Sexual and Gender Identity Labels: A Source of Oppression and Empowerment

Understandings of sexual and gender identity have expanded beyond traditional binaries, yet we know little about adolescents’ appropriation of identity labels across diverse communities. In a mixed-methods study of adolescents recruited from lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ+) spaces in communities differing in support of sexual and gender diversity, seven patterns emerged: (a) frequent use of nonbinary gender identity labels (23.9% of survey sample), especially in high-support communities; (b) greater comfort among adolescents assigned female at birth (AFAB) with diverse gender expression, which informants attributed to pressures to conform to compulsive masculinity for boys; (c) frequent use of plurisexual (60.8%) and asexual (9.9%) labels, especially among those AFAB, and discussion of online settings as a resource; (d) intersectional patterning of “queer” to describe sexual identity (12.4% of survey sample), with White youth in high-support communities signifying an intellectual/political stance and non-White youth in low-support communities using queer as an umbrella term; (e) resistance to labeling and ambivalence about labels due to intra-community dynamics; (f) labeling challenges among boys of color; and (g) challenges with stigma, sexualization, and violence for transgender and nonbinary youth. Findings highlight how contemporary adolescents engage with and challenge received conceptions of gender and sexuality and how this process is shaped by intersectional identities.

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Perceptions of Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Minority Adolescents About Labels

Western Journal of Nursing Research ◽

10.1177/0193945919838618 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 42 (2) ◽

pp. 81-89 ◽

Cited By ~ 3

Author(s):

Carolyn M. Porta ◽

Amy L. Gower ◽

Camille Brown ◽

Brittany Wood ◽

Marla E. Eisenberg

Keyword(s):

Sexual Orientation ◽

Gender Identity ◽

Thematic Analysis ◽

Mixed Methods Study ◽

Chi Square ◽

Sexual Orientation Identity ◽

Minority Adolescents ◽

And Gender ◽

Inductive Thematic Analysis ◽

Identity Labels

Young peoples’ acceptance and use of nontraditional, descriptive identity labels (e.g., pansexual, genderqueer) require nurses to consider moving beyond use of traditional terms (e.g., gay, transgender). This mixed methods study explores (a) labels used by sexual orientation and gender identity (SOGI) minority youth, (b) their expressed importance and meaning of these labels, and (c) differences in label usage. Sixty-six SOGI minority adolescents in British Columbia, Minnesota, and Massachusetts (mean age = 16.6) participated in “go-along” interviews; during interviews, 42 (63.6%) commented on labels. Chi-square and t tests were used to compare traditional versus nontraditional labels across participant demographic categories. Inductive thematic analysis was used to identify representative themes. Approximately, 1/3 of participants used nontraditional sexual orientation identity labels; this finding was associated with a trans identity and nontraditional gender labels. Using terminology that is meaningful and representative to the youth themselves has potential to facilitate representative research and welcoming environments in practice.

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Effects of Gender, Parental Role, and Time on Infant- and Adult-Directed Read and Spontaneous Speech

Journal of Speech Language and Hearing Research ◽

10.1044/2019_jslhr-s-19-0047 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 62 (11) ◽

pp. 4001-4014

Author(s):

Melanie Weirich ◽

Adrian Simpson

Keyword(s):

Parental Involvement ◽

Gender Identity ◽

Spontaneous Speech ◽

First Year ◽

Space Size ◽

Vowel Space ◽

Potential Impact ◽

Phonetic Features ◽

And Gender ◽

Description Task

Purpose The study sets out to investigate inter- and intraspeaker variation in German infant-directed speech (IDS) and considers the potential impact that the factors gender, parental involvement, and speech material (read vs. spontaneous speech) may have. In addition, we analyze data from 3 time points prior to and after the birth of the child to examine potential changes in the features of IDS and, particularly also, of adult-directed speech (ADS). Here, the gender identity of a speaker is considered as an additional factor. Method IDS and ADS data from 34 participants (15 mothers, 19 fathers) is gathered by means of a reading and a picture description task. For IDS, 2 recordings were made when the baby was approximately 6 and 9 months old, respectively. For ADS, an additional recording was made before the baby was born. Phonetic analyses comprise mean fundamental frequency (f0), variation in f0, the 1st 2 formants measured in /i: ɛ a u:/, and the vowel space size. Moreover, social and behavioral data were gathered regarding parental involvement and gender identity. Results German IDS is characterized by an increase in mean f0, a larger variation in f0, vowel- and formant-specific differences, and a larger acoustic vowel space. No effect of gender or parental involvement was found. Also, the phonetic features of IDS were found in both spontaneous and read speech. Regarding ADS, changes in vowel space size in some of the fathers and in mean f0 in mothers were found. Conclusion Phonetic features of German IDS are robust with respect to the factors gender, parental involvement, speech material (read vs. spontaneous speech), and time. Some phonetic features of ADS changed within the child's first year depending on gender and parental involvement/gender identity. Thus, further research on IDS needs to address also potential changes in ADS.

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