Sexual identity

from Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sexual identity describes the part of a person's identity based on sexual orientation . The concept of identity is related to the individual and describes how the person defines himself. Sexual orientation, on the other hand, is directed towards another person and defines a person's sustained interest in the sex of a potential partner on the basis of sexual desire. Sexual identity is in no way equated with sexual orientation, it goes beyond that.

Sexual Identity in Psychoanalysis

The psychoanalyst Donna Bassin understands the recognition of the gender differences between men and women in order to develop the conception of the self. The same- or opposite-sex identification (with mother or father) of the respective individual is based on this. The gender identity can later be pushed into the background or be pushed back due to earlier body-ego experiences. According to Freud, the body-ego identity of the respective individual develops first. Metaphorically speaking, this represents a kind of vessel for expanded developments towards one's own identity.

From the age of 18 to 24 months, the child begins to recognize gender differences (differentiates between himself, mother, father) and, in order to develop his or her sexual identity, it is primarily oriented towards the same-sex parent. “The girl learns from the mother as a woman, the boy from the father as he becomes a man. Uncertainty in the development of gender roles because one of the two parents is missing can later lead to problems in dealing with your own and the opposite sex. "

The child also develops its sexual identity from the opposite-sex differentiation of the opposite-sex parent, i.e. the daughter also identifies (later as a woman) through the father's attitude towards the mother, or the son also from the mother’s attitude towards the father.

Sexual identity in systemic family therapy

In addition to the partially consistent findings with psychoanalysis, systemic family therapy takes functional / dysfunctional family structures into account for developments / disorders of sexual identity. In particular, the violation of generation boundaries (cf. parentification ) can irritate (or disturb) the development of the child's sexual identity and his / her appropriate role development.

A (contemptuous) devaluation of a parent (especially the same-sex) parent from a (dysfunctional) triangulation usually leads to identity problems. Even after the separation of their parents, boys usually suffer more from (dysfunctional) triangulation than girls - since mothers often tend to project anger, contempt, and devaluation towards the father onto their male child, making the development of a male identity difficult for the son.

Sex and Gender Identity

Sex refers to the biological and physiological properties that define men and women (e.g. sex organs , chromosomes ). Beyond physical characteristics, gender refers to the subjectively experienced nature and interpretation of one's own gender identity and gender role .

If a person's gender identity or gender role behavior differs from their assigned gender, this is referred to as gender incongruence in medicine and psychology . This can be accompanied by the fact that the person feels discomfort with their primary or secondary gender characteristics (in adolescents whose bodies are still developing, also discomfort with their anticipated secondary gender characteristics) or that they want gender reassignment measures . But this is not always the case.

A disorder of sexual identity is generally understood to mean a fundamental insecurity with regard to one's own masculinity or one's own femininity. When there is doubts, i.e. there is uncertainty as to whether one can see oneself as the “right” man or the “right” woman.

Trans identity

Transidentity is when a person cannot identify with the gender / is not the gender that was assigned to them at birth. The desire for physical adaptation should serve the holistic fulfillment of one's own (gender) identity and a life in the corresponding role, but is not a prerequisite for being transgender, this is also possible without the desire for physical changes.

Trans people often feel trapped in the "wrong" body. A connection between (repressed) homosexuality and trans identity has not been proven. In older theories, upbringing or socialization were often postulated as causes. Recent neurological research postulates “to understand trans identity as a form of brain-sex intersexuality.” Ultimately, however, the causes for the phenomenon of trans identity cannot yet be conclusively explained. The thesis that gender identity is developed solely on the basis of socially constructed roles, behaviors, activities and attributes that are considered appropriate for men and women, as stated by the World Health Organization (WHO), cannot be verified in this way.

Adoption Debate

Opinions differ in the debate about adoptions by same-sex couples. Judith Stacey and Timothy Bibiarz assume that the sexual identity of the child is not impaired by the sexual orientation of the adoptive parents. Rather, affected children are based on the gender of the adoptive parents. Since the data situation so far, especially with regard to lesbian parenthood, is hardly representative, Stacey and Bibiarz advocate a “social laboratory” of planned lesbian parenting.

General Equal Treatment Act in Germany

There is no clear definition of the term sexual identity in the General Equal Treatment Act , but it is interpreted to the effect that sexual identity must not be defined more narrowly than the term sexual orientation . Within the framework of the Works Constitution Act § 75 Principles for the Treatment of Company Employees , there should be no discrimination based on sexual orientation or sexual identity. Hetero-, homo-, trans- and intersex sexuality are interpreted as sexual identity within the General Equal Treatment Act .

“The sexual predisposition and self-determination in the area of ​​sexuality should be comprehensively protected. Only criminal sexual inclinations such as pedophilia (sexual acts on children), necrophilia (sexual acts on corpses) and sodomy (sexual acts on animals) are not protected . "

- Hans-Werner Spreizer, Tanja Fuß

Relativization of primarily socio-cultural influences on sexual identity

The registration of gender differences in medicine is “still in its infancy”, according to Moré in an article about gender specifics from the perspective of pediatric psychology . "New findings, which not only prove the influence of sex hormones in all diseases, but also a gender-specific characterization of every body cell by the respective chromosome combination [...], relativize the opinion, which is partly represented in gender research , of primarily or exclusively sociocultural differences between the sexes . "

See also

Portal: Transgender, Transsexuality and Gender Diversity  - Wikipedia content

Web links

Individual evidence

  1. ^ Margret Göth, Ralph Kohn: Sexual orientation in psychotherapy and counseling. Berlin and Heidelberg 2014, p. 6.
  2. ↑ Katharina Liebsch: Psychoanalysis and Feminism revisited. In: Rediscover Freud. Selected readings (Eds. Rolf Haubl, Tilmann Habermas). Göttingen 2008, p. 178 f.
  3. ↑ Uwe Hartmann, Hinnerk Becker: Disorders of gender identity. Causes, course, therapy. Vienna and New York 2002, p. 21 ff.
  4. ↑ Wilfrid v. Boch-Galhau: The induced parent-child alienation and its consequences (Parental Alienation Syndrome - PAS) in the context of separation and divorce. (doc) p. 6.
  5. ↑ See Uwe Hartmann, Hinnerk Becker: Disorders of gender identity. Causes, course, therapy. Vienna and New York 2002, p. 22.
  6. ↑ Using the example of the female child (daughter) - cf. Federal Ministry for Family, Senior Citizens, Women and Youth: 14.1.3 Sexual abuse in the family - a violation of generation boundaries ( memento from April 15, 2016 in the Internet Archive ): "The mother is not a person for her who can help her, to cope with life. Nor is it an authority that provides orientation and takes on a guiding function. "
  7. ↑ See Federal Ministry for Family, Seniors, Women and Youth: 14.1.3 Sexual abuse in the family - a violation of the generation boundaries ( memento of April 15, 2016 in the Internet Archive ): “Here too, this role is too demanding for the daughter along, but it also makes her feel important . Along with all the suffering that is associated with it, this feeling of importance is a compensation option that should not be underestimated for the multiple processes of devaluation and the mother's emotional rejection. Will you have this important meaning for your identity z. If , for example, sexual abuse was discovered or taken out of the family , decompensations or a massive defense against assistance can be observed. "
  8. ^ Almuth Massing, Günter Reich, Eckhard Sperling: The multigenerational family therapy. Göttingen 2006, p. 193 f: “If divorce conflicts remain unresolved, this is always associated with conflicts of loyalty for the children, which are accompanied by conflicts of identity. [...] The boys lack the same-sex half of their identity. These, and with them the essential image of manhood, often appear to be devalued. In addition, we repeatedly observe that boys in particular were attributed the negative characteristics of their fathers, which they rejected, from their mothers […]. For boys, orientation in divorce conflicts often seems more difficult than for girls. We found, along with a number of other authors, that as a rule they had more and more severe symptoms than girls. In particular, the dosage and balancing of traditionally male characteristics ( e.g. aggressiveness ) appear more difficult . [...] And to be successful and independent, to 'stand by your own', as it is traditionally called, can then become more difficult . "
  9. ↑ Geoffrey M. Reed et al .: Disorders related to sexuality and gender identity in the ICD-11: revising the ICD-10 classification based on current scientific evidence, best clinical practices, and human rights considerations . In: World Psychiatry . tape 13 , no. 3 , 2016, p. 205–221 , doi : 10.1002 / wps.20354 , PMC 5032510 (free full text) - (English).
  10. ↑ KM Beier: Sexual Medicine and Andrology. In: Andrology. Basics and clinics of reproductive health in men (Ed. Nieschlag, Behre). Heidelberg 2009, p. 560.
  11. ↑ Eva Rass: Bonding and Security in the Life Course. Psychodynamic Developmental Psychology. Stuttgart 2011, p. 116 f: “This seems to coincide with the everyday perception that men and women who have found a secure gender role at an early age no longer have to constantly reassure themselves of their sexual identity through seemingly potent or doll-like behavior. You have the freedom to allow yourself a behavior that deviates from the role cliché. "
  12. ↑ Udo Rauchfleisch: Transsexuality - Transidentity. Assessment, support, therapy. Göttingen 2016, p. 14.
  13. ↑ Udo Rauchfleisch: Transsexuality - Transidentity. Assessment, support, therapy. Göttingen 2016, p. 16.
  14. ↑ Udo Rauchfleisch: Transsexuality - Transidentity. Assessment, support, therapy. Göttingen 2016, p. 62 f.
  15. ↑ Udo Rauchfleisch: Transsexuality - Transidentity. Assessment, support, therapy. Göttingen 2016, p. 24 f.
  16. ↑ World Health Organization (WHO): Gender, equity and human rights. In: who.int. (English).
  17. ↑ Udo Rauchfleisch: Transsexuality - Transidentity. Assessment, support, therapy. Göttingen 2016, p. 25: "Here, too, despite various hypotheses, we are faced with a big question mark when we try to find out how heterosexual, bisexual and homosexual orientations arise."
  18. ↑ Arthur P. Arnold: Biological foundations of gender differences. In: Brain and Gender. Neuroscience of the small difference between men and women (Eds. Lautenbacher, Güntürkün, Hausmann). Heidelberg 2007, p. 22: “Why do men and women differ in physique, behavior and other characteristics, such as susceptibility to disease? In general, gender differences develop when these differences bring an evolutionary advantage for both sexes. "
  19. ↑ Anna Maria Aloisi: Gender and Hormones. In: Brain and Gender. Neuroscience of the little difference between man and woman. Heidelberg 2007, p. 4: “The assignment to one or the other gender does not always answer the question of whether an individual is a man or a woman. Since various disorders can occur during normal expression of the two chromosomes, there are a variety of ways in which a person can become 'more feminine' or 'more masculine'. If a person z. B. XY is male but has no androgen receptors, she will develop a 'female' phenotype. In female individuals, which of the X chromosomes is active, the paternal or the maternal, plays a major role, because only one X chromosome is active while the other is deactivated. […] In addition to a male or female genotype, the development of male or female reproductive organs results in the production of hormones that are typical of female or male living things. Although genes initiate gender differentiation, the hormones released by the gonads play an important role in this differentiation. "
  20. ↑ The female brain. Louann Brizendine in conversation with Gert Scobel (PDF).
  21. ↑ Bernd Eggen: 3rd part. Children in same-sex unions (PDF), p. 2 (the PDF).
  22. ^ Lynn D. Wardle, Protecting Children by Protecting Domestic and International Adoption. In: Living Family Law. Festschrift for Rainer Frank (Tobias Helms, Jens Martin Zeppernick). Frankfurt and Berlin 2008, p. 324: “Planned lesbigay parenthood offers a veritable 'social laboratory' of family diversity in which scholars could fruitfully examine not only the acquisition of sexual and gender identity, but the relative effects on children of the gender an number of their parents as well as the implications of various biosocial routes to parenthood. "(Stacey and Bibiarz)
  23. ↑ Oliver Tomein: Transsexualism in the Context of Anti-Discrimination Law. A question of gender or sexual orientation. In: Transsexuality and Intersexuality. Medical, ethical, social and legal aspects (eds. Groß, Neuschaefer-Rube, Steinmetzer). Berlin 2008, p. 113 f.
  24. ↑ Chancellery Hensche: Handbook Labor Law: Discrimination Bans - Sexual Identity
  25. ↑ Hans-Werner Spreizer, Tanja Fuß: General Equal Treatment Act (PDF; 487 KB), p. 16.
  26. ↑ A. Moré: On the gender specifics in (neuro) psychological and psychosomatic disorders from the perspective of pediatric psychology . In: Anita Rieder , Brigitte Lohff (Ed.): Gender Medicine. Gender-specific aspects for clinical practice . 2 revised and exp. Springer, Vienna, New York 2008, ISBN 978-3-211-68289-0 , pp. 90 .