Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation Essay

Gender identity is how someone feels inside, which could be expressed in many ways, for example, by clothing, appearance, and behavior. There are a few gender identities other than the common two, female and male. When it comes to both terms, people tend to confuse the two, and although they may seem similar, it is two completely different things like being a masculine female or a feminine male, transgender and gender fluid. Some may not feel female or male and feel like they don't identify themselves as any gender.

Usually, around 2 to 3, people start to feel like their gender isn't the same as the one they were born with very early in life[1].

Sexual orientation is what people are attracted to and want to have a relationship with romantically, emotionally, and sexually. While many people only grew up knowing and learning at least three sexualities, many identities go under sexual orientation. For example, the three that are commonly known or heard more often are heterosexual, meaning being attracted towards a different gender, male or female. The few that aren't often heard of or spoken about are being pansexual, which is when someone is attracted to everyone regardless of their sex or gender. When someone doesn't feel any attraction towards anybody, they may find people physically attractive but don't desire to do anything sexually. But some don't like having a label or think that none of the sexualities mentioned describes who they are. It all just depends on who the person is– Sexual Orientation).

There has been research that when it comes to someone's sexual orientation, it isn't something a person chooses, and it's said that it starts before birth. Although some may know what their sexual orientation is at a very young age before puberty even hits, it can change throughout their life, or it can take years for someone to know or be comfortable with their orientation finally. The saying that you can turn or change someone in a specific direction by treatment, therapy, or persuading them is false. It isn't a phase, either. Research and scientists have believed that when it comes to someone being 'straight' or 'gay' and if it was placed on a scale of being 'straight' on one end and being 'gay' on the other end, many people would be somewhere in the middle of both. Research has found that 11% of adults acknowledge that they have been attracted to the same sex, 8.2% have at least been involved in same-sex behavior, and only 3.5% have identified themselves as gay, lesbian, and or bisexual[2].

Research was done about people's health regarding their sexual orientation and gender identity. Researchers have concluded (that was made by collecting data) that gay and bisexual men have a higher chance of going through depression and being suicidal. Lesbians and bisexual women have the same rate as heterosexual women of getting cervical cancer. Bisexual men and women have a higher possibility of having mental health issues and smoking habits. Transgender people, mostly women of color have the most number of them becoming victims of hate violence. Transgender men and women have a higher rate of attempting suicide[3]. There are many reasons why LGBTQ people have experienced health disparities, from the stress of trying to hide or cope with their sexual orientation and gender identity to internalized homophobia, which can cause health issues.

A survey was done with 301 people asking them to answer questions that asked about their sexual orientation and gender. Out of those 301, only 47 were transgender. About nine people did not complete the study. 55% identified themselves as 'straight' or 'heterosexual,' and only 25% said they were 'gay,' 'lesbian,' or 'homosexual.' The survey was done to know if people would be open about their gender and orientation. To see if it's important to ask certain questions, about 3 in 4 answered that it was important for forms to contain questions about their gender and sexual orientation[4].

Many people are constantly placed in particular groups when they are young. Based on someone's gender, they should be and act a certain way, and someone's orientation should only be a specific one. Like specific colors and clothing only belong to a certain female or male, and people's behavior automatically shows their orientation. But recently when it comes to someone's gender identity and sexual orientation, it's seemed to have changed throughout the years. More people are being open about what they identify as and who they are as a person. I think that whether people agree with it or not, a person can identify themselves as more than just the two common genders, and a person can have a different orientation than what the majority of other people are. I also think nobody can have a say on what a person should be, and more people should start being more open-minded. Even when it comes to someone's health I think that society needs to consider that they are people too, just like everyone else, no matter what they identify as. Someone knowing their gender identity and sexual orientation can be crucial in who they are and help them understand a little more about themselves.

Bibliography

1. Do Tell: High Levels of Acceptability by Patients of Routine Collection of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Data in Four Diverse American Community Health Centers. Retrieved from https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0107104
2. Parenthood, P. (n.d.). What causes sexual orientation? Retrieved from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/sexual-orientation-gender/sexual-orientation/what-causes-sexual-orientation

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