On Gender And Sexuality

Recent discussions I’ve had have brought up something I wanted to clarify in regards to gender and sexuality.

Genital sex, sexual orientation and sexual identity are three separate things. The common perception of homophobic beliefs is that there is a paradigm of straight vs. gay. This is not true. Orientation does not dictate behavior, and behavior does not define orientation. Gay men through history have fathered children with women. This is a common and specific example of behavior not defining orientation. A straight person can have genital sex with someone of the same gender and a gay person can have genital sex with someone of the opposite gender. This is behavior or action. This is not orientation.

Gender identity can be fluid. The rigid male female dichotomy is a societal construct. Gender is on a continuum not a male female paradigm. Gender roles and definitions are often rigidly structured by culture. Reality may not always fit those rigid cultural constructions.