As we are born as a boy or girl we automatically have certain traits that make the difference between men and women. Naturally boys tend to be drawn to action and objects, as well as having aggressive or competitive responses. Girls are generally relationship oriented, and enjoy playing in a nurturing manner. In a video comparing the natural differences between the genders, they gave boys and girls the same toys to see what would happen. The boys would take the barbies and fight with them and the girls would role play or have a little makeover with them.
If we take these traits and turn them towards adulthood the traits lead the men to want to provide, preside, and protect, and the women to be nurturing, caring, and compassionate individuals. This isn’t what society has made us into, but what society has accepted. These traits are naturally given and have become the norm and sometimes the defining characteristics of being Male or Female. However, these traits are not the sole factors of Gender. A person can easily have Atypical traits, and doing so would not define who they are.
In Society today the LGBT community has been growing and has been getting a lot of media attention. So the question is, are those with atypical traits bound to identify as gay or lesbian or even declare that they are in the wrong body? I don’t think so. Especially in the case of boys. If we look at a tom girl most thoughts are towards her just being a tough girl, willing to play in the mud with the boys. But if we look at a boy with some “feminine” characteristics, that doesn’t make him any different other than he simply would prefer to not be wrestling in the mud.
Now a lot of people think and claim they were born with same sex attraction or that they were born gay. Just because a person has atypical traits for their sex doesn’t decide their identity. Having those biological traits may lead to one think about their identity, but they not truly born gay.
There is a theory that supports the idea that same sex attraction is developed rather than being a biological trait. This theory mainly applies to men. 75% of Gay men agree with or identify with the concepts with this theory. “Exotic Becomes Erotic: A developmental theory of same-sex attraction” by Dr. Daryl Bem. Dr. Bem has conducted many research projects on the subject and this theory was developed by him. In his theory he breaks down the development of these feelings and actions in six phrases.
A. Biological. B. Childhood. C. Sex Typical and Atypical. D. Feeling Different - Exotic. E. Nonspecific Autonomic Arousal F. Erotic or Romantic Attraction.
In these phrases the first biological. Biology does play a role but is not what determines who we are. The next is things that happen as children. Often men did not have a strong male connection growing up and so the social connection was with the females. The third is connected with the first as the person develops traits of conformity or nonconformity in regards to their sex. Phrase number four is when the individual begins to notice or know that they are different than the typical man or women. This is when the individual has a sense of emotion towards their sex, which then leads to feelings of attraction and arousal and that is the last phase.
Sex and gender identification and attraction is a complex topic. But we have been given a lot of new research studies and findings to read a learn from.
Comments