women more often than males are permitted more ôgender transgressionö in society than males who more often follow a narrower range of gender expression (Nangeroni 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 (1) 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 ways.ö This analysis will discuss the ways that gender identity or expression impacts an individualÆs sexual orientation.
All too often rigid social constructions of sexual orientation, sexual identity, and gender expression have a deleterious impact on individual expression. Often these concepts are viewed as being somehow inextricably interrelated when such is not the case. All too often, such constructions are rigidly defined and reinforced through social institutions are norms that are deleterious to the free expression of individuals. As Nangeroni (1) argues, ôSexual orientation, gender identity, and sexual identity are independent of each other. A person may express any variation of each of these in any combination. To discourage the free expression of identity and orientation by an individual is to impose a damaging burden of conformity.ö This damage often includes homophobia, violence against those who refuse to conform in their gender or sex expression, and even internalization of homophobia or other psychologically damaging constructs.
There are a number of categories of expression across the attributes of sexual orientation, gender identity, and sex identity that undermine the conventional ôeither/orö notion of such attributes. Lesbians ...