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New Conceptions of Sexuality and Gender. Kevin Alderson, Ph.D., R. Psych. Associate Professor, Counselling Psychology Editor in Chief, Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy alderson@ucalgary.ca. Biography-1. Author, Counseling LGBTI Clients (2013, Sage).
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New Conceptions of Sexuality and Gender Kevin Alderson, Ph.D., R. Psych. Associate Professor, Counselling Psychology Editor in Chief, Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy alderson@ucalgary.ca
Biography-1 • Author, Counseling LGBTI Clients (2013, Sage). • Author, Breaking Out II: The Complete Guide to Building a Positive LGBTI Identity (2012, Insomniac Press). • Co-Author, Same-Sex Marriage: The Personal and the Political (2004, Insomniac Press).
Biography - 2 • Editor in Chief, Canadian Journal of Counselling and Psychotherapy • Member, World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) • Member, Canadian Professional Association for Transgender Health (CPATH)
The First Sexual Revolution • The sexual freedom following the advent of the birth control pill and the liberation movements that were underway. • This revolution was led and publicized by heterosexual individuals. • Same-sex behaviour remained ostracized and silenced.
The Second RevolutionGay Liberation • Same-sex behaviour legalized in Canada in 1969. • Homosexuality declassified as a mental disorder in 1973. • Steady increase in tolerance since these changes. • Same-sex marriage in 2005. WHAT? WHAT? WHAT?
Second Revolution continued . . . • Equal rights for gay and lesbian individuals has taken some of the “sting” off being sexual with another of the same sex. • This revolution freed individuals to begin exploring their sexualities and their identities.
The Third RevolutionThe Explosion of Gender Diversity • Our notions of gender are being increasingly challenged. • Our world will be forever altered… it needs to be.
Readiness Where are you at in your acceptance of LGBT individuals? Let’s take a glimpse. . .
The Diminishing Impact of the Binary Where is the middle ground? What does the middle ground look like?
New Conceptions of Gender-1 • Transgender remains the inclusive term. • It is vague, and so are the newer terms • E.g., Gender variant, trans identified • Who are transsexual individuals? Why is this term losing favour?
New Conceptions of Gender - 2 • The emergence of a third gender • Physical transitioning does not make the person the other gender – it approximates it. • They were usually not raised to be the gender they feel more closely aligned with, and are therefore missing a great deal of gender socialization.
New Conceptions of Gender - 3 • There is a substantial qualitative difference between cisgendered males and FTM males. • There is a substantial qualitative difference between cisgendered females and MTF males.
New Conceptions of Gender - 4 • Who are fetishistic crossdressing individuals (often simply called crossdressers)? • Who are transgenderists? • Who are gender queers (genderqueers)?
New Conceptions of Gender-5 • Who are transgenderists? • Who are gender queers (genderqueers)? • Are we ready for the third gender?
New Conceptions of Sexuality • Why do some people prefer the term queer [note this term may be used to denote gender and/or sexuality]? • Are we ready to relinquish the term sexual orientation? • What term may replace it?
Primary Research Question What isaffectional orientation – what components comprise it, and how stable are its various components? Hypotheses: Affectional orientation is multidimensional Stability (from least to most): sexual fantasies sexual behaviour sexual attraction sexual preference propensity to fall in love romantically actual experience of falling in love romantically
What is Affectional Orientation? • Affectional orientation better reflects “the fact that a person’s orientation goes beyond sexuality” (Pedersen, Crethar, & Carlson, 2008, p. 136). • Affectional orientation refers to the attraction, erotic desire, and philia for members of the opposite gender, the same gender, or both (Alderson, 2013, p. 3).
Summary of the New Conceptions • The middle ground of gender: Gender Queer • The middle ground of sexuality: Bisexual, Pansexual • Ending the binary system • Impact of the binary system • Delay in identity achievement for both gender and sexuality
Quote from Erik Erikson “Someday, maybe, there will exist a well-informed, well-considered and yet fervent public conviction that the most deadly of all possible sins is the mutilation of a child’s spirit.”
Contact Information www.kevinalderson.ca alderson@ucalgary.ca