Heteronormativity Negative Effects

614 Words2 Pages
bulb-icon

Recommended: Influence of parents on youngsters

The Negative Impact of Hetero and Cisnormativity On Youth

Heteronormativity and cisnormativity are two harmful things that impact youth in a negative way, and parents must understand that enforcing strict gender roles contributes even more to this growing problem. Heteronormativity is enforcing that their child must be attracted to the opposite sex, that it’s normal to be heterosexual and cisgendered, that you have to stay confined within these boundaries. In turn, they end up being homophobic and transphobic, as it’s calling everyone who isn’t straight or cis ‘abnormal.’

Cisnormativity is harmful. By calling trans youth abnormal, harassing someone who doesn’t identify with their given birth and wants to be happy in their body, it takes a …show more content…

These same kids will be the ones who go out and bully the LGBT+ kids, because they aren’t like them, because they think that it’s weird. When parents don’t support them for being what they are, or what they most strongly resonate with, it hurts the child. The same national youth survey states how, “The youth [that took the survey] explained the LGBT+ youth face increased vulnerability due to loss of supports and rejection, and discrimination/heteronormativity/genderism.” What the LGBT+ youth community needs is support, validation, and reassurance that they’re going to be …show more content…

If you meet someone new, and you think they ‘look like’ a certain gender, just ask them, “...because you know what? It’s way more awkward to have people ignore your gender identity. It’s so awkward that it causes self harm and suicide.”

Now, there are people out there who may say it’s harder for them to teach their kids cis/heteronormativity is wrong, since it’s something they were taught growing up, but that’s simply ignorance at its peak. If you were taught the wrong thing as a child, and you get the chance to finally become educated and learn from past mistakes, you don’t go on with your life as if nothing happened. You had a learning experience, which gives you the ability to go out there and educate people yourself on matters like

Show More
Related

  • Analysis Of Matt Zalaznick's Article: Creating Inclusive Climates

    828 Words  | 2 Pages

    Matt Zalaznick’s article, “Creating Inclusive Climates”, offers suggestions for how schools can support transgender students and improve school climate by educating classmates and faculty about the needs and experiences of transgender children. The need for such education starts at the elementary school level, with many students beginning to identify as being transgender as early as the age of the average kindergartener. Although the implications of Title IX protections state that schools must not discriminate against students on the basis of sex, many districts have strengthened the wording with amendments to include specific wording to include stronger protections for transgender students. Leaders need to ensure that there are adequate district policies in place to prohibit mistreatment of students based on sexual orientation or gender identity. Increased acceptance among the peers of transgender students.

    Read More

  • Vaccines : Calling The Shots

    709 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...ecause it gave me an opportunity to hear the perspective of other health care professionals that are not in the same field as me. I also got to learn what role each health care professional could contribute to the Triple Aim goal. Also, this experience would make it easier for me to work with other professionals during my course of study and after I graduate because I have been a little exposure to what it is going to be like discussing and trying to figure out ways we can contribute to the Triple Aim goal together as a team.

    Read More

  • Masulinty and its depependance upon femininity

    981 Words  | 2 Pages

    ...younger children. My aspirations are to be an elementary or middle school special education teacher and then a school psychologist, so I know how important it is for me to not compromise who I am or what I do to fit with the male gaze, so that I can set an example for the students I work with. Additionally, as a school psychologist, it seems likely that I will be counseling students who are struggling for an identity, or perhaps those who realize they don’t fit the body that they were born in, or even those who discover that they don’t identify with either of the binary genders. These students will need to understand that they exist for reasons far beyond reassuring the identity of someone else. This is a problem that needs to be addressed, and as teachers, we can do so by teaching our students to be comfortable with who they are, no matter who they choose to be.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Gender Cisgender

    1194 Words  | 3 Pages

    In the western society, one of the core values is traditional gender roles. We expect everyone to identify as the sex they were born as, and accept the gender roles that are placed upon us, such as that men have to act in a masculine and dominate behavior and women have to be sensitive and lady like. Although, not only are these social expectations wrong, but they are also harmful to anyone who does not conform to a gender binary. Yet, many people are uninformed on what a non-gender conformist is, it is anyone who’s gender does not match the sex they were born as (ex: transgender man or woman, non-binary, gender queer). Also, any person whose identity matches the sex they were born as is known as cisgender. In consequence to this, many people who are not accepting of other genders than cisgender, will often show prejudice or discrimination to any gender nonconformist (transphobia). Not only is transphobia intolerant, but it often causes psychological damage and physical harm to many transgender people.

    Read More

  • The Pros And Cons Of Non-Cisgender

    1311 Words  | 3 Pages

    With the “Orange Is the New Black” star, Laverne Cox being transgender and permitted to play a vivid character as “Sophia”, Caitlyn Jenner’s announcement on the Diane Sawyer interview in 2015, and the arsenal of social media, being non-cisgender (not the gender assigned at birth) in general, has been discussed more than ever. Due to the Internet’s broadness, people who met this classification are unraveling new identities such as non-binary and genderqueer (only people who are this can say this word as “queer” is a slur). Being cisgender is the norm in society. I am also non-cisgender and this is an unique thing that possessed many scars.

    Read More

  • Intersex Advocacy and the Role of ISNA

    1320 Words  | 3 Pages

    Although intersex people only account for 1 out of 1500 to 2000 births, 1 out of 100 people have bodies that do not fit the standard for male or female bodies (Intersex Society of North America). Sex and gender play a significant role in society for potential relationships, family dynamics, and classification and understanding of personality traits and expectations (Strong and Cohen, 2014). Many parents do not want their children aggravated by a society so concerned with gender roles and gender as a binary, that people are largely distraught by non gender binary individuals. By nature, parents want to protect their children from physical and emotional harm. Intersexuality or unclear genitalia jeopardizes individual’s ability to have healthy relationships, especially intimate or romantic relationships due to a lack of education and

    Read More

  • Poverty and Homeless Teens in the World

    782 Words  | 2 Pages

    transgender youth, the conflict tends to be over their sexual orientation or gender identity, and

    Read More

  • Transgender And Cisgender Youth Essay

    1031 Words  | 3 Pages

    How does transgender youth experience adolescence differently than their cisgender youth counterparts? This question cannot be answered with a simple sentence, in order for me to conceptualize a possible answer I had to first define what transgender and cisgender are. According to Transgender Student Guidelines, transgender is a term that represents an individual who identifies differently from what his or her biological gender is. While cisgender is a term used to characterize individuals that identify as the gender he or she was assigned at birth. Some differences that transgender and cisgender youth experience during adolescence are: suicide rates, education, discrimination, bullying, and social

    Read More

  • Sexual Discrimination Essay

    1076 Words  | 3 Pages

    Henning-Stout, M., James, S., & Macintosh, S. (2000). Reducing harassment of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning youth in schools. School Psychology Review, 29(2), 180.

    Read More

  • Gay Marriage Persuasive Essay

    1374 Words  | 3 Pages

    Many teenagers who are gay, lesbian, bisexual, or trans are often bullied by their peers. In 2013 a National School Climate Survey showed that seventy-one point four percent of LGBT students were called gay or other derogatory terms often, fifty-four point six percent also heard comments about not being masculine or feminine enough. Almost fifty-two percent of students reported even hearing homophobic statements from teachers or other school workers. Sixteen point five percent of students were also physically assaulted by other students because of their sexuality. Because of these events, LGBT students were three times more likely to miss school than non-LGBT students, had a lower GPA, and had higher levels of depression. A girl I knew in high school named Donna identified as bisexual and I often saw her being pushed around in the halls and called countless terrible names. This soon lead to her feeling bad about herself, becoming depressed, and even self-harming by cutting and burning her arms. Donna also had to drop out of school and start being homeschooled because of the amount of bullying she encountered on a daily basis. The Trevor Project is a LGBT supportive organization that focuses on bringing awareness to homosexuality in young people, works to provide support for youths that are questioning their sexuality or are depressed because of the effects of bullying, and to prevent suicide among these youths. The Trevor Project explains that LGBT youths are four times more likely to attempt suicide than straight youths of the same age. This organization also tells us that young people who come out to their families and are rejected by them are eight times more likely to attempt suicide than people who were not pushed away by their families. These numbers are not only alarming,

    Read More

  • LGBTQ Parenting

    866 Words  | 2 Pages

    As a LGBTQ headed family the pressures of society can weigh heavy on the way you raise your child. In a recent article written by Lev (2010) it was found that the LGBTQ headed families often felt extreme pressure to be sure to raise a heterosexual child or children as well as a child or children who behave in such ways as a “normal” person of their gender would typically behave. Society puts a strain on being normal. The child is not worried about whether they act gender appropriate nor do they care about sexuality. Society is too focused on something t...

    Read More

  • Homosexuality And Stereotypes In It's Elementary

    830 Words  | 2 Pages

    The movie “It’s Elementary” does a great job showing the positivity reaction kids have to presenting LGBT issues in the school system. The documentary showed that all age groups can benefit from these lessons. For example, a heterosexual, 8th grade social studies teacher felt it was very important to teach his students to be respectful and not afraid of their sexuality. This teacher started his lesson by asking students to share stereotypes. He then related these stereotypes to LGBT issues. One student shared with the class that he uses slurs “out of ignorance”. This

    Read More

  • Gender Expression and Social Norms

    818 Words  | 2 Pages

    Around the world gender is genuinely seen as strictly male or female. If you step out of this “social norm,” you could be considered an outcast. This disassociation includes, biological males/females, interssexed, and transgendered individuals. These people are severely suppressed by society because their gender identification, behaviors, and even their activities deviate from the norm. Most Americans are exceedingly devoted to the concept that there are only two sexes. Therefore, the constrictive American ideals of male and female gender identities inhibits growth and acceptance of gender expression.

    Read More

  • Essay On Unisex Bathrooms In Schools

    766 Words  | 2 Pages

    In the United States, more than 700,000 people have identified themselves as transgender. These statistics include people of all ages from the children to the elderly. In several surveys conducted in U.S. schools, several children were identified as transgender. For instance, in a 2015 survey in Dane County, 1.5% of the students were transgender (Hoffman). With the revelation, there is a call for unisex bathrooms to accommodate all these students. For example, a nine-year-old student was denied access to the female bathroom in Queensland (Hosking and Sun). This shows that transgender people sometimes go through a hard time; especially in societies where being a transgender has not been accepted. Statistics show that transgender people often become victims of bullying. For instance, 22 women were murdered in 2015 due to being transgender (Goodyear). Additionally, a report by The National Transgender Discrimination Survey shows that more than 40% of transgender people have attempted suicide because of the lack of acceptance in the society (Grant, Mottet, and Tanis 2). Although unisex bathrooms will not eliminate transphobia, it will be a start to ensuring their acceptance in the future. Stereotypes associated with transgender people will be crushed at an early age, giving an opportunity for their acceptance in the

    Read More

  • Persuasive Essay On Bullying

    577 Words  | 2 Pages

    Throughout the years, bullying has become a significant reason for teenagers to become depressed or even suicidal. It does not matter what the teen is being discriminated against, whether it be their race, what they believe in, or who they love. When it comes to homosexuality, “one in three are under 18 who commit hate crimes” (D...

    Read More

More about Heteronormativity Negative Effects

Open Document