 |
Lori B. Girshick, Ph.D.Trainer/ConsultantLGBT Domestic and Sexual Violence |
||||
|
Lori B. Girshick, Ph.D.Trainer/ConsultantLGBT Domestic and Sexual Violence |
||||
|
New Sex, Gender, and Sexual Orientation Conceptualization Traditional continuums describing sex or gender or sexual orientation operate in a binary. I do not see it that way. I offer this multiple continuum framework that allows for simulataneous parallel continuums. In this way, for example, one can be somewhere on a masculine continuum AND a feminine continuum at the same time, rather than the more masculine you are the less feminine you are. Sex (Biological/Medical Assignment) ___________________________________________________________________________________________________
Gender Identity (Internal Sense) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Gender Expression (Presentation) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sexual Orientation (Affection/Attraction) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Sexual Orientation (Behaviors) ____________________________________________________________________________________________________
Lori B. Girshick, 2006 Sex/Gender/Sexual Orientation Continuums explained: The Sex Continuum: Traditionally, individuals are labeled male or female when looking at biological factors. These include external genitals, internal reproductive organs, secondary sex characteristics, hormones, and chromosomes. The general thinking is that someone is male or female, not both or neither. However, intersex individuals defy this thinking because they may have a mix of characteristics usually thought of as distinctly separate. Consequently, someone can appear on each of the two sex continuums in different places, not only on one of the ends. These continuums allow for the representation of intersex individuals without portraying them as exceptions or deviant. The Gender Identity Continuum: Our internal sense of gender relates to our feelings of being a man or a woman. Traditionally it was believed that if you felt masculine you would not feel feminine, and vice versa. But some people feel differing degrees of masculinity and differing degrees of femininity. Some people do not feel particularly like a man or a woman, and some feel they are both. Having parallel continuums where degrees of ìmanî and of ìwomanî can coexist help us capture a broader range of gender identity experiences. It is also important to note that someone could be a male on the sex continuum and a not-man and more a woman on the gender identity continuum. The view that all biological males are identifying as strongly masculine men is not always true. This example extends to other combinations of body with internal sense, which leads to gender expression. The Gender Expression Continuum: The manner in which a person presents their sense of gender is their gender expression. This may or may not be consistent across time and place. Some people may be androgynous and not have a clear masculine or feminine expression; others may be clearly one or the other. Parallel continuums allow for all expressions to be acknowledged and validated. Sexual Orientation Continuums: Sexual orientation has two components--who
one is attracted to and what type of body one is sexual with. A person
can be attracted to people who are more or less male/man, female/ woman,
or transgender in their presentation. When behaving sexually, the body
may be male, female, transsexual, or intersex. Thinking about sexual orientation
this way is more inclusive of people with gender variant identities and
gender variant bodies. For example, a person may be female appearing
but have an intersex body; a person who is a cross-dresser may be male-bodied;
a genderqueer individual may have a female body. There are many combinations
of people--all normal, all deserving of acceptance and validation.
UPCOMING BOOK READINGS AND PRESENTATIONS June 5, 2008: Bookman's, 1520 S. Riordan Ranch Rd, Flagstaff, AZ, 928-774-0005, 6:30pm June 10, 2008: Auntie's, 402 W. Main Ave., Spokane, WA, 509-838-0206, 7:30pm June 27, 2008: Changing Hands Bookstore, Tempe, AZ, 6428 S. McClintock Dr., Tempe, AZ, 480-730-4828, 7pm July 7, 2008: Southern Arizona Gender Alliance (SAGA), Wingspan, 425 E 7th St., Tucson, AZ, 520-624-1779, 7pm July 16 or 19, 2008: Prescott, AZ, details TBA, "Understanding Transgender: There's More to Gender than M or F" Aug. 5, 2008: Modern Times Bookstore, 888 Valencia St., SF, CA, 415-282-9246,
7:30pm
|
