Understanding and Challenging Stigma toward ... - Pact Cambodia

B5
Sex, Gender Identity,
Gender Expression
and Sexual Orientation
5. Summary: Bring the session to a close by summarizing the main points which
participants have made during the exercise. In giving your summary you may use
some of the following points, if they have not already been mentioned by
participants.
Society tells us that the diagram should be one straight line, i.e., a man has a
male gender identity and a masculine gender expression and is totally
heterosexual (i.e., sex with women only). The reality is totally different. One man
may have male gender identity, but have feminine gender expression, and be
attracted to both men and women (bisexual). Another might have male gender
identity and gender expression (muscles and male body language) but be solely
attracted to men. The examples given in the exercise show the diversity.
A person’s gender identity and gender expression does not always match his
sexual orientation and sexual behavior. A man may have sex with other men, but
identify as a man and look, talk and dress like a man; another man may look
feminine but only be attracted to women i.e. heterosexual; another man may be
masculine and heterosexual but for economic reasons engage in commercial
sex with men.
Many MSM consider themselves to be men and have no interest in changing.
They dress and act no differently than “real men.”
Sexual identity is strongly influenced by society and culture. Whether we call
ourselves long hair or short hair or bisexual or heterosexual depends on the
culture we grow up in, the place we live, and the social groups we identify with.
Some men, for example, get married only because of family and social pressure,
not because they want to get married. Some men may adopt the practice of
having sex with men when they are in prison, because this is the norm.
The exercise shows us that people get stigmatized and harassed for having
gender identity, gender expression, and sexual orientation that is outside the
gender norms (opposite to their biological sex).
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