Answer in full sentences
Read the story below and only answer the questions (150 words) use the sources I provided. check grammar, check spelling and no plagiarism
1. compare and contrast your respective identifications and evaluations of theoretical arguments and grounding regarding your selected sexual identity-related problem.
2. Additionally, identify any insights you have gained as a result of reading the responses of others.
Story:
I think there are many issues and problems circulating pertaining to sexual identity, so narrowing it down to one was challenging for me this week. The topic I have ultimately decided to narrow in on is the importance of language pertaining to the connection between gender identity and sexual orientation. Language is extremely important when addressing individuals within communities such as the LGBTQ+ community because the language these individuals use relates directly to how they identify and how they would like to be interacted with in the world.
It should be noted that terms shift and evolve over time, lending new meanings and assumptions. For example, the term “homosexuality” is considered offensive. Due to the pathologizing nature of the term in the past, its connotation suggests that individuals attracted to members of the same gender are mentally and/or psychologically disordered. In addition, the term “homosexual” is most commonly used by anti-gay activists. The suggested and preferred term within the LGBTQ+ community when referring to people attracted to same gender individuals is simply “gay” (GLAAD, 2018).
In addition, it is more common now to replace the term “same sex attracted” with “same gender attracted.” This is an important connection between gender identity and sexual orientation. Due to varying gender identities, same gender attracted is more inclusive. This directly correlates with individuals whose gender identity does not match their sex assigned at birth. A good example of this in action is a cisgender woman in a relationship with a transgender man. Biologically, these two individuals are of the same sex, though their gender identities are different.
A significant contribution to this debacle is how society articulates the relationship between sexual orientation and gender identity. In the clips from 60 Minutes, the host witnessed video footage of a study in which researchers sought to prove that people who are gay can be identified as such via their mannerisms. While I am sure this research was groundbreaking at the time, I find the implications to be reductionist and confining. It further perpetuates the notion that gender identity and gender presentation is directly related to how someone identities sexually. The implication in the video clip is that men who are more feminine and present more feminine traits are gay and women who present more masculine are lesbian. This leaves out an entire population of individuals whose gender presentation is considered the norm with their sex assigned at birth, but still identify as gay. In a 2018 survey conducted among high school students to study how labels impact the way they identify; a participant indicated their annoyance with society’s current conceptualization of sexual orientation. The participant explained that society assumes that a person’s sexual orientation simultaneously indicates a person’s gender and also the gender of who someone is attracted to (White, Moeller, Ivcevic, & Brackett, 2018).
I believe a prominent grounding in this conflation can be traced to certain systems within Brofenbrenner’s bioecological systems theory (Mossler & Ziegler, 2016). The language that is learned and used by individuals regarding gender and sexuality starts at the most basic level of an individual’s microsystems, usually with family of origin. Further, language may be reinforced and further mirrored in exosystems and macrosystems. Communities and cultural context lend to language usage and meaning.
Research indicates the biological development of sexual orientation stems from genetic differences and that heredity plays a role. Further, other evidence suggests that sexual orientation is related to brain structure and chemistry (Mossler & Ziegler, 2016). There is no evidence that an individual’s environment has any impact on their sexual orientation, though environmental and cultural factors may impact the way in which an individual chooses to engage with their sexual orientation (i.e. a gay teen raised in a conservative religious household).
Source
GLAAD media reference guide. (2018). Retrieved from
https://www.glaad.org/reference/offensive
Mossler, R.A., & Ziegler, M. (2016). Understanding development: A lifespan perspective. San Diego, CA: Bridgepoint Education, Inc.
