SWO 351-Human Behavior & The Social Environment II-Part III-"Young & Middle Adulthood"-Chapter 13-"Sexual Orientation & Gender Identity"

Cognitive-behavioral therapy

"Involves the modification of thoughts and actions by influencing an individual's conscious patterns of thought" (Boyle, Hull, Mather, Smith, & Farley, 2009, p. 363).

Today's approaches tend to focus on

"cognitive-behavioral techniques in an attempt to suppress an individual's attraction to others of the same sex" (Bieschke et al., 2000, p. 312).

In the past, such treatment included

"techniques such as prayer, exorcism, religious-based guilt inducement, and punishment-oriented forms of behavior modification (Tozer & McClanahan, 1999; White, 1995)."

There are a variety of terms used to define people who identify as a gender other than the gender the individual normally expresses or were identified as birth. These people include the following:

-Crossdresser, -Transvestite, -Drag King/Drag Queen, -Bigender, -Agender, -Cisgender, -Androgyne, -Genderqueer, -Gender fluid, -Transsexual.

A medical transition may involve the following four processes:

-First, they enter counseling to make certain that they are aware of their true feelings and that they understand the potential ramifications of changing genders. -Second, they undergo a "real-life test" where they actually live and undertake their daily activities as a person of the opposite gender however, there is no research to support this method. -Third, they receive extensive hormone treatments to align their bodies with the opposite gender as much as possible—a process that they must continue for the rest of their lives. For example, female-to-male transgender people would take male hormones to encourage facial and body hair growth, while male-to-female transgender people would take female hormones to encourage the softening of body tissue and the redistribution of body fat. -The fourth step involves undergoing surgery where genitals and other areas of the body are surgically altered to more closely resemble the opposite gender.

Stereotype

-Fixed mental image of a group that is frequently applied to all its members, -Refuse to take into account individual differences, -They negate the value and integrity of the individual.

The stereotypes about how gay and lesbian people look is the result of confusion between two central concepts:

-Gender identity, -Sexual orientation.

Biological Theories

-Genetic factors, -Anatomical (brain), -Hormonal. *They are based on the idea that same-sex sexual orientation is caused by physiological factors over which individuals have no control.

Typical males:

-Have penises with accompanied male organs, -XY chromosomes.

Typical females:

-Have vaginas with accompanied females organs, -XX chromosomes.

It appears older transgender persons also experience considerable prejudice and discrimination in such areas as:

-Healthcare, -Housing, -Employment.

Intersex

-Some individuals who have ambiguous genitalia with chromosomal structures that are different from the typical corresponding ones, -These biological conditions are termed "as this," as these individuals have sexual characteristics between a typical male and typical female.

Some of the more common ones are among gay/lesbian people are:

-That gay and lesbian people like to assume either a male or female role, -That they are potential child molesters.

Kinsley Scale

0-Exclusively heterosexual, 6-Exclusively homo few people are 0 or 6.

Based on Kinsey's work, "many authors have used

10% as the proportion of men who are gay" (Berger & Kelly, 1995, p. 1066; Mallon, 2008).

Sexuality

A fluid concept that is experienced differently by different individuals.

Another aspect of the definition of having a same-sex sexual orientation is that the gay/lesbian person is attracted primarily to people of the same gender to satisfy sexual and affectional needs.

A gay male is attracted to and would choose to have an intimate sexual and affectional relationship with another male rather than a female. A lesbian would opt to have such an intimate involvement with an-other female instead of a male. This part of the definition excludes people who under certain circumstances engage in same-sex sexual activities. For instance, prisoners and other institutionalized persons might establish same-sex sexual relation-ships with others simply because persons of the opposite gender are unavailable. These people will typically return to heterosexuality when the opportunity arises.H

The same-sex sexual orientation is seen as prominent, at the expense of all other aspects of the lesbian or gay person's personality.

A more realistic view is one in which the same-sex sexual orientation is seen in context. The fact that a person is lesbian or gay is only one slice of a person's personality pie. A realistic perspective allows the many various aspects of the person's personality to be acknowledged and appreciated.

Agender

A person who identifies self as without gender.

Bigender

A person whose gender identity is a combination of male and female. One whose gender identity is both female and male at the same time; the person may exhibit aspects of both.

Around the year 600 BCE,

A woman named Sappho lived on the Greek island of Lesbos in the Aegean Sea (from which the term lesbian is derived). Although Sappho was married, she remains famous for the love poems she wrote to other women.

Supposedly, two to three times as many men as women have a same-sex sexual orientation.

Although Kinsey found that 19 percent of American women had had same-sex sexual experiences by the age of 40, only 2 to 3 percent of these remained lesbian throughout their lives.

Morrow and Tyson (2006) suggest how social workers can help people who are seeking conversion therapy to better understand themselves and their sexual orientation:

An initial response would be to assess the nature of the personal thoughts, feelings, and experiences that could have led the client to the point of seeking sexual orientation change. Affirmative practice would include helping the client understand the powerful forces of homophobia, internalized homophobia, and heterosexism—at the micro and macro levels of social power and influence—and the ways in which these forces create and perpetuate the internationalization of GLB-negative messages. Thus, initial intervention in such cases lies in helping clients understand the power of heterosexism in how they view sexual orientation in their own lives. Also, it would be appropriate to inform clients that conversion therapy is scientifically unproven and that its practice is considered unethical. (p. 396)

Playing Male & Female Roles

Another common stereotype about gay and lesbian people is that in any particular pair, one will choose a "masculine," dominant role and the other a "feminine," submissive role. As with most heterosexual couples, this is usually not the case (Johnson, 2014; Morrow, 2006c; Rathus et al., 2014). Any individual, gay/lesbian or heterosexual, may play a more dominant or more submissive role depending on his or her particular mood, activity, or the interaction involved. People are rarely totally submissive or totally dominant.

The Myth of Child Molesting

Another derogatory stereotype targeting gay and lesbian people is that they are inclined to molest children (Greenberg et al., 2014; Rathus et al., 2014; Tully, 2001). This stereotype is especially damaging for gay/lesbian teachers in that it can cause them to lose their jobs. In reality, the majority of all child molesting is done to young girls by heterosexual men, usually people trusted and close to them (e.g., a father, stepfather, or brother) (McAnulty & Burnette, 2003). Heterosexual men are 11 times more likely to be child molesters than are gay men (McCammon & Knox, 2007; Moser, 1992).

Homosexual

Attracted to the same sex, however, was not used until the late 1800s (Karlen, 1971). Terms used to refer to lesbian and gay people can be confusing. Both women and men with same-gender orientations have been labeled homosexuals. Gay men prefer the term gay instead of homosexual because it has neither the direct sexual connotations nor the demeaning implications frequently associated with the word homosexual.

Thirteen professional organizations of helping professionals and educators have published a pamphlet entitled "Just the Facts About Sexual Orientation and Youth" that is available online without charge (APA, 2008; Just the Facts Coalition, 200S). It concludes,

Because of the aggressive promotion of efforts to change sexual orientation through therapy, a number of medical, health, and mental health professional organizations have issued public statements about the dangers of this approach The American Academy of Pediatrics, the American Counseling Association, the American Psychiatric Association, the American Psychological Association, the American School Counselor Association, the National Association of School Psychologists, and the National Association of Social Workers, together representing more than 480,000 mental health professionals, have all taken the position that homosexuality is not a mental disorder and thus is not something that needs to or can be "cured" (Dively et al., 2008, p. 9).

The researchers found that when one identical twin was gay, 52 percent of the time, their twin brother was also gay.

But in the case of fraternal twin brothers, only 22 percent of the pairs were both gay, and when the brothers were adopted, both brothers were gay only 11 percent of the time. The researchers concluded that this provides evidence for a genetic link. They indicated that the degree of genetic contribution to same-sex sexual orientation could vary from 30 to 70 percent.

July 2015

Caitlyn began starring in the reality television series, "I Am Cait," which focuses on her gender transition.

"Gay men have more gay brothers than lesbian sisters, while lesbians have more lesbian sisters than gay brothers";

Carroll (2010, pp. 283-284) also "found evidence of a 'gay' gene on the X chromosome but did not find a 'lesbian' gene."

Some transgender individuals wait until midlife to "come out." Others keep transgender inclinations a secret and never "come out."

Coming out in midlife can be quite complicated in many ways. Some of these individuals may be married (as was Bruce Jenner), and the reactions of their spouse and their children can be quite emotional, ranging from utter rejection to gradual acceptance.

Conversion therapy (Reparative/Reorientation therapy)

Convert people who are gay or lesbian to heterosexuals.

3

Equal heterosexual & homosexual experience.

0

Exclusively heterosexual.

6

Exclusively homosexual.

Homoeroticism

Feelings of sexual attraction to members of the same sex.

Female-to-male transgender

Females transitioning to be males.

The Kinsey research posed some methodological problems that make it difficult to compare it with more recent research.

For example, Kinsey and his colleagues included a large number of prisoners and volunteers from gay organizations (Masters, John-son, & Kolodny, 1995). They also "included feelings and fantasies in their definition of homosexuality, whereas some recent surveys focused exclusively on sexual behavior" (Berger & Kelly, 1995).

Transgender individuals face many other challenges.

For example, which bathroom should they use—the men's room or the women's room? The medical community and a number of schools and employers now recognize that it is essential to the health and well-being of transgender people that they use the bathroom the corresponds to their gender identity. Yet this opens them up to the potential of adverse reactions from others; for example, parents of daughters may violently object to a biological male who views herself as female using the women's bathroom. If transgender persons are arrested, the question arises as to which jail unit should they be placed in—the one that is consistent with their sex, or the one that is consistent with their gender? When transgender persons go to a physician for a medical exam, they may experience embarrassment in trying to explain why their gender identity is different from their biological sexual structure.

In the first major study of sexuality in our era, Kinsey, Pomeroy, and Martin (1948),

Found that it was very difficult to categorize people as homosexual, bisexual, or heterosexual. They found that many people who considered themselves heterosexual had had same-sex sexual experiences at some time during their lives. For example, 37 per-cent of the men in his sample of 5,300 had had at least one sexual experience with another male, to the point of orgasm, after reaching age 16. In a study of 5,940 women, Kinsey and his associates (1953) found that between 8 and 20 percent had had some type of same-sex intimate contact between ages 20 and 35. A significantly smaller percentage of each group had exclusively same-sex sexual experiences throughout their lifetimes.

2

Heterosexual with substantial homosexual experience.

Storms (1980, 1981) suggests that the Kinsey scale still failed to provide an accurate description. He developed a two-dimensional scheme to reflect sexual orientation:

Homoeroticism (sexual interest in and/ or experience with those of the same gender) and heteroeroticism (sexual interest in and/or experience with those of the opposite gender).

5

Homosexual with incidental heterosexual experience.

4

Homosexual with substantial heterosexual experience.

"The Ten Percent Society."

However, the controversy regarding the actual number of lesbian and gay people continues (About.com, 2014; Berger & Kelly, 1995; Rogers, 1993; Tully, 1995), with various studies and polls producing different results. Somewhere between 2 and 10 per-cent of the population appears to be gay or lesbian (Johnson, 2011c; Kelly, 2008; Mallon, 2008). Other indications are that more than 5 percent of the total population over age 18 is probably gay or lesbian (Mallon, 2008). Yet other data indicate that about 2 percent of men and 1 percent of women have "a gay/lesbian identity," which is quite different than having varying degrees of same gender sexual experiences (Hyde & DeLamater, 2014, p. 339). Regardless of whether lesbian and gay people make up 1 or 10 percent of the population, they are a sizable minority group.

Transgender

However, there are persons with female biology who feel "male," and persons with male biology who feel "female."

Transgender persons are often subjected to extensive discrimination.

If they "come out" during adolescence, they are likely to be shunned, victimized, and discriminated against by their peers. Family may present another challenge: some of these youth experience acceptance from family, while others have great struggles. Rates of suicidal ideation and life-threatening interactions with others among transgender youth are high (Dooley, 2017). These stressors also leave transgender youth vulnerable to substance abuse and accompanying risky sexual behaviors that may result in acquiring a sexually transmitted disease (Dooley, 2017). Transgender youth are also at a higher risk of becoming homeless. Homelessness can lead these youths to offering sex to survive, which increases the risks of sexual and physical abuse.

An important aspect of any definition of "gay/lesbian" is that above all else, a gay/lesbian is a person.

In the eyes of some heterosexuals, the sexuality of a lesbian or gay person often takes precedence over all other aspects of his or her personality, and the person becomes lost or invisible.

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people may experience some of the same issues, such as homophobia and discrimination.

In these contexts, the terms LGBT or GLBT (gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender) might be used. However, each group also has its own special circumstances and issues, so sometimes only one or some of these groups (such as transgender people, or lesbians and gay men) will be the focus of reference.

A prevalent stereotype about gay and lesbian people is that gay men typically look extremely feminine and that lesbians appear very masculine.

In truth, these stereotypes are not accurate in most instances. People are individuals with individual traits. With the breakdown of traditional gender roles, identifying lesbians and gay men by appearance is difficult.

Another term used is LGBTI, or

Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and intersex.

Dooley (2017, p. 241) notes,

Likewise, coming out can jeopardize a transgender person's employment. There are few states which protect transgender persons from being fired because of their transgender status. This, of course, can be quite devastating psychologically and also economically. Although it is difficult to assess the socioeconomic levels of transgender persons, a survey of transgender individuals in the Washington, DC, area found that 42% of the participants were unemployed, 29% had no income, and 31% had an income less than $10,000...One must think about the motivation of persons to come out as transgender. To assume this status is to place one's self in an extremely marginalized position in society. Transgender persons experience very high rates of violence and discrimination. So it would take a good deal of strength to come out as transgender, and the need to do so must be very strong... It is also important to realize that transgender people do survive these difficulties and feel much happier living as their proper gender.

Gay

Many people who are not lesbian or gay have traditionally used the term gay to refer both to lesbians and gay men. However, many lesbians have expressed concern that men are given precedence over women when this term is used by itself to refer to both genders. There is some indication that the media now often use the phrase "gay men and lesbians" (American Association of Sex Educators, Counselors, and Therapists [AASECT], 2006, p. 17). Although we have established specific definitions of lesbian, gay, and homosexual, many who use these terms do not have a clear picture of what they mean. All three words may refer to a person with slight, moderate, or substantial interest in or sexual experience with persons of the same gender.

1

Mostly heterosexual with incidental homosexual experience.

Many theories in the past have focused on how people develop their same-gender sexual orientation by passing through a number of stages.

Numerous models have been proposed, all of which "tend to have several things in common. There is almost always a predictable progression from some sort of first awareness of same-gender attractions and feelings; to a stage of self-labeling as being gay, lesbian, or bisexual; through stages of becoming more accepting of the new identity and sharing it with others; to a final stage of incorporating the identity into the total sense of self" (Crooks & Baur, 2014; Kelly, 2008, p. 375; Rathus et al., 2014).

Transvestite

One who wears clothing as the "opposite" gender for sexual satisfaction. (It should be noted that this word is an offensive term).

Drag King/Queen

One who wears clothing intended for the "opposite" gender for entertaining other people.

Crossgender

One who wears clothing intended for the "opposite" gender for relaxation/personal effect.

Gender fluid

One whose gender identity can change. (For most transgendered persons, gender identity does not change.)

Genderqueer

One whose gender identity is completely different from female or male.

Androgyne

One whose gender identity is somewhere in between female and male; the person may exhibit some aspects of one gender and some of the other.

Cisgender

One whose gender identity matches the sex assigned at birth.

Transsexual

One whose sex at birth is "opposite" to their gender identity. A person who has a persistent desire to transition to living as, and being perceived as, the sex that is consistent with his or her gender identity. Typically, this desire is driven by an extreme discomfort with his or her current sex.

Morrow (2006b) comments on conversion therapy for youth:

Parents who are uncomfortable with having a gay or lesbian child may seek out conversion therapy practitioners under the mistaken assumption that their child's sexual orientation can be changed through such therapy. There is no credible empirical support for the success of conversion therapy in actually changing sexual orientation...Conversion therapy practice can cause psychological harm, to LGBT [gay, lesbian, bisexual, and transgender] youth by reinforcing negative stereotypes and misinformation and inducing, internalized homophobia. (pp. 185-186)

Q

Queer/questioning.

Sexual orientation

Refers to "one's erotic, romantic, and affectional attraction to the same gender, to the opposite gender, or to both."

Gender identity

Refers to a person's internal psychological self-concept of being either male, female or another gender.

Biological Dimension of Sexuality

Refers to an individual's chromosomal and genital structure.

Lesbian

Refers to female homosexuals.

Gender

Relates to the feeling of being "male or "female." Typically, persons with male biology feel "male," and those with female biology feel "female."

Bisexual person

Romantically and sexually attracted to members of either gender.

Homo

Same.

Heteroeroticism

Sexual attraction to and arousal by members of the other sex.

Caitlyn Jenner

She was formerly known as Bruce Jenner, who is an American television personality and was an Olympic gold medal winner in the decathlon event in 1974. Bruce Jenner was formerly married to Kris Jenner. Bruce appeared on the reality television series Keeping Up with the Kardashians with his wife (Kris), their daughters Kylie and Kendall Jenner, and stepchildren Kimberly, Kourtney, Khloé, and Rob Kardashian. Jenner revealed her identity as a trans woman in April 2015, publicly announcing her name change from Bruce to Caitlyn. She has been called the most famous openly transgender woman in the world. In July 2015, she began starring in the reality television series, "I Am Cait," which focuses on her gender transition.

Transgender person

Someone who identifies with or expresses a gender identity that differs from the one which corresponds to the person's sex at birth.

Heterosexual people are often called this.

Straight.

I Am Cait

TV show that focused on Caitlyn Jenner's transition from male to female.

However, Alderson (2013) cautions:

Terminology is often challenging when writing or talking about groups who have been historically oppressed and disenfranchised. Postmodern writers have become very sensitive to the labels used to describe individuals...Identities [labels used to refer to some group of people] describe one aspect of a person. A lesbian woman, for example, is more than just her non-heterosexual identity—she is also someone's daughter, someone's neighbor, and someone's friend. She is a lover, a worker, and an inhibitor of earth. Similarly, referring to a transsexual individual as a "transsexual" diminishes this person's existence to this one aspect of self...Identity labels—when chosen at all—are picked by individuals themselves to describe some aspect that defines their sense of self. Consequently, they can be transient labels, inaccurate labels, or over-simplified labels. Such is also the case with some LGBTI individuals—our sexuality and gender is so much more than the label we give it. (pp. 2-4)

The American Psychological Association (APA) rejected the effectiveness of and ethics involved in conversion therapy after an APA panel reviewed "83 studies on sexual orientation change conducted since 1960" (Associated Press, 2009).

The APA determined that no concrete support existed on the behalf of conversion therapy. If anything, it determined such "therapy" could be damaging by causing depression and suicidal inclinations.

A man is committed to prison and has sexual relations with other men. Is he gay? A shy, lonely woman who has never dated any men is approached by a lesbian friend. The lonely woman decides to have an affair with her friend. Is she a lesbian? Two 14-year-old male adolescents experiment with each other by hand-stimulating each other to orgasm. Are they gay? While having sexual intercourse with his wife, a man frequently fantasizes about having sexual relations with other men. He has never had any actual sexual contact with a man in his adult life. Is he gay?

The answers to these questions are not so easy. Placing people in definite, distinct categories is difficult. It is not always easy to draw a clear distinction between a heterosexual and a person who is gay/lesbian. It may make us feel more secure and in control to cordon off the world into neat and predictable little boxes of black or white. However, in reality, the world is an endless series of shades of gray. People frequently like to polarize others as being either heterosexual or gay/lesbian. Perhaps such labeling makes situations appear to be predictable. If a person is labeled a heterosexual, then many assume that they know a lot of things about that person.

Homophobia

The extreme and irrational fear and hatred of gay and lesbian people. These feelings warp their perception of gays and lesbians. Some people feel that being of the same-gender orientation is "pathological."

Heterosexism

The intolerant attitude and discriminatory behavior against gay and lesbian people by heterosexuals).

The concept of having a same-gender sexual orientation might be an ever-emerging social construction of reality that changes as social conditions and expectations change (Martin, 2008).

There may be different perspectives depending on one's racial, ethnic, and cultural back-ground. "For example, Latino immigrant men who have sex with other men may not consider themselves to be gay as long as they take a dominant role in sexual intercourse (Zea, Reisen, & Diaz, 2003)" (Martin, 2008, pp. 247-248). The important thing may be each person's self-identification of his or her own sexual orientation (Kelly, 2008; Martin, 2008).

Another study looked at 108 lesbians who had either identical or fraternal twin sisters and another 32 lesbians who had adopted sisters.

They found that among almost half of the identical twins, both were lesbians. However, only 16 percent of fraternal twins and 6 percent of the unrelated sisters were both lesbians. These results further support the idea of a genetic component to same-sex sexual orientation. Subsequent research using more refined methodology had similar findings that helped sub-stantiate the results of this study.

Transsexual transitions are complex processes and looks different for every person. A person may change their name, clothing or pronouns.

They may also change their identification documents to better reflect their gender. Others may complete undergo hormone or other medical procedures.

Sexual Orientation Dimension

This dimension refers to romantic and sexual at-traction. Most individuals are heterosexual, as they are attracted to the opposite sex. However, there are gay and lesbian individuals who are attracted to the same sex, and there are bisexuals who are attracted to both sexes.

Some people assume that gay men really want to be women and that lesbians desire to be men.

This is false. Gay men and lesbians are simply romantically attracted to (i.e., have a sexual orientation toward) their same gender instead of the opposite gender.

Additionally, Storms's scheme portrays level of sexual interest.

Those individuals who express high interest in both sexes are placed in the upper right-hand corner. They are considered bisexuals. Those persons who have a very low sexual interest in either gender are placed in the lower left-hand corner. They are considered asexual. Persons with primary sexual interest in the same gender, homosexuals, are placed in the upper left-hand corner. Similarly, people with primary sexual interest in the opposite gender, heterosexuals, are placed in the lower right-hand corner.

Male-to-female transgender

Transsexuals transitioning from male to female.

Gay gene

Trend in current genetic research to locate the biological source of homosexuality.

Identical twins

Twins who develop from a single fertilized egg that splits in two, creating two genetically identical organisms.

Fraternal twins

Twins who develop from separate eggs. They are genetically no closer than brothers and sisters, but they share a fetal environment.

Laverne Cox

Was the first African American transgender person to appear on television and was nominated for an Emmy Award for her work in Orange Is the New Black.

Questioning Individuals

Who question whether they are heterosexual, gay/lesbian, bisexual, or transgender.

Because Kinsey and his associates found it so difficult to place people into distinct categories of gay/lesbian or heterosexual, they developed a six-point scale that placed people on a continuum concerning their sexual experiences.

f zero on the scale meant that the individual was exclusively heterosexual—the person had never had any type of same-sex sexual experience. Conversely, a score of 6 on the scale indicated exclusive homosexuality—this individual had never experienced any form of heterosexual behavior. Those persons scoring 3 would have equal same-sex sexual orientation and heterosexual interest and experience.

If a man is gay, then he will probably

frequently flick his wrists and become a hairdresser.

Kinsey found that although more than one-third of American men had had homosexual experiences leading to orgasm during their adolescent or adult lives,

only 10 percent of men were exclusively gay/lesbian for a three-year period between ages 16 and 55, and only about 4 percent were gay/lesbian throughout their lives.

If a woman is labeled a heterosexual, then she is probably

unassertive, sweet, demure, and emotional. She will date men and probably marry and become a mother and homemaker.

The NASW (2012) Policy Statement on "Transgender and Gender Identity Issues" reads as follows:

● NASW reaffirms a commitment to human rights and freedom and opposes all public and private discrimination on the basis of gender identity and of gender expression, whether actual or perceived, and regardless of assigned sex at birth, including denial of access to employment, housing, education, appropriate treatment in gender segregated facilities, appropriate medical care and health care coverage, appropriate identity documents, and civil marriage and all its attendant benefits, rights, and privileges. ● NASW encourages the repeal of discriminatory legislation and the passage of legislation protecting the rights, legal benefits, and privileges of people of all gender identities and expressions. (p. 341)

The National Association of Social Workers Policy Statements (NASW, 2012) state that conversion therapy is unethical. Specifically,

● NASW supports the right of the individual to self-disclose, or to not disclose, sexual orientation and encourages the development of supportive practice environments for lesbian, gay, and bisexual clients and colleagues. ● NASW reaffirms its stance against reparative therapies and treatments designed to change sexual orientation or to refer to practitioners or programs that claim to do so. (p. 222)