The Abcs Of Sexuality

[Lilliana Adames]

Thisessay offers some ABCs for a framework for sex education informed by feminist and liberal principles, in contrast to the conservative sexual economy underlying abstinence-only sex education. It embraces affirmative governmental responsibility to foster sexual and reproductive agency and responsibility and stresses the aims of capacity, equality, and responsibility. An adequate program of sex education should also address how gender role expectations and stereotypes may stand in the way of adolescents developing capacities for responsible self-government and acquiring a sense of personal agency with respect to intimacy and sexuality. The Essay then evaluates such a feminist project in light of the sexuality critique of legal feminism - a line of criticism leveled by feminist and post-feminist scholars against feminist legal theorists' work on sexuality. The sexuality critique charges legal feminism with conflating women's sexuality with their subordination and abdicating to other fields the task of developing a positive account of sexuality. The Essay considers some writings by Janet Halley and the anthology, Intimacy (edited by Lauren Berlant). A striking point of convergence and divergence between conservative and critical discussion of sexuality concerns how the institution of marriage channels men and women into the service of orderly social reproduction: social conservatives stress the dangers of not channelling heterosexuality, while critical perspectives elaborate the human toll exacted by such channeling. The Essay contends that a liberal feminist approach to sex education resists both of these grim visions.

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The term LGBTQ stands for Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Trans and Queer. But those sexual and gender identities are only a few of the unlimited types that exist. As we understand more about gender and sexuality, new identities are added to this list all the time!

This page provides some definitions of different terms used to describe some sexual and gender identities. These definitions may or may not fit how you choose to identify your gender or sexual identity.

Note: This list is not exclusive and reflects a western and Canadian bias! Different regions of the world use very different words, and understand sex, gender and sexual identity in different ways.

To be asexual means you experience little to no sexual attraction to others, and/or a general lack of interest in sexual relationships and behaviors. Somebody who is asexual can experience low levels of sexual attraction or sexual attraction under certain circumstances. These variations of asexuality have their own labels.

If somebody is aromantic, this means they experience little to no romantic attraction to others. This does include having romantic attraction under very specific circumstances, and these variations of aromanticism have labels of their own.

Somebody who is biromantic experiences romantic attraction to those of their gender and other genders. Note: a person who is biromantic may not necessarily be bisexual. Romantic and sexual identity are NOT the same thing. Somebody can be a biromantic asexual, a biromantic gay man, and so on.

Demisexuality is one of the identities that fall under asexuality. Somebody who is demisexual experiences little to no sexual attraction to somebody unless a strong romantic attraction is formed first.

For a person to be gay means they experience attraction solely (or at least primarily) to people of their same gender. Gay can be used for men (most commonly) or women, or as an umbrella term for anyone who is not heterosexual.

A term to describe gay, lesbian, or queer people which may be offensive depending on the speaker. Though the word has been reclaimed by the LGBTQ+ community, it was originally used in a scientific, clinical, or derogatory context.

A lesbian is commonly defined as a woman who is attracted to women. However, there exists a documented history of lesbians with trans, gender non-conforming, and/or non-binary identities, which complicates this simple definition.

Often seen as interchangeable with bisexual, pansexual can best be defined as a person who experiences sexual attraction towards all gender identities and expressions. This is often shortened to pan.

Similar to pansexual, panromantic refers to a person who experiences romantic attraction to all gender identities and expressions. A person can be panromantic, but NOT be pansexual i.e. an asexual panromantic.

The term cisgender, also referred to as cis, describes a person whose gender corresponds with the one they were assigned at birth. Somebody who was born biologically male and identifies as a man is a cisgender (or cis) man, and somebody who was born biologically female and identifies as a woman is a cisgender (or cis) woman.

As an inclusive, affirming health and wellness organization, Metro Inclusive Health serves as an educational and supportive resource for the LGBTQ+ community and allies alike. Want to better support a loved one who has come out? Looking to connect with people who share your identities in Tampa Bay? Seeking LGBTQ+ inclusive healthcare? Just have a question or two? Send us an email at LG...@MetroTampaBay.org!

Happy Pride Month! The LGBTQIA+ community is one that prides itself on words and language, slang and nicknames. It is best described as a culture with varying ideologies and opinions, all overlaying principles and messages of equality and acceptance. LGBTQIA+ is an inclusive acronym used as a spectrum to help identify both genders and sexualities that they feel best describe how they feel about themselves and in what ways they seek to connect with others.

A person who identifies as transgender experiences a gender expression or identity that is different from the one they were assigned at birth. While some people might seek out hormones or surgeries to help them feel more like themselves and their gender identity, others do not take those routes. It is important to keep in mind that transgender identity is not dependent on physical appearance.

Queer is a reclaimed term that can be used to describe anyone whose sexual orientation is not exclusively heterosexual. It can include people who have nonconforming identities, or who fall within any other spectrum on the scale. However, this term used to be used as a slur and is still not universally accepted by every LGBTQIA+ community member. In other words, do not identify someone as queer unless they have been specific that that is their preference.

Questioning refers to someone who is questioning their sexuality or gender identity, but hasn't figured out what that means for them yet. The LGBTQIA+ acronym is often a journey, one of introspection and deep personal understanding.

This term is used to help identify people who do not experience sexual attraction. This leads us to other terms within the + such as demisexual, meaning that a person does not experience sexual attraction until they make a meaningful connection. And aromantic, which is someone who experience little to no romantic attraction or has little to no desire to form romantic relationships. Both terms could fall under the spectrum of asexual, but help specify these identities and expand those feelings more directly.

Another term that is becoming more and more relevant is nonbinary. Nonbinary is an adjective that can describe a person whose gender is not male or female. Some transgender people might identify as nonbinary, but not all nonbinary people identify as transgender. They might choose to use they or them as their pronouns. The nonbinary identity can include people being genderfluid or genderqueer, or any other words that a person may feel more comfortable with. None of these terms mean exactly the same thing, but all speak to an experience of gender that isn't female or male.

There are always new things to learn and a learning curve of being in a more progressive, though still not entirely equal, world. As long as you are willing to try and put in the effort to learn something new, to try to use respective pronouns or names, and gently correct any slip-ups, it is truly the effort that is appreciated. Never assume and always ask respectfully worded questions for clarification or learning purposes. Most people would be happy to answer if you are happy to listen! Really it all comes back to the first basic principle of respect we are taught: treat others how you would want to be treated.

The ABC of Sex Education for Trainables is a 1975 short educational film hosted by Richard Dix. It was intended to inform people about the need to educate the mentally disabled ("trainables" as they are referred to in the film) about sex and sexuality. Reflecting the views held at the time, the film explains that "trainables" cannot learn in the same manner as those of normal intelligence, but must instead be trained through repetition.

The 20 minute video places a high priority on teaching the intellectually disabled about sex so that they will not make inappropriate sexual comments, expose parts of their bodies, masturbate in public, be involved in unplanned pregnancies, or become victims of rape or molestation. It also notes that the goal of teachers should be to explain sexuality in a factual manner, and that views of sexual morality vary between families and should therefore be left for parents to teach.

The onscreen credits acknowledge that narration was provided by Richard Dix and that dramatic sequences were provided by William Block, M.D., Beverly Camp, Rick Fullerton, Peter Green, Michael Kowalski, Ellen Moats, George Murray, Aaron Orenstein, Christopher Reidy, Murray Zeligman, and members and staff of the Ronald Bruce Nippon Assoc., and Planned Parenthood of Southeastern Pennsylvania.[1]

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