I’m taking the new ETFO AQ … Teaching LGBTQ Students Additional Qualification Course. I’m learning a great deal about stigma, discrimination, and privilege. PS I’m a LGBTQ2S Ally.
The first day of the course, we discussed the Genderbread Person which really help me understand the diversity in people, and especially in LGBTQ2S communities. This concept was developed by Sam Killermann. I’ve included several of Sam’s resources below.
Aspects of the Genderbread Person (my understand of the Genderbread Person concept):
Gender Identity deals with how a person thinks about their gender.
Gender Expression deals with how a person presents with regards to gender.
Biological Sex is how male, intersexed, or female a person is born.
Sexual Orientation deals with who a personal is sexually attracted to but no necessarily who they fall in love with. This means that a person may be sexually attracted to another person and want to sleep with them but may or may not be romantically attracted to them.
Romantic Orientation deals with the opposite where a person may be romantically attracted to another person but may or may not to be sexually attracted to them and want to sleep with them.
All of the above occur on a separate continuum. This means Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Biological Sex, Sexual Orientation, and Romantic Orientation are all on a separate continuum. For example a person could identify as male, express themselves as male, be biologically female, have a preference for males both securely and romantically – or in other words, a girl who looks and presents as a boy but still likes to have sex and love boys (based on a real life case).
Remember about 1 in 10 or 10% of our students likely identify as LGBTQ2S so it’s important to understand about the equity issues around the identities. Knowing about LGBTQ2S is not just about celebrating a day of pink, it’s about embracing the issues everyday!
Collaboratively Yours,
Deb Weston
Check out these resources below
One Huge Prickly Reason Why Anti-LBTQ Folks Don’t Change Their Views
5 Reasons Why So Many People Believe Feminism Hates Men and Why They’re Not True
Dear White, Straight, Cisgender, Man People: You Are Privileged
Comprehensive* List of LGBTQ+ Vocabulary Definitions
30+ Examples of Cisgender Privilege
Solution for the “Confusing” Gender Neutral Toilet Sign Issue
Video: Understanding the complexity of gender
Video: From Boxes to “-Ness” A Journey Exploring Gender
Video: Social Justice is for Everyone
Please read this entire blog before commenting …
In the Genderbread Person all aspects are represented by on a separate continuum. This means Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Biological Sex, Sexual Orientation, and Romantic Orientation are all on a separate continuum. For example a person could identify as male, express themselves as male, be biologically female, have a preference for males both securely and romantically – or in other words, a girl who looks and presents as a boy but still likes to have sex and love boys (based on a real life case). a separate continuum. This means Gender Identity, Gender Expression, Biological Sex, Sexual Orientation, and Romantic Orientation are all on a separate continuum. For example a person could identify as male, express themselves as male, be biologically female, have a preference for males both securely and romantically – or in other words, a girl who looks and presents as a boy but still likes to have sex and love boys (based on a real life case).