Components of Sexuality

What is Sexuality?

Sexuality is made up of many components, such as culture, ethnicity, gender, and personality traits.

4 Major components- biological sex- gender identity- gender expression- sexual orientation

What is biological sex?

The “sexual parts” you are born with! Includes hormone levels, chromosomes, secondary sex

characteristics, external genitalia, and internal reproductive structures

What is gender identity?

The gender people believe themselves to be in their hearts and minds

How they feel in terms of male and female and how they choose to show that to others

What is gender expression?

Everything we do that communicates our sex/gender to others

Expressed in clothing, hair styles, mannerisms, way of speaking, roles we take in interactions, social sex roles, etc.

What is sexual orientation?

 Types of sexual orientation: heterosexual/straight: attraction to people of

the opposite gender homosexual/gay/lesbian: attraction to people

of the same gender bisexual: attraction to people of either gender

An enduring pattern of emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attractions to men, women, or both sexes 

Is Sexual Orientation a Choice?

Beliefs of Medical Associations:

“Sexual orientation involves a complex mixture of biology, psychology, and environmental factors”

Genes and hormonal factors may play a role

Sexual orientation is not simply chosen

Other beliefs:Individuals can choose who they are attracted to

What is it like for gay teens?

Expected to be straight/heterosexual

Feel different from peers when friends start talking about romantic feelings, dating, sex

May feel like they have to pretend to be heterosexual in order to fit in

Fears of prejudice, rejection, etc.

Many experience acceptance and comfort

What is transgender?

When biological sex and gender identity do not match

Caused by a hormone imbalance in the womb

Brain is given the wrong gender imprint

Knowledge Check

Identify which component of sexuality is being defined in each of the next slides.

What term is being described?

Everything we do that communicates our sex/gender to others

Gender Expression

What term is being described?

The sex organs that we are born with

Biological Sex

What term is being described?

How we feel in our hearts and minds about whether we are male or female

Gender Identity

What term is being described?

A enduring romantic and physical attraction toward a particular gender

Sexual Orientation

What term is being described?

When biological sex and gender identity do not match

Transgender

Accepting Differences

Part 2

Introducing New Students to HMS

Think about: Interests that these

people have in common with you

Someone you would be friends with

Someone you would be interested in dating

RobTeam

player

Lots of friends

Has a sister

Good sense of humor

Likes school most of the time

Zoe

Good friend

Has a horse

Great singer Performs in plays

Wants to be a Doctor

ZackGood student

Great dancer

Loves ice

cream Has 4 brothers

Very tall

Plays soccer Loves to text

Loves animals

Wants to be a

Vet

Speaks 3 languages

Carmen

RobBorn with male body parts:

• Biological sex?

• Male

Sees himself as a man and expresses himself through clothing, etc. as a man:

• Gender identity/expression?

• Male

Attracted to males:

• Sexual orientation?

• Homosexual/gay

ZoeBorn with male body parts:

• Male

Sees herself as a woman and expresses herself through clothing, etc. as a woman:

• Gender identity/expression?

• FemaleAttracted to males:

• Sexual orientation?

• Heterosexual

• Biological sex?

Term that describes mismatch between biological sex and gender identity?

• Transgender

ZachBorn with male body parts:

• Biological sex?

• Male

Sees himself as a man and expresses himself through clothing, etc. as a man:

• Gender identity/expression?

• Male

Attracted to females:

• Sexual orientation?

• Straight/heterosexual

Carmen

Born with female body parts:

• Biological sex?

• Female

Sees herself as a woman and expresses herself through clothing, etc. as a woman:

• Gender identity/expression?

• Female

Attracted to females:

• Sexual orientation?

• Lesbian/gay/homosexual

Critical Thinking Questions

What concerns might Rob and Carmen have as students

in this school?

How might Zoe feel coming to school each day?

What can you do to make these students feel more

comfortable at school?

Think Before You Speak

That’s so gay!

In Closing

Look beyond the labels that society puts on people.

Take time to discover commonalties and celebrate differences.

No one is just athletic, just intelligent, just funny, just Latino or just Jewish. Likewise, no one is just lesbian, gay, bisexual or transgender.