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Human Sexuality & Gender Expression

Sex is generally a term that denotes anatomy and other biological considerations like chromosomes and hormones. Gender is generally a term that denotes appearance, behavior, roles and identity. Many people consider there to be two sexes and two genders û male and female. However, the either/or perspective toward sex and gender is much more complex, something demonstrated when examining transgenderism, sexuality, and gender on a deeper level. As Nangeroni (2006) argues, ôSimply put, sex is polarity of anatomy, gender is polarity of appearance and behavior,ö but when one gains familiarity with transgenderism ôthese definitions quickly break downö (p. 1).

In general, gender and sex are complex phenomena that impact human sexuality. For both males and females gender expression, sexual identity, and sexual orientation exist in a complex dynamic that is far removed from conventional either/or notions of these concepts. As Nangeroni (2006) argues, ôIt works best to think of all effects û sexual orientation, gender identity, sexual identity, and any others û as varying along a continuous spectrum of self-expression, rather than in just one of two or three waysö (p. 1). This analysis will discuss the ways that gender identity or expression impacts an individualÆs sexual orientation.

Sexual orientation equates to which sex an individual is romantically or sexually attracted to, such as heterosexual (opposite sex), homosexual (same sex), or bisexual (both sexes). Gender identity is more of a social perception of the self by the individual, encompassing a view of the self as a male, a female, or a combination of the two. In some cases individuals may not view themselves as either male or female, thereby seeing themselves ôandrogynouslyö in their social relating (Nangeroni, 2006, p. 1). Sexual identity is the physical view one maintains of the self, a view that encompasses males, females, and transsexual or transgender....

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Human Sexuality & Gender Expression. (1969, December 31). In LotsofEssays.com. Retrieved 21:55, March 28, 2024, from https://www.lotsofessays.com/viewpaper/1710856.html