In honor of Transgender Awareness Month, three employees of the LGBT Center answer questions about gender identity.
In honor of Transgender Awareness Month, here are a few questions and answers related to gender identity and gender expression.
What is gender non-conforming?
Sarah: To answer this question of what is gender nonconforming we must first have an understanding of what gender conformity looks like. To be gender conforming simply means that you adhere to the societal norms through your appearance, activities or behaviors that are associated with your gender. So, an example of gender conformity could be a woman who is very feminine, wears makeup and loves to wear stereotypical feminine clothing, such as a dress. In contrast, to be gender nonconforming simply means that you express yourself or your gender in ways that are outside of these rigid societal gender expectations. It is important to understand that being gender nonconforming or engaging in a gender non-conforming behavior has no bearing on if an individual identifies as LGBT.
Though gender nonconformity has often been an identifying factor for the LGBT community, it is not something that is exclusive to our population. We see gender nonconformity every day as each of us interacts with and challenges the gender expectations that have been set for us. For example, a straight cisgender man who enjoys getting a manicure with a nice coat of nail polish is challenging these expectations just as much as any LGBT person. All of us engage in gender nonconforming behaviors and can embrace gender nonconformity even if you do not have a sexual orientation or gender identity that places you in the LGBT population.
What does it mean when one identifies as trans-female or trans-male? Female identifying as a male or the opposite?
Stefan: When someone identifies as trans-female or as a transwoman, it generally means that that person was assigned male at birth, but now, they identify as a woman. Someone who identifies as trans-male was assigned female at birth and now identifies as a man.
{{tncms-asset app="editorial" id="5c9e891e-7b4b-11e5-84a5-3b994aad054d"}}
(Not a question, just an opinion) Often, I see examples of LGBTQ organizations that spend all of their time promoting those groups represented in the acronym, and they inadvertently demonize non-LGBTQ [sic] groups. I am curious how our local center addresses acceptance of all people, including religious organizations, etc.
Emma: First off, is your issue that the LGBT center spends too much time focusing on promoting events for and uplifting the LGBT community? Do you really feel that by having a space that does exclusively cater to you is inadvertently demonizing you? Queer people have been literally demonized throughout history. Additionally, the entire world caters to cisgender and straight people. Why are you so threatened when it isn't all about you? Also, as far as accepting religious organizations goes, we do have a queer bible study that meets once a week and have developed workshops that focus on the intersections of religion, gender, and sexuality. I admit this is a very limited space for the intersection between queerness and faith, and we should always be challenging ourselves to be intentionally accepting of every identity. Our motto at the OHIO LGBT Center is "all are welcome."
Sarah Grote, Emma Holman-Smith and Stefan Koob are staff members of the LGBT Center. Do you have a question relating to the LGBT community? Email them to lgbt@ohio.edu or oulgbtcenter@gmail.com, tweet @oulgbtcenter with #qaqueer, or post on the center’s Facebook page, oulgbtcenter (you can also private message).
