COLLEGIAL CONVERSATIONS:GENDER IDENTITY & SEXUAL ORIENTATION:CREATING A WELCOMING CLASSROOM

A NOTE ABOUT THIS TOPIC

Frequent changes in terminology / preferences

Bottom line: Respectful listening / learning is the best long-term approach

An excellent goal is to model how to apologize respectfully when you make

a mistake!

SAFEZONE TRAINING @ UMBC

Great resume booster!Session I: February 16th from 11-1pmSession II: April 12th from 11-1pm

Signup through:tinyurl.com/SafeZoneUMBC

PSYC 493: PSYCHOLOGY OF SEXUAL ORIENTATION & GENDER IDENTITY

Logistics

Topics

• MW, 4-5:15• Pre-req’s: PSYC 311 or

PSYC 332 (but possible exception if you have PSYC 100 & GWST 210)

• Scientific method• History in mental health field• Cause theories• Developmental issues• Discrimination & violence• Mental health issues

PRIMER:

TERMINOLOGY: GENDER IDENTITY

TERMINOLOGY: GENDER IDENTITY

• An umbrella term for people whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. (NOTE: No “-ed” at end!) (Source: TSER)

Transgender (Trans)

• An umbrella term for people who don’t identify as solely male or female; people who are not men or women, or are both men and women, or who are something else entirely, or are some combination of these things. (Not the same as trans; source: TSER)

Nonbinary or Genderqueer

TERMINOLOGY: GENDER IDENTITY

• A difference between one’s gender identity and sex assigned at birth, with implications of hormonal/surgical transition from one binary gender to another. (NOTE: NOT an umbrella term; many transgender people do not identify as transsexual) (Source: TSER)

Transsexual

• Types of gender identity where an individual’s experience of their own gender matches the sex they were assigned at birth (Source: International Spectrum)

Cisgender (Cis)

TERMINOLOGY: GENDER IDENTITY

• A person born with reproductive or sexual anatomy that doesn’t fit typical distinctions between “male” and “female” (Source: ISNA)

Intersex

• Avoid reference to “biological sex,” “born as a… but now identifies as…” Gender is a more inclusive term & the use of “sex” as more objective is problematic.

“Gender” vs. “Sex”

OPERATIONAL DEFINITIONS

“Sex” and gender identity are not well-defined, and self-identification is often not considered.

For example, Caster Semenya: (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UUz16x4pg9Y)

In November 2009, Caster’s right to keep prize money and gold medal were affirmed; authorized to return to competition

in July 2010.

Reports (Source: New Yorker Article) indicated that this decision was NOT due to a determination that Caster is a

woman, but rather was due to disagreement over definition of woman vs. man.

TERMINOLOGY: GENDER IDENTITY (IN OLDER ADOLESCENTS & ADULTS)**

• Dressing in traditional clothing of the “other gender”

Cross-Dressing

• Emotional and/or sexual gratification from cross-dressing; diagnosed as “transvestic fetishism” but controversy around diagnosis

Transvestite

• Person who cross-dresses for purposes of performance (usually not part of gender identity)

Drag Queen or Drag King

**These terms will probably not come up in your classrooms, but if they do, it will likely be high school or older. **

TERMINOLOGY: PRONOUNS

• Many options (these are just some examples, more here)• He / him / his• She / her / hers• They / them / theirs• Ze / zir / zirs

Pronouns

• Grammar girl says it’s okay!!• http://www.quickanddirtytips.co

m/education/grammar/generic-singular-pronouns

They

TERMINOLOGY: RESPECT

Using the terms & pronouns that students ask you to costs you nothing (except a

little mental energy)

It goes a great distance towards establishing an environment of safety &

respect in your classroom

Expect that you will make mistakes (e.g., they, misgendering, etc.), and practice

apologizing

PRIMER:

TERMINOLOGY: SEXUAL ORIENTATION

TERMINOLOGY: SEXUAL ORIENTATION

• Homosexual, sexual preference, lifestyle• Queer (if you are not queer, don’t use even

if your student uses/prefers this term; historically a term of abuse, use of this term by a person in a position of power in the classroom may be problematic)

Nope

• Most terms your students ask you to useYep

TERMINOLOGY: SEXUAL ORIENTATION

• Usually a person who is primarily attracted to people that share their gender identification (Source: GLAAD)

Gay / Lesbian

• A person who is attracted to people of “both” genders, or for whom gender is not a significant factor in their attractions at all (NOTE: NOT the same as saying equal attraction to everyone!) (Source: TSER)

Bisexual / Pansexual / Omnisexual

TERMINOLOGY: SEXUAL ORIENTATION

• A person who generally does not feel sexual attraction or desire to any group of people. Not the same thing as celibacy. May feel romantic attraction. (Source: International Spectrum)

Asexual (Ace)

• A person who typically does not feel romantic or sexual attraction to any group of people. (Source: AVEN)

Aromantic

CLASSROOMS:

CISNORMATIVITY & HETERONORMATIVITY

CISNORMATIVITY & HETERONORMATIVITY

ContextParents & peers

actively shape and reinforce

cisnormative and heteronormative

behaviors

Parents & peers actively punish

behaviors that do not conform

CISNORMATIVITY & HETERONORMATIVITY

Classroom

You have the opportunity to set a tone that includes or excludes youth that do

not conform to norms

Having one adult outside the home who is safe & trusted:• decreases bullying (due to

modeling)• increases mental health• decreases risk for suicide

attempts

(Return)

NOT A BIG DEAL

Gender non-conformity & sexual orientation variations in the classroom do not have to be a big deal. You can casually incorporate, accommodate,

and adapt.

NOTE: that is not the same thing as “it’s none of my business” or the gender-related version of “I don’t see color.” It is different to acknowledge and incorporate versus pretending that a student’s identity “doesn’t

matter.”

SCENARIOS:

AREAS OF VULNERABILITY FOR YOU

WHAT POTENTIAL SCENARIOS MAKE YOU NERVOUS?

Yikes!

POTENTIAL DISCUSSION TOPICS

Gender Identity & Sexual Orientation

• Bullying / responses to bullying• Intersectionality• Interaction with parents• Dating in the classroom / school• Practical/logistical issues (bathroom options

or lack thereof, responses to clothing choices/dress code, school dances, social media harassment / interactions, etc.)