The piece of writing is an initiative to make people aware of the multiple facets of distinctively unique gender identities and how is it different from what we know about "Sex and Gender" through a Genderbread Person Model and how these domains are independent of one another.
Disclaimer: It is important to understand that the graphic representation that we discuss is limited, each of the domains can be fluid, non-linear, and non-binary for some individuals for various personal reasons, including biological sex and does not serve as a one-size-fits-all concept but rather as an informative simplistic model.
“I am a woman but they say I don’t seem like one”
“He didn’t look like he was gay!”
“I don’t want to fit in the stereotypical ‘Manic Pixie Dream Girl stereotype”
Being born in a world where the words “sex” and “gender” are used interchangeably and the socialisation of the fact that as far as biological sexual identity goes, there’s only the binary: boy or girl, is frustrating. This paradigm becomes quickly integrated into our lives and when we bump into real-life situations or people who don’t fit into the generalised notions of “Normalised” being, we question them instead of thinking about this process of brainwashing to believe that the “Normal” society is for the “Normal” people, of the “Normal” people, by the “Normal” people, when actually nothing in the world remains of a certain normality type, forever.
“SEX” and “GENDER”, these two aspects that contribute to one’s sexuality and identity are actually two separate entities, as we come to understand how different people understand the various facets that make up how we think about gender, we come to realize that there are many ways to look at these aspects of identity.
Even from what we see in the oxford dictionary,
SEX is defined as noun/ either of the two main categories (male and female) into which humans and most other living things are divided on the basis of their reproductive functions.
GENDER as noun/ either of the two sexes (male and female), especially when considered with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones. The term is also used more broadly to denote a range of identities that do not correspond to established ideas of male and female.
It's time that we should unlearn the binary aspect of the sexes and learn to be more inclusive in terms of the thought process, making policies, and even in language. However, one way to simplify the many components of gender identity, gender expression, sexuality, and biological sex is by using the Gender bread Person model, created and illustrated By Sam Killerman, the LGBT advocate.
The Gender bread person model graphic breaks down the concepts of gender into three aspects: sex, gender identity, gender expression. Sexual orientation is also included in this diagram because of its close connection to gender identity and expression.
Each of the domains can be fluid, malleable, non-linear, and non-binary for some individuals for various personal reasons, including biological sex. Furthermore, the definitions provided may help in both visualizing and developing from the intricate and complex components regarding human identity, expression, and sexuality, however should not be considered as absolute.
Biological Sex: The Equipment Under The Hood
Biological sex refers to the objectively measurable organs, hormones, and chromosomes you possess. Consider biological sex within the ultra-reductive way society does: being female means having a vagina, ovaries, two X chromosomes, predominant estragon, and therefore the ability to grow a baby in your abdominal area, being male means having testes, a penis, an XY chromosome configuration, predominant testosterone, and therefore the ability to place a baby during a female’s abdominal area and being intersex can be any combination of what described here. In reality, biological sex, is more nuanced than that. Someone is often born with the looks of being male (penis, scrotum, etc.), but have a functional female genital system inside.
Gender Identity: Who you think you are
Gender identity is all about how you think about yourself as an individual, not as a part of society. It’s about how you internally interpret the chemistry that composes you, your homes, your body, etc. As you analyse it, does one think you fit better into the societal role of “woman” or “man,” or does neither ring particularly true for you? The answer is your gender identity.
It has been accepted that we form our gender identities at about the age of three and after that age, it is incredibly difficult to change them. Oftentimes, problems arise when someone is assigned a gender supported by their sex at birth that doesn’t align with how they are available to spot.
Gender expression: How you demonstrate who you are
Gender expression is about how you demonstrate your gender through the ways you act, dress, behave, and interact whether that is intentional or unintended. Gender expression is interpreted by others based on traditional gender norms such as “men wear pants and women wear dresses”. It’s about how the way you express yourself aligns or doesn’t align with traditional ways of gendered expression and may be motivated by your identity, sexuality, or something else completely. It is likely that your gender expression changes frequently without you even brooding about it.
Attraction: Who you're romantically and sexually into
The sexual attraction is the want, need, or desire for physical sexual contact and relationships. Romantic attraction is an affinity and love for others and therefore the desire for emotional relationships. Some people have both, some have neither, many experiences more of one than the other. If you are a woman and you’re attracted to men, you might see yourself as a homosexual. If you’re a woman who is attracted to women and men and more, you can be bisexual. And if you’re a woman who is attracted to women, you might identify as a lesbian. These are the labels most people know the foremost about. Some define and know attraction without gender as a factor; they could identify as “pansexual.” If you experience romantic attraction but not sexual, you would possibly identify as asexual or depending on the gender(s) you’re interested in, hetero-, homo-, or panromantic. If you’re attracted to trans or androgynous, you might identify as skoliosexual.
Gender identity, gender expression, biological sex, and sexual orientation are independent of one another. People’s sexual orientation doesn’t determine their gender expression. And their gender expression isn’t determined by their identity. And their identity isn’t determined by their biological sex. And also, every other mismatch of A isn’t determined by the B combination you'll think up from those inputs. Those things certainly affect one another, related to one another, but they do not determine one another.
Sources:
www.genderbread.org
About the Author:
Srishti is currently pursuing her undergrad in Economics and Mathematics from Daulat Ram College, University of Delhi. She is fond of exploring different perspectives, ideas, learning new dimensions of people’s thoughts about the world around and making people unlearn certain norms and she loves love.
Easy to understand and coherent! Loved reading this. ❤️