There are standard divisions into two sexes being male and female and the basic sexual orientation of heterosexuality. At the same time, gender does not always determine the sexual preferences of an individual person. Moreover, not all people can define themselves in these categories, and in some cases society dictates its conditions of existence and preferences, while the personal expression of sexuality and orientation in reality may differ.
Many sociological studies do not recognize that there is a significant difference between males and females, unless it is in terms of sports, medicine or childbirth (Lorber, 1996). In the modern world, there is a large number of categories of races, sexes, sexuality, and orientation. When informing about different genders of people, it is necessary to divide them into 3 categories including sex, sexuality and gender (Lorber, 1996). Each of them has a somewhat synonymous meaning, but at the same time the full scope of concepts is different. Many researchers argue that the difference in the sexes of people is based only on hormones and the development of the genitals before birth, which also occurs due to hormones in the human body (Lorber, 1996). For the most part, gender and orientation are concepts that are necessary for a society to differentiate its participants.
However, for some people, the standard choice of gender or sexuality is not correct, since some see themselves in a different field or orientation, or, in principle, do not consider themselves to belong to the group originally assigned to them. At the same time, markers and sexual attractiveness for each person may differ and be not only dependent on the opposite sex, masculinity, femininity, and other standard criteria, but also include personal preferences (Lorber, 1996). Many participants in various studies emphasize that their sexual preferences do not fall into any of the socially recognized standard categories. Most recognize the existence of binary sexual divisions that can interfere with self-expression or self-identification (Better & Simula, 2015). Some people find it difficult to inform others of their sexual preferences, while others find it complicated to determine their own choice, since there is a lack of awareness in society about the existing possibilities and the words that determine these preferences.
Due to the division into two genders, there are often prejudices in society about how each of them should act and dress. Moreover, some countries of the world are more susceptible to new manifestations within one sex, while others are quite critical of any deviant behavior (Lorber, 1996). This can make it difficult for a woman to express herself in a more masculine form without adhering to standards of appearance and behavior. The same applies to men, who are not always able to express themselves in a form that is not considered traditional masculine.
In modern society, the use of the word queer has begun to develop, which includes all sexual preferences other than the standard straight and cisgender. Over time, the role of participation in the opposite sex in building a family may decrease, preferences change to alternative ones, more open to trying and discovering new things (Better & Simula, 2015). Social acceptance can also evolve over time, and divisions can blur.
In conclusion, the divisions into gender, orientation and sexuality are increasingly not applicable to modern society. New subcategories appear in each direction of choice, which can determine a person’s personal choice and interest. Society should not influence the choice, and information provided both offline and online should be complete, including all existing options so that a person can identify and find himself in one of them.
References
Better, A., & Simula, B. L. (2015). How and for whom does gender matter? Rethinking the concept of sexual orientation.Sexualities, 18(5-6), 665-680. Web.
Lorber, J. (1996). Beyond the binaries: Depolarizing the categories of sex, sexuality, and gender.Sociological Inquiry, 66(2), 143-160. Web.