Gender & Sexuality

Here I am going to talk about gender and sexuality choices which are shaped by society. I am going to talk about the painful, bitter conflict about sexuality which is vexing us especially in the United States, and which we are imposing on the rest of the world. We will explore several different sexual choices, some have been around since the beginning of time, while others seem to be new to us all. The angry, hurtful debate in this country about whether we have the right to our own choices and should our legal and social structures be "gay, bi, tri-affirming" , or should we reject these aspect as part of our society.

In order to be happy, in order to develop the capacities God has given us and in order to make the world the manifestation of justice that God wants it to be, we need to change the shape of society and change our understanding of our own selves.

First you need to know the difference between gender and sexuality before we proceed.

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For many this seems to be a touchy subject. Gender is a range of characteristics of feminity and masculinity. Gender refers to the state of being male or female. "Gender" is now commonly used even to refer to the physical anatomy. Gender begins to be formed from the time a child is born. beginning with the obligatory pink and blue blanket, gender is implicated in everything we do. From the cloths we wear to the food we eat to the types of work we do, sex role differentiation, and pressure to confirm to the box of gender.

Gender socialization starts at childhood and pretty much goes on until death. As a result of the pervasive attention that we give to gender, gender is pretty much implicated in everything we do. Beyond the basic fact that gender is something we focus a lot of attention on, there are a lot of strong opinions, theories, and emotions surrounding it.

medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/Gender+(sociology)

Gender is and important topic because, over and above all the argument and rhetoric and research and opinion, is the basic fact that all over the world, in pretty much every culture that exists, women are treated differently than men. I could be much more elaborate on this gender topic although I would spend all day on this topic alone, so we move on to sex and sexuality. Sex is defined by the genitalia an individual possess. We will expand sex to sexuality, which refers to your sexual orientation. Sexuality would deal with your choice of sexual activity and your sexual feelings. So sexuality would refer to who you are attracted to. Wither it be man and women or two men or a mix of the previously mentioned. From the beginning of time the bible only stated the man and woman as being the “right choice” of sexuality. But as time goes on we are further understanding and studying different sexual choices. I want to go into detail on a few of these new choices of sexuality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexuality

In today’s society there exists a huge variety of issues with sexuality’s. Some topics when discussed tend to raise the blood pressure of many citizens. There are a handful of topics dealing with sexual choices that always seem to heightened opinions An issue that has in recent years, begun to command the intensity of the crowd, is the acceptability of homosexuality in mainstream society. People with a homosexual orientation can express their sexuality in a variety of ways, and may or may not express it in their behaviors. Many have sexual relationships predominately with people of their own gender identity, though some have sexual relationships with those of the opposite gender, bisexual relationships, or none at all. Until recently, homosexuality was considered strictly taboo. If an individual was homosexual, this revelation was considered a grave secret to be kept from all family, friends, and society at large. However, it seems that society has begun to accept this lifestyle by allowing same sex couples some of the rights given to heterosexual couples. The idea of coming out of the closet has moved to the forefront of homosexual individuals when it use to be the exception.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/homosexual

Another type of sexuality is bisexuality. Bisexuality is romantic and, or sexual attraction toward males and females. The term is especially used to explain sexual attraction, sexual feelings toward men and women.with some sources try to say if they are bisexual the individual is attracted to all genders although it is unclear if there is more attraction to one more than the other, or if you should be equally attracted to each sex to be considered bi-sexual. This matter is also controversial although I don’t find it to be under so much scrutiny as homosexuality.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisexuality

Today we also have come to put a small group of people who do not have sexual interest into a category called Asexual. Some say that the asexual category is used for those who are finding themselves for a brief period of time. Researchers so far are unable to agree on a clear definition of this sexuality choice, asexual. So far all they can agree on is asexual is a term to describe a lack or absence of sexual attraction or desire. Asexuality has great levels of variation from person to person. Every individual case that has been studied has been different. Most say they have sexual attraction but have no urge to act on it. This is because they have to true desire or need to engage in sexual or non-sexual activity. This means that they hold hands and cuddle but have no intentions of going any further.

Also, some individuals will only have sex as a release but find little or no enjoyment of sex. Some asexual men are completely unable to get an erection and sexual activity is completely impossible for them. Asexuals also differ in their feelings towards performing sex acts. Some are indifferent and may even have sex for the benefit of a romantic partner, while others are more strongly against the idea even though they do not necessarily dislike other people for having sex as long as it does not involve them. Some researchers believe asexuality should be considered a disorder, while others find it normal. Only 2 to 3 percent of the entire world notably are asexual. There have been many studies although after reading many of them I don’t believe it gives accurate information on the classification of asexual. Asexuality is still a relatively new term and is yet to have a clear and distinct definition and or label.

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/asexual

In today’s society we have too many sexual choices to mention here. Although to give you an idea we have come to use a scale instead of a single box to identify your sexual choices. In the late 1940's and early 1950's a sex researcher by the name of Doctor Alfred Kinsey and his colleagues published two books called Sexual Behavior in the Human Male and Sexual Behavior in the Human Female based on the study of human sexuality. These works are also known as the "Kinsey Reports". One of Doctor Kinsey's most well known theories is the "Heterosexual/ Homosexual Rating Scale," which rates a person's homosexuality or heterosexuality on a 7-point continuum. Kinsey said you had to keep in mind, however, that it is normal for a heterosexual person to have thoughts, dreams or even fantasies about members of the same sex as it is for homosexuals to have thoughts about heterosexuals.

Thus, your "score" may not be a perfect 6 or 0. This scale say “How are gay are you?”. Zero being Exclusively heterosexual, one is predominantly heterosexual, only incidentally homosexual. Two predominantly heterosexual, but more than incidentally homosexual. Three equally heterosexual and homosexual, four predominantly homosexual, but more than incidentally heterosexual. Five redominantly homosexual, only incidentally heterosexual and six exclusively homosexual. This scale is more accurate to measure a individuals sexuality in today’s society. Society has changed over the years and we have to adapt to the changes.

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kinsey_scale

These sexual choices go much deeper into affecting what we want out of life and how we go about getting what we want. Having children or adopting is a major controversial aspect for gay, bi, transexual, and asexual individuals. Marriage for anyone but the man and woman can be a challenge to accomplish. Governments and laws in many states forbid or do not see any marriage but the man and woman. Religion which from the beginning of time has said that the only “right” relationship is the man and woman, although we are suppose to except others. It’s hard to understand what we are suppose to except or denie as a society. Although I do believe everyone should have their own choice to have control of their own lives and happiness. We as a society should not dictate what relationship is right or wrong. But I do see this topic as a pressing issue for all of us, especially with all the radical changes over the years. Only time will tell what the future will hold, although as more and more people come out it looks like the future society will be much more open then in the past years.

Gender Identity

Gender Identity
In attempting to offer an explanation as to the determining factors that define gender identity, we have to have an understanding of the physical characteristics that define the difference between male and female and we also have to consider the psychological factors that play a part in who we best identify with, whether it be male, female, or even both. This paper will explore the interactions between hormones and behavior, and how those interactions affect the determination of gender identity. We will explore the biological (nature) and environmental (nurture) factors on sexual differentiation and gender identity prior to expressing which may have the greater influence and then review some current arguments relating to sexual identity and how those arguments may be resolved by using evidence from biopsychology. Gender identity is defined as the sum of those aspects of a person’s appearance, personal conception of self and behavior culturally attributed to femininity or masculinity. As sex is biological, gender is psycho-sociocultural. Gender identity was used originally for the medical term to explain gender reassignment surgery.

This term is also found in psychology and is often called core gender identity. Gender development starts at conception, it is from this point forward that one is treated as male or female (WebMD, 2011) . However, when it comes to the determining factors that define gender identity, genetics and hormones both play a large and important role in determining the physical characteristics that define the difference between male and female. Something that we must also have to consider the psychological factors that play a part in who we best identify with, whether it is male, female, or sometimes both. Along with this theory come the outward manifestations of personality that are displayed in an attempt to reflect our personal identity to the world. If this concept is accurate, it would only stand to reason that the determining factor of gender identity is self-defined as a result of inherent and extrinsic or by environmental factors and are displayed through our individual gender roles. Biological factors play a very large part in physical development.

Hormones are responsible for sending natural chemical messages. These same hormones shape the appearance of physical characteristics. Some studies say that same sex hormones that determine sexual organ differentiation in utero have a significant involvement in shaping gender identity. The first biological factor affecting gender identity is the chromosomes that are in every cell of the body. Both parents contribute one half of the genotype; the mother or female supplies the X and the father or male the X or Y, the determining gene that gives gender its first definition (Board on Health Sciences Policy & Committee on Understanding the Biology of Sex and Gender Differences, 2001). The sex of the embryo is formed at the moment of conception however there are seven weeks where the embryo has no sex; both the XX and XY embryo develop in the same way. It is during the sixth week that the testes and ovaries are formed; testosterone, or the lack of, starts the embryo on a separated path, one being male and the other female.

The formation of gender identity is not completely understood as it is much more complex than just getting a sperm and egg cell to join; an XX or an XY genotype is only the first part in gender identity. There are many biological, psychological and sociological factors involved. The biological includes chromosomes, gonads, prenatal hormones, internal accessory organs, external genital appearance. The psychological includes assigned gender role and gender identity. The sociological could come from family, mass media and society (Kenyon, PhD, 2006). Sammons (2007) states that biological psychology observes that biological processes form gender identity. John Money a well-known behavioral psychologist first proposed the idea of “connection between biological and environmental factors in determining sexuality, arguing that social expectations interacted with an individual’s genes to affect hormone expression and thus sexuality” (John Money, 2011). Hormones are essential in regulating body functions and maintaining homeostasis. They also hold another important role, which is reproduction. Hormones help define our sex, and gender identity. It is because of hormones that gender identity and sexual orientation is mainly affected by nature and not by nurture. This is important statement because it proves that gender identity and sexual orientation is not purely choice, but driven by biological forces.

Human beings are sexually oriented by nature. From a young age hildren are taught preference when it comes to many things, one of them being personal sexuality and stereotypes regarding social sexuality. They learn that boys should not play with dolls or girls and the same for girls not playing with boys or rough housing. They observe specific behaviors concerning sexuality, from heterosexual, homosexual, or bisexual. They are exposed to differences in sexuality on television, in music, and in public places. Everywhere we turn in today’s society our children are being taught something different and sometimes these thing go against what they are taught a home. Children are taught or guided to have specific opinions about personal preference and how comfortable they are with their bodies. Some are taught to believe that homosexuality is wrong and should not be tolerated; others are taught that it is simply a personal choice. A number of children are taught that masturbation is disgusting and one should feel guilty and ashamed if even thinking of it. Parents and families have so much influence and sometimes invisible power regarding how a child behaves sexually or how comfortable a child is with their body. Typically, children who have not had access to understanding, explanation, and personal freedoms in regards to sexuality and gender identity grow up discovering they have psychological issues with their bodies.

This often cause teenagers to last out and become confused and they being to try to discover who they are sexually as well as who they as people and where they fit in in this world. Because hormones play such a diverse role in bodily functions, I will break down hormones into categories to provide clarification. Hormones are chemicals that come from the endocrine gland and are released into the circulatory system (Pinel, 2009). Hormones affect other endocrine glands or various parts in the nervous system. There are three types of hormones: amino acids, peptides and proteins, and steroids (Pinel, 2009). Out of the three types of hormones it is the steroid hormones that have a major role in sexual development and behavior (Pinel, 2009). The steroid hormones are unique in how they bind to cells. Like any other hormone they can bind to receptors in a cell membrane, but because they are small and fat-soluble they can bind to receptors in the cytoplasm or nucleus and directly influence gene expression (Pinel, 2009). At conception a female embryo has the XX chromosome while the male embryo has the XY chromosome. Those who suffer with a gender identity crisis may possess either the XX or XY chromosome but in fact identify with as well as exhibit traits of the opposite sex.

One's sense of gender and one's anatomical sex are two distinct elements: each developing at different times in different parts of the body (Kaneshiro, 2011) . According to Nevid (2008) in his book, Psychology: Concepts and Applications, the biggest argument related to gender identity is the nature versus nurture, the role played by hereditary and environmental factors as well as their relationship to gender identity. In addition, there is evidence that hormones have an effect, and plays a pivotal role in determining one’s gender. This paper will discuss gender identity, the interaction of hormones and behavior and examine the biological, psychological and environmental aspects and influences on sexual differentiation. Hormones are the chemical messengers that produced in different glands and are in general responsible for the body to function on the proper chemical level. As needed hormones are secreted to the site of action to allow certain biological activity to take place.

The hypothalamus and the amygdala, which are the most important parts in the brain stem, are one of the centers of sexual functioning (wickens, 2005), However, it is also the environmental factors have a critical effect in the producing sex and gender differences. These things brought together is what determine our sexual identity and who we are or grow up to be. It is my belief that we will do what we know is the best for us and the person we want to be. However, sometimes society makes it hard for us to identify who we until much later in our adult lives but eventually everyone finds themselves.

References
Board on Health Sciences Policy & Committee on Understanding the Biology of Sex and Gender Differences, 2001 http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16706106
www.apa.org/monitor/apr04/gender.aspx
www.praxis-landgraf.de/2011/10/the-determination-of-gender-identity-and -biopsychological