Gender Non-Conformity

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There’s More to a Word:
The Differences Between Gender, Sex, and Orientation

The Difference (intro) Many people fail to realize or understand that gender, sex and orientation are not the same thing. People believe in gender binary, which means thinking there are only two genders, male or female.
Gender
refers to the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a given culture associates with a person’s biological sex. Behavior that is compatible with cultural expectations is referred to as gender-normative; behaviors that are viewed as incompatible with these expectations constitute gender non-conformity.
Identity: refers to “one’s sense of oneself as male, female, or transgender” When one’s gender identity and biological sex are not congruent, …show more content…

Common identity labels include man, woman, genderqueer, trans, and more.
Sex
refers to a person’s biological status and is typically categorized as male, female, or intersex (i.e., atypical combinations of features that usually distinguish male from female). There are a number of indicators of biological sex, including sex chromosomes, gonads, internal reproductive organs, and external genitalia.
Orientation
“refers to the sex of those to whom one is sexually and/or romantically attracted. Categories of sexual orientation typically have included attraction to members of one’s own sex (gay men or lesbians), attraction to members of the other sex (heterosexuals), and attraction to members of both sexes (bisexuals). While these categories continue to be widely used, research has suggested that sexual orientation does not always appear in such definable categories and instead occurs on a …show more content…

Also known as straight.
Homosexual a [medical] term used to describe a person primarily emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to members of the same sex/gender. This term is considered stigmatizing due to its history as a category of mental illness, and is discouraged for common use (use gay or lesbian instead).
Bisexual a person emotionally, physically, and/or sexually attracted to male/men and females/women. Other individuals may use this to indicate an attraction to individuals who identify outside of the gender binary as well and may use bisexual as a way to indicate an interest in more than one gender or sex (i.e. men and genderqueer people). This attraction does not have to be equally split or indicate a level of interest that is the same across the genders or sexes an individual may be attracted to.
Demisexual an individual who does not experience sexual attraction unless they have formed a strong emotional connection with another individual. Often within a romantic relationship.
Pansexual a person who experiences sexual, romantic, physical, and/or spiritual attraction for members of all gender

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