About sexuality/ gender
SEXUALITY
Sexuality is much more than
sex. It is part of who we are,
what we think and feel about
ourselves and our bodies and
how we act towards others.
A persons sexuality is unique
and individual to them. It
is shaped by many things – by
culture and tradition, by society
and environment, by their life
experiences as a man or a woman
and by personal beliefs.
The relationships in which
people express their sexuality
are many and varied. Sometime
sexuality can be expressed
or perceived in a negative
destructive ways such as coercive
sexual activity, sexual violence
and homophobia.
Sexuality develops and changes
throughout a persons life.
It is part of us from birth
to death, for all our life.
At its best it is a joyous
and enriching part of who we
are. Sexuality is a resource
we have for living well and
being true to ourselves.
WAYS OF DESCRIBING NON-HETEROSEXUAL
SEXUALITY AND DIFFERENT GENDER
IDENTITIES
Sexuality: a resource for living. Our sexual behaviours, preferences
and desires, part of us from birth and shaped by gender, culture, society, values and our environment.
Sexual orientation: how to describe who you like to be sexual
with’ i.e. straight, lesbian, gay, bi, queer, pansexual, same sex attracted
Same sex attracted: people who are emotionally, spiritually
and sexually attracted to members of their own gender. A less
‘loaded’ description than gay, bisexual or lesbian.
Lesbian: a woman who is emotionally, spiritually and sexually attracted
to other women, specifically other same sex attracted women. (Word drawn from the Isle
of Lesbos in Greece)
Gay man: a man who is emotionally, spiritually and sexually attracted
to other men, specifically other same sex attracted men. (Word may be drawn from
Portuguese ‘gai’ in 11th Century, originally meaning love outside marriage,
then exclusively for ssa relationships)
Bisexual: People who are emotionally, spiritually and sexually attracted
to members of both genders. Bisexual people are not necessarily equally attracted to both men
and women.
Homosexual: medical term used to describe same sex attracted
individuals.
Gender Identity: a person’s internal, deeply felt sense
of being female, male, something other or in between. Everyone has a gender identity.
Trans: an umbrella term that can include all the variants
of trans …transsexual, transgender etc
Transsexuality: The medical or psychiatric term for a person
who transitions from one gender to another. People can also use
‘transsexual’ to describe themselves. Some people think that transsexuality is
biological but it hasn’t been proven. This is an issue of great debate within the
trans community First recorded case of surgical intervention in sex conversion in 1882.
Transgender: A term coined in the late 80’s to describe
all sorts of people who sit outside the gender binary. Historically
‘transgender’ used to mean changing gender but without modifying one’s
body but now has a broader usage as part of a process of self defining and self
determination.
Cross Dresser/Transvestite: a person who has an emotionalneed to
express their alternative gender identity and be accepted in that role ion a less permanent
basis. Often do not identify as transgender.
Intersex: a general term used for a variety of conditions
in which a person is born with a reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t
seem to fit the typical definitions of female or male e.g. may have xxy chromosomal
make up.
Other words that can be used in a positive or negative way depending on the context
and the person using them. Please be mindful that these terms can be unacceptable
and cause offense:
Dyke: lesbian
Poofter: gay man
Lemon: lesbian
Leso: lesbian
Faggot: gay man
Tranny: transgender person
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