Sex, Gender, and Sexuality - Explained
Summary
TLDRThis video from Eric at Stanford University explores the intricate concepts of sex, gender, and sexual orientation, emphasizing their distinctions and complexities. Eric clarifies that these terms are not binary and highlights the importance of using appropriate terminology and respecting individual identities. He discusses intersex conditions, gender identity, expression, and the spectrum of sexual orientations, including heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, and asexual. The video also touches on the evolving language and the reclaimed term 'queer,' urging viewers to look beyond labels and understand the unique experiences of each individual.
Takeaways
- 😀 Sex, gender, and sexual orientation are distinct aspects of a person's identity and experience, each with its own complexities.
- 🏥 The speaker, Eric from Stanford University, approaches these topics from a healthcare professional's perspective, focusing on concepts and terminology rather than politics or activism.
- 🔍 It's important to avoid reducing individuals to stereotypes or labels and to recognize the diversity within each group, such as among gay, straight, transgender, and cisgender people.
- 🕰 Terminology evolves, and terms once common may now be considered offensive, highlighting the need for ongoing education and sensitivity to language use.
- 🌈 Always strive to understand and use the terms that individuals prefer for self-identification, respecting their unique experiences and perspectives.
- 🧬 Sex is determined by a combination of external genitalia, internal reproductive organs, and sex chromosomes, and is not strictly binary, with intersex individuals being an example of this complexity.
- 🏳️🌈 Gender identity is an internal sense of being male, female, both, neither, or another gender, and is separate from biological sex, with terms like cisgender and transgender describing the relationship between gender identity and assigned sex at birth.
- 👔 Gender expression is how an individual presents their gender to the world through clothing, behavior, and mannerisms, which may or may not align with their gender identity.
- 💖 Sexual orientation encompasses sexual attraction, behavior, romantic attraction, and identity, and includes orientations such as heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, pansexual, and asexual.
- 🏳️🌈 Transgender and gender non-binary individuals can have any sexual orientation, and their gender does not determine their sexual orientation.
- 🌟 The term 'queer' has been reclaimed by some as a positive umbrella term for non-cisgender and non-heterosexual identities, but its use should always reflect individual and generational preferences.
Q & A
What are the main topics covered in Eric's video from Stanford University?
-The main topics covered in Eric's video are the diversity of sex, gender, and sexual orientation, with an emphasis on the differences between these concepts and the evolving terminology used to describe them.
Why does Eric mention that the topics of sex, gender, and sexual orientation are highly politicized in the US?
-Eric mentions the politicization of these topics to set the context that the video will not cover the political aspects or activism related to sex, gender, and sexual orientation, but rather focus on the concepts and terminology from a healthcare professional's perspective.
What is the first caveat Eric presents about discussing sex, gender, and sexual orientation?
-The first caveat is that defining terms can lead to them becoming labels, which may reduce the unique characteristics and life experiences of individuals to stereotypes and assumptions.
How does Eric define 'sex' in the context of the video?
-Eric defines 'sex' as one's physical self at birth, determined by a combination of external genitalia, internal reproductive organs, and sex chromosomes, and he emphasizes that sex is not binary, as it can include intersex variations.
What is the difference between 'gender identity' and 'gender expression' as explained by Eric?
-Gender identity is a person's inherent sense of being a man, woman, or something else, which is internal and not visible to others. Gender expression is how an individual presents their gender to the world through clothing, hairstyle, mannerisms, and behavior, which may or may not align with their gender identity.
What is the term used to describe people whose combination of genitalia, internal anatomy, and sex chromosomes don't fit the typical male-female dichotomy?
-The term commonly used is 'intersex,' although 'disorders of sex development' was introduced about 10 years ago and has been controversial due to its implications and reception among intersex individuals and activists.
How does Eric explain the term 'transgender' in relation to gender identity?
-Eric explains 'transgender' as describing a person whose gender identity differs from the sex assigned to them at birth. A transgender man identifies as a man but was assigned female at birth, and a transgender woman identifies as a woman but was assigned male at birth.
What is the significance of using a person's preferred pronouns according to Eric's discussion?
-Using a person's preferred pronouns is significant because it respects their gender identity. It is important to ask what pronouns a person prefers rather than assuming, as this can be a matter of affirming their identity and avoiding offense or trauma.
How does Eric describe the term 'sexual orientation' and its components?
-Sexual orientation refers to whether a person is straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, or asexual, and includes components such as sexual attraction, sexual behavior, romantic attraction, and sexual identity. It is separate from a person's gender and should not be inferred from it.
What is the term 'queer' used to describe, and how has its perception changed over time according to Eric?
-The term 'queer' is an umbrella term used to describe a gender and/or sexual orientation that does not conform to cisgender, heterosexual societal norms. It was once a pejorative term but has been reclaimed by younger generations as a source of pride, though its perception can vary due to generational gaps.
What is the final point Eric makes about labels and understanding individuals in the context of sex, gender, and sexual orientation?
-Eric's final point is that while labels can help categorize people, they exist on a continuous spectrum and should not be used to limit understanding. True understanding requires going beyond labels, casting aside assumptions, and getting to know individuals better by listening to their stories.
Outlines
📚 Introduction to Sex, Gender, and Sexual Orientation
Eric from Stanford University introduces a discussion on the diversity of sex, gender, and sexual orientation, emphasizing the importance of understanding these concepts from a healthcare perspective. He outlines several caveats, including the politicized nature of these topics in the US, the risk of reducing individuals to stereotypes, and the evolving nature of terminology. Eric stresses the importance of using the terms that individuals prefer for themselves and respecting those who choose not to label their identity.
🧬 The Complexity of Biological Sex
This paragraph delves into the complexities of biological sex, explaining that it is determined by a combination of external genitalia, internal reproductive organs, and sex chromosomes. It clarifies that sex is not binary, as there are intersex individuals whose physical characteristics do not fit typical male or female categories. The paragraph also covers conditions like androgen insensitivity syndrome and mosaicism, which further illustrate the diversity within sex characteristics.
🏳️🌈 Understanding Gender Identity and Expression
Eric discusses gender as a separate domain from sex, focusing on gender identity, which is an individual's internal sense of being a man, woman, or something else. He explains terms like 'cisgender' and 'transgender', and introduces concepts such as 'genderqueer', 'non-binary', and 'gender fluid'. The paragraph also addresses gender expression, the way individuals present themselves to the world, and the importance of using an individual's preferred pronouns and names, especially in a clinical context.
🌈 Exploring Sexual Orientation and Its Dimensions
The paragraph explores sexual orientation, distinguishing it from sex and gender. It defines sexual attraction, behavior, romantic attraction, and sexual identity, covering terms such as 'heterosexual', 'homosexual', 'bisexual', 'pansexual', and 'asexual'. Eric also discusses the sexuality of transgender and gender non-binary individuals, emphasizing that their gender does not determine their sexual orientation. The paragraph concludes with a discussion on the term 'queer' as an umbrella term for non-conforming gender and sexual orientations.
🔍 Summing Up: The Distinctions and Individuality
In the concluding paragraph, Eric summarizes the distinctions between sex, gender, and sexual orientation, reiterating that they are related but separate aspects of identity. He emphasizes that while labels can be useful for categorization, they are limited and should not be used to stereotype or assume an individual's unique experiences. Eric encourages going beyond labels to truly understand individuals by listening to their stories and acknowledges the complexity of the topic, suggesting further learning through specific resources.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Sex
💡Gender
💡Sexual Orientation
💡Cisgender
💡Transgender
💡Genderqueer
💡Non-binary
💡Gender Fluid
💡Intersex
💡Sexual Attraction
💡Queer
Highlights
Eric from Stanford University discusses the diversity of sex, gender, and sexual orientation, emphasizing the need to understand these as separate and complex domains of identity.
The video comes with caveats about the politicized nature of the topics and the risk of reducing individuals to stereotypes through terminology.
Terminology evolves over time, and some terms once common are now considered offensive, highlighting the importance of using current and respectful language.
Sex is more complicated than just male or female, involving a combination of external genitalia, internal reproductive organs, and sex chromosomes.
Intersex individuals do not fit the typical male-female dichotomy, and the term 'disorders of sex development' has been controversial.
Gender identity is an internal sense of being male, female, or something else, and is separate from a person's sex assigned at birth.
Cisgender and transgender are terms used to describe whether a person's gender identity matches or differs from their assigned sex at birth.
Genderqueer and non-binary individuals do not conform to the traditional binary gender paradigm, and gender fluid individuals have a varying gender identity.
Pronouns should reflect a person's gender identity, not their assigned sex, and can include unfamiliar words like 'ze' or '0' for non-binary individuals.
Gender expression is how an individual presents themselves to the world and may or may not align with their gender identity.
Transitioning for transgender individuals can involve changes in dress, hair, hormone therapy, and/or surgery, now referred to as gender affirming or confirming surgery.
Sexual orientation is separate from gender and includes sexual attraction, behavior, romantic attraction, and sexual identity.
Transgender and gender non-binary individuals can identify as straight, gay, bisexual, pansexual, or asexual, with their orientation independent of their gender identity.
Sexual orientation encompasses a spectrum of romantic and sexual attractions beyond just heterosexuality and homosexuality.
The term 'queer' has been reclaimed by some as a source of pride, but its use can vary based on generational perceptions.
The importance of understanding individuals beyond labels, by listening to their stories and recognizing the uniqueness of each person's identity.
Recommendations for further learning about LGBTQ health include a Coursera course and the National LGBT Health Education Center's comprehensive website.
Transcripts
hello it's Eric from Stanford University
and strong medicine today I'm going to
be talking about the diversity of sex
gender and sexual orientation
[Music]
before I get into the specifics this
video comes with a few caveats first the
topics of sex gender and sexual
orientation are highly politicized here
in the US if you've derived this video
wanting to learn more about the relevant
politics or activism I'm afraid that's
not what I'll be covering instead I'll
be discussing concepts and terminology
from the perspective of a healthcare
professional which brings me to caveat
number two whenever we define terms we
risk those terms turning into labels and
we also risk reducing the unique
characteristics and life experiences of
an individual into stereotypes and
collections of assumptions we need to
keep in mind that there's as much
diversity among gay people as there is
among straight people and as much
diversity among transgender people as
cisgender people a person sex gender and
orientation may be parts of their
identity but they are certainly not the
only parts caveat number three
terminology evolves over time some of
the terms I'll discuss today were not in
common use ten years ago and it might
not be in common use ten years from now
and some which once may have seemed
innocuous may now be seen as offensive
for example homosexual hermaphrodite and
sexual preference are all terms that
were once common and which now should be
avoided and the last caveat is that no
matter what you learn from me today
always trying to understand and mirror
the terms an individual uses for
themselves so for example if a person
refers to themselves as gender-fluid or
bisexual do not say you know I don't
think you really are that thing instead
you can in a very non-judgmental way say
something like what does bisexual mean
to you or I haven't met someone before
who is gender fluid do you feel
comfortable telling me more about it if
you're talking to the other person not
as a friend but rather in a clinical
context for example if they are a
patient and you are a healthcare
professional be sure to distinguish the
information that's needed for clinical
care from any information that's just
idle curiosity as the latter may be seen
intrusive and unwelcome also some people
don't like to place any labels at all on
their sex gender and orientation that's
okay and should be respected all right
so now with all that out of the way
let's talk terminology the first thing
to know is that sex gender and sexual
orientation are not the same thing yes
they are related but they are also
separate domains of a person's identity
and experience and within each domain
are different characteristics none of
which are dichotomous or binary so sex
is not just male or female gender is not
just man or woman and sexual orientation
is not just gay or straight let's tackle
each domain one at a time first up sex
this is sometimes labeled biological sex
but I think that's misleading since it
implies that gender and orientation are
somehow less biological sex describes
one's physical self at birth to many
people it refers to whether a person is
male or female that might seem very
elementary after all sex is simply
determined by what's between your legs
right but remember that I said each
domain contains multiple separate
characteristics and that none of them
are binary so how is that possible with
sex aren't babies born with either a
penis or vagina and thus are either boys
or girls well no not necessarily you see
sex is determined by a combination of
external genitalia internal reproductive
organs and the sex chromosomes these
don't always match according to common
experience for example infants can be
born with what is known as ambiguous
genitalia in which they don't clearly
have just a typical penis or clearly
have a typical clitoris and vagina but
instead they have something else
this may be an unusually small penis
with a urethral opening in the scrotum
it may be only an unusually large
clitoris that resembles a penis an
infant may have a vagina but also
palpable test
within the labial folds there are
countless variations sometimes an infant
may have external genitalia that appears
clearly male or clearly female but with
internal reproductive organs that don't
match with what might be typically
expected for example in a condition
called androgen insensitivity syndrome a
mutation in the androgen receptor
renders a fetus incapable of responding
to testosterone while developing in
utero as a consequence the fetus
develops a vagina and clitoris but they
have no uterus or fallopian tubes and
instead of ovaries
they have non functioning testes that
resides somewhere within the pelvis our
chromosomes add yet another layer of
complexity you probably learned in high
school biology that human cells have 23
pairs of chromosomes one of which are
the so called sex chromosomes because
they determine our sex if an embryo
inherits one x chromosome from each
parents they will typically develop into
a female if on the other hand an embryo
inherits an X chromosome from their
mother and the Y chromosome from their
father they will typically develop into
a male but sometimes genetic conditions
affecting hormones can lead to
discordance between chromosomes and a
person's physical appearance a person
cells could be XX yet the person is
anatomically male while another person
cells could be XY yet they are
anatomically female a variation of this
phenomenon is called mosaicism mosaicism
is a condition in which the cells in an
individual's body don't all carry the
same DNA so when a person has mosaicism
affecting the sex chromosomes some of
their cells might carry one X and one Y
chromosome while their other cells might
carry two x chromosomes or just one X
chromosome such individuals can have a
very wide diversity of external
appearances and internal anatomy and in
fact some of you watching this video
could have either mosaicism of your sex
chromosomes or have a discordance
between your chromosomes and your
external appearance and you might not
even know about it
so the bottom line with sex is that it's
way more complicated than just male or
female
the term intersex is commonly used to
describe people whose combination of
genitalia internal anatomy and sex
chromosomes don't fit into the typical
male versus female dichotomy an
alternative term for this disorders of
sex development was introduced into the
medical lexicon about 10 years ago but
has proven controversial many intersex
individuals don't see themselves as
having as having a disorder per se and
activists also fear that the term might
sway parents of an intersex infants
towards making an unnecessary and
irreversible medical decision for their
child such as drastic surgical
alteration of their genitalia the next
broad domain is gender gender can be
seen as having two main characteristics
first is gender identity this is a
person's inherent sense of being a man
or a woman or both neither
somewhere in the middle or another
gender altogether gender identity is
internal and is not visible to others
cisgender describes a person whose
gender identity is the same as the sex
assigned to them at birth
transgender describes a person whose
gender identity differs from the sex
assigned to them at Birth a transgender
man is a person whose assigned sex at
birth was female
but who identifies now as a man a
transgender woman is a person who's
assigned sex at birth was male but who
identifies now as a woman genderqueer
describes a person whose gender identity
does not conform to the traditional
binary gender paradigm non-binary is
sometimes used as a synonym for this and
gender fluid describes a person whose
gender identity is not fixed but varies
with time or varies based on situation
transgender individuals often adopt
names that are different from their
birth or legal names and may refer
pronouns that are consistent with their
gender identity and not with their
assigned sex in other words it is
gender not sex that usually determines
what pronouns to use for a person and
since gender identity is an internal
sense of the individual it is literally
impossible to know for certain what
pronouns are most appropriate without
asking sometimes these pronouns may be
words unfamiliar to you such as Z or 0
as the individual may want to convey
that they have a non-binary gender
identity some genderqueer individuals
prefer the singular they but the bottom
line is to always use the individuals
preferred name and pronouns and to make
these clear in the person's medical
chart continuing to use a transgender
individuals original name and original
pronouns against their request is
offensive and can be traumatizing in
addition to gender identity there is
also gender expression gender expression
is the gender which an individual
chooses to present themselves as to the
world it consists of the choice of
clothing hairstyle and makeup it may
consist of deliberate mannerisms and
speech and behavior and it may or may
not be consistent with one's gender
identity when a transgender individual
chooses for their physical appearance to
consistently match their gender identity
this can be referred to as an
affirmation of their gender identity the
transition process in which a
transgender individual affirms their
identity can involve changes in dress in
hair hormone therapy and/or surgery in
the past it was common to call such
surgery gender reassignment surgery
however it's now preferable to call it
gender affirming surgery or gender
confirmation surgery since these
individuals are not actually changing
genders
they are simply altering their external
Anatomy to match the gender that they've
always been the last broad domain is
sexual orientation one characteristic
within sexual orientation is sexual
attraction if a man is sexually
attracted to a woman or a woman is
sexually attracted to a man they are
heterosexual and colloquially known as
a man who has sexually attracted to
another man or woman attracted to a
woman can be considered homosexual
although gay and lesbian respectively
are currently the generally preferred
terms in the u.s. if a person is
sexually attracted to both men and women
they are bisexual if they are sexually
attracted to all sexes and genders
across both spectrums of sex and gender
that is referred to as pansexual and if
they don't feel much sexual attraction
to anyone
they are asexual one point of frequent
confusion concerns the sexuality of
transgender and gender non-binary
individuals just as cisgender
individuals they can be straight gay
bisexual pansexual or asexual a person's
gender is separate from their sexual
orientation and one cannot be inferred
from the other and consider for a moment
a transgender woman that is a person who
was assigned male at birth but who now
identifies as a woman if she is
attracted to men she is heterosexual not
gay the same is true of transgender men
who are attracted to women
another characteristic within sexual
orientation is sexual behavior sexual
behavior refers to the people with whom
an individual actually has sexual
relationships while sexual attraction
and behavior are usually the same they
don't need to be for example a person
might be attracted to people of multiple
sexes yet be sexually active with only
members of one sex due to societal or
religious pressures another example
might be a Catholic nun who could be
straight or gay based on sexual
attraction while her sexual behavior is
celibate because she is not acting on
that attraction a third characteristic
is romantic attraction romantic
attraction acknowledges that intimate
relationships don't require sexual
activity a person can be sexually
attracted to multiple genders but only
romantically interested in one or vice
versa or someone might experience only
romantic attraction without any sex
attraction at all to any sex or gender
or vice-versa and the final
characteristic within sexual orientation
is sexual identity which refers to
whether an individual sees themselves as
straight versus gay versus something
different
one final term to mention which somewhat
transcends the individual domains is
queer queer is an umbrella term that
individuals may use to describe either a
gender and/or a sexual orientation that
does not conform to the cisgender
heterosexual societal norms when I was
growing up queer was a uniformly
pejorative term however the word has
since been reclaimed by the younger
generations as a source of pride but not
universally so just remember to always
mirror the terms an individual uses for
themselves but also keep in mind that
there may be a generational gap
regarding how the word queer is
perceived so let's sum up sex gender and
sexual orientation are related but
distinct concepts sex refers to whether
a person is male female or intersex
which means they don't quite fall into
either category sex is dependent upon
external genitalia internal reproductive
organs and the sex chromosomes gender
refers to whether a person is a man or
woman or a category which falls outside
the to gender dichotomy which might be
referred to as gender queer or
non-binary individuals whose gender
matches their sex assigned at Birth are
referred to as cisgender while those
whose gender does not match their
assigned sex are referred to as
transgender gender includes the concepts
of gender identity which is once in
inhairent internal sense of being a man
woman or something different as well as
gender expression which refers to how an
individual presents themselves to those
around them sexual orientation refers to
whether a person is straight gay or
lesbian bisexual meaning attracted to
both men and women pansexual meaning
attracted to people across the
hire non-binary spectrum of sex and/or
gender or asexual meaning little
specific attraction at all
sexual orientation includes the concepts
of sexual attraction sexual behavior
romantic attraction and sexual identity
I'm going to conclude with one final
point that comes back to the caveat
about labels it's true that terms allow
us to categorize people for example I
could say that I'm a cisgender
heterosexual male but each of these
terms exists on a continuous spectrum so
there's not just twenty or thirty
different combinations of sex gender and
orientation but rather as many
combinations as there are people every
individual is unique with a combination
of thoughts emotions and experiences
that are unlike anyone elses these terms
exist as a quick shorthand but a true
understanding of another person requires
going beyond the labels casting aside
assumptions and just getting to know
them better by listening to their story
I'd like to thank members from
Stanford's LGBTQ meds student group as
well as Stanford queer student resources
for providing feedback about the script
this video is just an introduction to a
very rich and complex topic if you would
like to learn more about LGBTQ health
I recommend a Coursera course health
across the gender spectrum taught by my
Stanford colleague Maya Adam and also
the very comprehensive website for the
national LGBT health education center
which is a program of the renowned
Fenway Institute's
you
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