Sexual orientation and gender identity are two different terms surrounded by debates and controversies in society. In particular, some believe that these categories are a matter of individual choice. However, people do not consciously select their gender identity or choose subjects of sexual, emotional, or romantic attraction. Instead, one can suppress or embrace their feelings about themselves and others. Social pressure and stigma often affect non-heterosexual people, making them adjust their behavior and conceal feelings. The course readings provided additional food for thought, confirming my worldview on this matter. Scandurra et al. (2019) reported that stigmatization and social oppression are associated with negative physical and mental health outcomes in non-binary people. It occurs particularly due to suppressing one’s feelings, which confirms that sexual orientation and gender identity are not matters of individual choice.
In turn, individuals can choose how to behave and whether to hide their true feelings. According to Chica (2019), “although for many people, LGBTQ identity is an unmarked category that one reveals by “coming out,” for others, it is as legible as race and gender” (p. 10). At the same time, despite the gender conformity and heterosexuality prevailing in society, gender identity and sexual orientation are not matters of choice, similar to one’s race, nationality, or genetics.
Various problems are associated with gender binary and heteronormativity, which exclusively acknowledge the male and female genders and assume heterosexuality as the only norm. In particular, discriminative practices affect the citizenship rights of individuals whose gender identity does not fall into the male or female category. Similarly, non-heterosexual people are discriminated against in many societies all over the world. The article by Pham (2016) emphasizes that “the cultural celebration of heterosexuality as the accepted standard dominates major social institutions and permeates cultural, sexual messages” (para. 1). As a result, in some countries, the non-binary and non-heterosexual populations do not have fundamental rights or are prosecuted by law. The information from articles relevant to this subject has confirmed my perspective on the heteronormativity problem. As Chica (2019) states, “LGBTQ activist efforts historically revolved around alternative sexual and political rights like sexual liberation, much of what was successful, like same-sex marriage” (p. 3). However, in countries with anti-LGBT laws, same-sex sexuality and non-binary gender identity can put people at significant risk.
Marriage is a culturally established and legally recognized union of two people. It is rooted in tradition, and the concept and definition of marriage can vary in different cultures, depending on the majority’s beliefs, rules, customs, and attitudes. It is worth noting that most countries traditionally define marriage as a union between a man and a woman, which presents a significant problem to non-heterosexual and non-binary people. Therefore, the legal definition of marriage matters for such populations since it can establish their ability or inability to marry the loved one. At the same time, even in countries with legalized same-sex marriage, people still face issues due to their sexual orientation and gender identity. The article by Pham (2016) has challenged my worldview regarding the civil rights of non-binary and non-heterosexual people. According to Pham (2016), an American study “revealed that individuals were more willing to grant the formal right of marriage to gays and lesbians than informal rights, such as public displays of affection” (para. 2). Therefore, an inclusive definition of marriage and tolerant attitudes are critical to ensure equality for all people.
References
Chica, C. M. (2019). Queer integrative marginalization: LGBTQ student integration strategies at an Elite University. Socius, 5, 1-13. Web.
Pham, J. M. (2016). The limits of heteronormative sexual scripting: College student development of individual sexual scripts and descriptions of lesbian sexual behavior. Frontiers in Sociology, 1, 7. Web.
Scandurra, C., Mezza, F., Maldonato, N. M., Bottone, M., Bochicchio, V., Valerio, P., & Vitelli, R. (2019). The health of non-binary and genderqueer people: A systematic review. Frontiers in Psychology, 10, 1453. Web.