intellectually without assumption of roles or societal interactions.

How would it change the way you dress? What would parties and social occasions look like without gender roles and expectations?

In some situations, I try to imagine this scenario when I meet new people in an effort to better get to know the true person. Asking this “what if” can really open some doors to interacting with people and sharing ideas. It can also keep you from making sweeping assumptions about a person’s interests based on gender.

I can’t begin to count the times that I have been asked by a stranger (always male and unsure what to say), “How about that game?” If I were of a more present mind when it’s asked, I would reply with, “Oh, I didn’t know you had heard! The orcs were charging our gates and my 10th-level warrior leapt from the ramparts, rolling a critical hit while the wizard cast fireball on the masses!! It was EPIC!”

Perhaps I should fabricate a story of a mahjong game or knitting competition instead.

When men meet, there is an assumption based on gender that they have watched the most recent football or baseball game and know something about it. What they might find out instead with this “what if” is that I have a deep admiration for Vermeer art and a passion for Dungeons & Dragons that has become my career.

Sitting on campus writing this piece I am surrounded by gender interactions. A trio of young men jostle each other around as they talk about their recent soccer game. Across the room a couple of young women are working on their studies. One looks a bit side-ways with a crooked smile when a young man approaches. A couple of women enter holding hands and smile at one another before parting. These are all primarily gender-based interactions.

Women and other genders interact with this world in a different way than men. Men park anywhere they like in a parking lot and take a jaunt to the store without any thought. People of other genders consider how light it is out, the time of day, who is nearby, and how they hold their personal items. If we were an asexual genderless society, this would all change our daily lives, appearance and interactions.

If it’s too much to imagine, it may be worth taking a moment out of your day and simply considering what the world looks like for someone of a different gender than your own — and yes, there are more than two considerations. It helps to make the world a better place when we approach all situations with some empathy. With or without gender, we all have something to offer.

What if… is an editorial piece written to ask the question “What if…” The intent is to ask the question, imagine the result, maybe spark the imagination and conversation.