Binding is a technique involving compression of the chest to flatten its appearance. While anyone can practice binding, it is most common among transgender male or nonbinary individuals as a form of gender expression. Designated binders exist, but binders can also be made from materials at home such as sports bras or layering shirts. People…
Category: Gender, Identity, and Sexual Orientation
Conversion Therapy
Sexual orientation and gender identity are essential aspects of an individual’s identity. Sexual orientation is a person’s romantic, sexual, emotional, or spiritual attraction to others based on gender, and gender identity is the sense of “being” a specific gender such as man, woman, genderqueer, agender, etc. Unfortunately, certain orientations and identities are stigmatized by society because they do not conform…
Transition and Gender Affirming Surgery
Transition is the process for trans individuals to express their internal gender identity outwardly through emotional, social, or medical means. Gender dysphoria is defined as strong negative feelings such as distress an individual experiences when their sex assigned at birth does not match their social and psychological identity.1 Keep in mind that there is a…
Dating Applications for Men Seeking Men
In the past decade or so, technology has revolutionized the way that men who have sex with men (MSM) can connect and meet with potential partners. This new territory is highly digital, and functions largely on smartphone applications which use the phone’s GPS signal to find other gay and bisexual app users in the surrounding…
Topping and Bottoming: What’s in a label?
Within the gay and bisexual communities, men are commonly labeled based on their preferred penetrative role during intercourse. Three major self-labels exist. “Top” refers to a man who prefers the insertive position during intercourse. “Bottom” refers to a man who prefers the receptive position during intercourse. “Versatile” refers to a man who is willing to…
Glossary of Sexual Orientation/Gender Terminology
Sexual orientation and gender are immensely complex, and the various terminologies related to them can be very confusing. Below is a list of definitions to help provide a clear understanding of various terms surrounding sexual orientation and gender. DISCLAIMER: Some of the following terms are derogatory, offensive, and outdated, and should not be used as…
Gender Binary
The gender binary is a system that pairs together sex (which is based on an individual’s reproductive anatomy) and gender (which refers to the socially constructed ideas and expectations that a culture has for certain sex). More specifically, it classifies two distinguishable, distinct, and oftentimes contrasting genders: males who identify as men and females who…
Cissexism and Cisnormativity
With the increased amount of media attention towards transgender community, along with wider access to information regarding trans people across the globe, many people in North America and Europe have seen a dramatic cultural shift towards recognizing the struggles of trans people. However, as transgender people continue to gain affirmation of their individual and bodily…
Raising Your Children Gender Neutrally
Disclaimer: Throughout this article, we will be using the terms “sons” and “boys” to describe children who were assigned as “male” by birth, and “daughters” and “girls” to refer to children who were assigned as “female” at birth. We understand that sex and gender are two different things, and that your children may choose to…