Sexuality is a social construct! Humans created the concept of sexuality, therefore it is only real because we make it real. What it means to be attracted to only women, to only men, to any gender, is all subjective based on the idea that gender is a construct. Knowing this, we realize that the labels we use to define our sexuality are not rules, but articulations of how we feel. So, these labels are not meant to define who you are, but the feelings you have. When people’s feelings change, so can their sexuality. Sexuality is fluid, which means that it is never set in stone and that it is our choice what label we choose to use. Our feelings, emotions, and attractions are not choices, but the label we use to define them are. However, our feelings, emotions and attractions may change throughout our life. That is why it is important to never set limitations on yourself, and identify with the label that makes you the most comfortable in the present! <3
Disclaimer: Although sexuality is fluid, you should never insinuate or treat individuals like they will stop identifying a certain way as they age, learn, grow, etc… respect people for who they are now, despite who they were in the past or who you think they will be in the future.
No CommentGender is a construct, it was created by humans and is only real because we make it real. So, if humans created binary gender, man and woman, then humans can also create other genders, or other ways of expressing their gender that is not in the binary. That being said, gender is fluid! The 'fluid' part meaning that it is flexible; your gender does not have to be set in stone for the rest of your life! instead your gender can flow, change, and evolve, you can express yourself differently whenever YOU feel like it. Gender is a social construct, it is what humans make it. So, articulate your gender in whatever way makes you most comfortable. Realize that everyone's relationship to their gender is different, and how someone else identifies does not undermine who you are. Be accepting of different identities and respect those for who they are. <3
Disclaimer: Although gender is fluid, you should never insinuate or treat individuals like they will stop identifying a certain way as they age, learn, grow, etc… respect people for who they are now, despite who they were in the past or who you think they will be in the future.
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No CommentDavid Bowie was a complete rock star in every conceivable way. From his revolutionary personas, characters and costumes, Bowie created an environment for queerness to be represented and eventually celebrated!
During the 70s, when Bowie reached a ‘peak’ of fame, there was still rampant homophobia/transphobia/misogyny everywhere you looked. The portrayals of queer people were majorly negative stereotypes and cynical imagery. So, when a person with a platform like David Bowie broke these gender barriers by wearing makeup, wigs and dresses, there was a widespread acceptance and appreciation for these queer styles. It had only been a decade since the sexual revolution of the 1960s, which was also a big contributor to the self liberation of queer people. Bowie was not specifically responsible for this, but he defintnley contributed to the queer aesthetics of the time.
His music details the lives of these characters and the situations they often find themselves in. His other-worldy, alien like presence blends itself so well with the idea of being queer, or just being different.
Bowie was fluid with his identity and experimented with styles and aesthetics that primarily associated with women. The art he created will transcend time because of his contributions to queer aesthetics and gender expression.
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No CommentSexuality is a social construct! Similar to gender, humans created a list of identites/sexulaities to define people based on their sexual attraction to people of a certain gender. The orgins of the words 'homosexual' and 'bisexual' were terms meant to describe a "mental disorder." Well, psychologists know now that people who like the same gender are not suffering from a mental illness, but that they simply are just attracted to what they are attracted to. The stigmatization of being 'homosexual' or 'bisexual' causes the oppression of these people. These oppressors wrongly viewed homosexuality as a sin, or claimed these people were perverts. So, LGBT+ people started to create a community and culture around being who they are, and coping with the backlash they received for their identity. That is why community and labels are so important, because they unite those who were oppressed, belittled, and murdered for being who they are.
Gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, queer, asexual, straight, omnisexual, demisexual etc. are constructed labels that articulate real feelings, actions or desires. Humans created these terms, but we do not have to fit perfectly into any of them, and we do not have to use any of them if we do not want to! Be comfortable in the label you choose to use or not, it is meant to help you articulate who you are, not what others want you to be <3
1 CommentGender is a social construct! This means that as our society has progressed, humans have created/constructed roles to assign to humans at birth. Gender is most always based on the sex of a baby. This labeling of gender is called "Gender Essentilism," which is a concept that refers to reducing gender down to someone's sex. However, because we know gender is a construct, we also know that gender and sex are completly different.
The roles assigned to each gender are almost always limiting to that individual. These roles might dictate how someone feels about themself, what they feel obligated to wear, where they feel they belong in society or rules they might be expected to follow. It is important to realize the archetypes of women and men are constructed, and that anyone is allowed to break the constraints of gender and be who they want to be! <3
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