Gender Variance - Association With Sexual Orientation

Association With Sexual Orientation

There are a number of differences between men and women when associating gender variance with sexual orientation. Gender roles in Western societies have impacted the way individuals address themselves in social circles and adapt their behaviour to avoid violence, rejection and ostracism.

Among women, gender variance is occasionally associated with lesbianism. Women who dressed or modified their behaviour were traditionally labelled or believed to be a lesbian because of the restricted gender roles women were faced with in adulthood, such as a requirement of homemaking and reproducing. However in more recent times, women who exhibit gender atypical behaviour rarely experience social rejection or bullying as gender variance among women has become more socially acceptable and are more tolerated than men who display gender variance. Often girls who show behaviour not typical of their gender are more likely to be labelled as a tomboy. While conventional viewpoints consider a perceived correlation between tomboys and lesbianism, masculine behaviour typical of men and boys but displayed by women and girls is not a true indicator of one’s sexual orientation.

For men, gender variance is usually repressed and punished. However, gender variance exhibited in childhood tends to diminish by adolescence, due to secondary sex characteristics and because of the limited identities men are faced with in adulthood. Heterosexual ideals of manhood include an interest in physically demanding activities, sports, technology, a muscular body shape and an interest in attracting a female romance or sexual partner. Providing protection and courage are among of the core aspects of the gender role of a male, and in turn a majority of women are often attracted to these features. This belief has also been stemmed from women being attracted to the stereotypical "bad boy" archetype, which has also been proven by women being attracted to men in prison populations. Therefore in hopes of succeeding in the last ideal of gender conformity, it is required for men to show and provide these qualities in order to expect or achieve a female romance or sexual partner. Homosexual and bisexual men, being less concerned with attracting women, are likely to conform to the ideals of manhood but have no interest in trying to impress or exhibit traits to attract women because social punishment for such transgression is not effective, or at least no more effective than being openly gay or bisexual in a heteronormative society (which they already experience). For that reason, the social rule for attracting women is only an expectation of heterosexual men.