Hormones, Sexual Orientation, and Gender Identity

2019 ◽  
pp. 199-214
Author(s):  
Nicholas C. Neibergall ◽  
Alex J. Swanson ◽  
Francisco J. Sánchez
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Association Studies ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting Chemicals ◽  
Disorders Of Sex Development ◽  
Biological Research ◽  
Sex Development ◽  
Endocrine Disrupting ◽  
Specific Factors ◽  
And Gender

Gender identity and sexual orientation are two characteristics that play a significant role in human development. This chapter focuses on the potential role that hormones play in their development. First, a review of the direct effects of hormones and endocrine-disrupting chemicals is provided with a focus on animal models and persons born with disorders of sex development. Second, some evidence from association studies linking characteristics that are known or suspected of being influenced by hormones is provided. Although biological research has yielded some intriguing findings—especially from neuroimaging studies—scientists have yet to conclude what specific factors contribute to their development.

scholarly journals Prenatal testosterone and gender-related behaviour

2006 ◽  
Vol 155 (suppl_1) ◽  
pp. S115-S121 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa Hines
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Disorders Of Sex Development ◽  
Mammalian Brain ◽  
Critical Periods ◽  
Toy Preferences ◽  
Prenatal Testosterone ◽  
Sex Development ◽  
Play Behaviour ◽  
Mental Rotations ◽  
And Gender

Testosterone plays an important role in mammalian brain development. In neural regions with appropriate receptors testosterone, or its metabolites, influences patterns of cell death and survival, neural connectivity and neurochemical characterization. Consequently, testosterone exposure during critical periods of early development produces permanent behavioural changes. In humans, affected behaviours include childhood play behaviour, sexual orientation, core gender identity and other characteristics that show sex differences (i.e. differ on average between males and females). These influences have been demonstrated primarily in individuals who experienced marked prenatal hormone abnormalities and associated ambiguities of genital development (e.g. congenital adrenal hyperplasia). However, there is also evidence that testosterone works within the normal range to make some individuals within each sex more sex-typical than others. The size of testosterone-related influences, and perhaps even their existence, varies from one sex-typed characteristic to another. For instance: prenatal exposure to high levels of testosterone has a substantial influence on sex-typical play behaviour, including sex-typed toy preferences, whereas influences on core gender identify and sexual orientation are less dramatic. In addition: there appears to be little or no influence of prenatal testosterone on mental rotations ability, although mental rotations ability shows a marked sex difference. These findings have implications for basic understanding of the role of testosterone in normative gender development, as well as for the clinical management of individuals with disorders of sex development (formerly called intersex syndromes).

Gender Identity and Gender Role Orientation in Female Assigned Patients with Disorders of Sex Development

2012 ◽  
Vol 188 (5) ◽  
pp. 1930-1934 ◽  
Author(s):  
Aino K. Mattila ◽  
Riitta Fagerholm ◽  
Pekka Santtila ◽  
Päivi J. Miettinen ◽  
Seppo Taskinen
Keyword(s):  
Gender Identity ◽  
Gender Role ◽  
Disorders Of Sex Development ◽  
Role Orientation ◽  
Gender Role Orientation ◽  
Sex Development ◽  
And Gender

scholarly journals Queering participatory planning

2021 ◽  
pp. 095624782110193
Author(s):  
Vanesa Castán Broto
Keyword(s):  
Sexual Orientation ◽  
Gender Identity ◽  
Queer Theory ◽  
Political Representation ◽  
Participatory Planning ◽  
Radical Democracy ◽  
Politics Of Identity ◽  
The World ◽  
Participatory Processes ◽  
And Gender

All over the world, people suffer violence and discrimination because of their sexual orientation and gender identity. Queer theory has linked the politics of identity and sexuality with radical democracy experiments to decolonize development. Queering participatory planning can improve the wellbeing of vulnerable sectors of the population, while also enhancing their political representation and participation. However, to date, there has been limited engagement with the politics of sexuality and identity in participatory planning. This paper identifies three barriers that prevent the integration of queer concerns. First, queer issues are approached as isolated and distinct, separated from general matters for discussion in participatory processes. Second, heteronormative assumptions have shaped two fields that inform participatory planning practices: development studies and urban planning. Third, concrete, practical problems (from safety concerns to developing shared vocabularies) make it difficult to raise questions of identity and sexuality in public discussions. An engagement with queer thought has potential to renew participatory planning.

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