Module C Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity

What is sexual orientation and what is gender identity? How are these two aspects of identity related? Are either or both a matter of choice?

The Genderbread Person

The diagram below provides an important visual to help you understand the distinctions between gender identity, gender expression, birth sex, and sexual orientation. Each of these aspects of identity are separate and distinct. What is particularly important that this diagram shows is that each of these identities exists on a spectrum all with an infinite number of variations.

Remember, sexual orientation is not related at all to gender identity, gender expression or birth sex. A change of gender identity, even one involving a change to the body, will not effect sexual attraction.

Genderbread Person with Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Biological Sex, and Sexual Orientation

A common question about the 4 spectrums on this diagram is how much of it is "normal?" The American Psychological Association (APA) has declared that the variations on all four spectrums are normal. In 1973, the APA removed homosexuality from the list of mental disorders and declared same-sex attraction to be simply a normal variation of sexuality. In 2021, the APA approved a resolution declaring non-binary gender identities and gender expressions to be "normal variations in human expression of gender" and that "diversity in gender identity and expression is part of the human experience and transgender and gender nonbinary identities and expressions are healthy, incongruence between one’s sex and gender is neither pathological nor a mental health disorder."

"Normal" does not always equal "majority." "Abnormal" does not mean "wrong" or "disordered." A non-heterosexual orientation or non-binary gender identity or expression may not apply to the majority of people, but they are all normal variations.

Learn more about the Genderbread Person

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Knowledge Check:

Question 1

Which parts of the sexual orientation and gender spectrums are considered to be "normal?"

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Question 2

How does sexual orientation connect and relate to gender identity?

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On the next page, we will consider stereotypes related to sexual orientation and "choice."