Research Mentor(s)
Lobeck, Anne C.
Description
This project is about how asexual, intersex and transgender identities challenge normative ideas about what it means to be human. Our research primarily focused on how language used in the medical community influences societal perceptions of non-normative identities. Western culture is pervasively heteronormative, meaning that there is a narrow idea of what constitutes a “normal” human being, which is typically heterosexual and limited to a binary gender system. While society is making strides with accepting non-hetero sexual identities, there persists the notion that humans are inherently sexual beings. Asexuality, an orientation characterized by a lack of sexual attraction, challenges this sexual normative ideal. Gender within Western culture is strictly binary and is mapped onto physical sex. Intersex individuals are people who have some combination of both male and female characteristics or are neither male nor female. This challenges the notion that human beings are naturally categorized as either male or female. Transgender peoples, who are characterized by not having a gender identity that matches their gender assigned at birth, challenge the notion that physical sex and gender are one and the same. Through our work we have found that there is a startling and disappointing lack of research on these identities, rendering these people invisible. What research there is, shows a trend in the medical community of pathologizing and erasing the identities of people who are asexual, intersex or transgender.
Document Type
Event
Start Date
19-5-2016 12:00 PM
End Date
19-5-2016 3:00 PM
Department
Linguistics
Genre/Form
student projects; posters
Subjects – Topical (LCSH)
Sex; Sex role; Gender identity
Type
Image
Keywords
Linguistics, Language, Medical, Gender, Feminism, Asexuality, Intersex, Transgender, Culture, LGBT, Sexuality, Society, Identity
Rights
Copying of this document in whole or in part is allowable only for scholarly purposes. It is understood, however, that any copying or publication of this documentation for commercial purposes, or for financial gain, shall not be allowed without the author's written permission.
Language
English
Format
application/pdf
Included in
The Language of Non-normative Sexuality and Genders
This project is about how asexual, intersex and transgender identities challenge normative ideas about what it means to be human. Our research primarily focused on how language used in the medical community influences societal perceptions of non-normative identities. Western culture is pervasively heteronormative, meaning that there is a narrow idea of what constitutes a “normal” human being, which is typically heterosexual and limited to a binary gender system. While society is making strides with accepting non-hetero sexual identities, there persists the notion that humans are inherently sexual beings. Asexuality, an orientation characterized by a lack of sexual attraction, challenges this sexual normative ideal. Gender within Western culture is strictly binary and is mapped onto physical sex. Intersex individuals are people who have some combination of both male and female characteristics or are neither male nor female. This challenges the notion that human beings are naturally categorized as either male or female. Transgender peoples, who are characterized by not having a gender identity that matches their gender assigned at birth, challenge the notion that physical sex and gender are one and the same. Through our work we have found that there is a startling and disappointing lack of research on these identities, rendering these people invisible. What research there is, shows a trend in the medical community of pathologizing and erasing the identities of people who are asexual, intersex or transgender.
Comments
Outstanding Poster Award Recipient