We have been a faith that is welcoming. Unitarian Universalism does not simply start its doors to individuals of all intimate orientations and gender identities—we value variety of sex and sex and view this variety as a profound religious present.
“Discovering The Right Words”
Language about intimate orientation and gender identification changes and modifications: brand brand new words are created; other words alter definitions. Learning exactly how each person utilize language to produce meaning is very important, as is using comprehensive language ourselves. In discussion with numerous individuals and communities, we’ve developed some working definitions. Do not stop with your definitions, though–see the base read this article of this site for next steps to deepn your understanding.
Fundamental Definitions
Intimate Orientation
We affirm the worth that is inherent dignity of each individual. Sexual orientation is really a main element of whom we are—being real to ourselves and honoring each other’s facts are an imperative that is spiritual.
Sexual orientation defines the pattern of a person’s attractions that are sexual on sex. Intimate attraction and intimate attraction are frequently lumped together as though these are the exact same. Which is not constantly the truth. Affectional orientation defines the pattern of a person’s attraction that is romantic or perhaps the sex of those an individual falls in deep love with or wants to mate with.
You will find three fundamental kinds of intimate orientations: Monosexual, polysexual, and asexual.
Same-Sex Orientation
Many people are solely drawn to users of just one sex. Intimate orientation labels employed by folks of the sex that is same:
- Gay: generally relates to a person that is interested in males. Often relates to all those who are interested in folks of the exact same sex; often “homosexual” is employed because of this additionally, even though this label is seen by many people today as being a medical term that needs to be retired from typical use.
- Lesbian: a female that is drawn to ladies. Often additionally or alternatively “same gender-loving woman” or “woman loving girl.”
- Directly: a person that is exclusively interested in ladies or a female that is solely interested in males; additionally often generally utilized to individuals whoever sexualities are societally normative. Alternatively known as “heterosexual.”
Polysexual Orientation
Many people are drawn to people in numerous genders. Intimate orientation labels utilized by polysexual individuals consist of:
- Bisexual: interested in individuals of a person’s very very own sex and folks of other gender(s). Also known as “bi.” See Bisexuality 101 to find out more.
- Pansexual: drawn to individuals irrespective of sex. Often additionally or alternately “omnisexual.”
- Queer: much like pansexual, queer may be an identity label and thus one is drawn to individuals of numerous genders; nevertheless, queer is a multi-faceted term with one or more meaning and make use of, and it is seen as unpleasant by many people. See Queer 101 for more information.
Asexual Orientation
Many people don’t experience attraction that is sexual. Many people this relates to determine as asexual.
- Asexual: perhaps maybe maybe not sexually drawn to anyone and/or perhaps maybe perhaps not performing on attraction to anybody. Will not suggest sexless. Asexual people sometimes do experience affectional (romantic) attraction.See Asexuality 101 to find out more.
Some people don’t like and don’t use labels in addition to the above. Other folks identify as Questioning: a term utilized to describe somebody who is uncertain of or checking out their orientation that is sexual and/or identification.
Gender Identity and Expression
We affirm each person’s ability to guage on their own who they really are and go to town in the way that is most authentic with their heart. We honor the diversity of truths that exists inside our communities.
Gender is complex and multi-faceted. In North American tradition several distinct areas of ourselves have lumped together once we talk about “gender”:
- Biological Intercourse: characteristics such as for example physiology, chromosomes, and hormones that is often assigned at inform and birth whether an individual is male, feminine, or intersex.
- Gender identification: An individual’s sense that is internal of a guy, a female, neither of the, both, and so on—it is one’s internal feeling of being and one’s own knowledge of how one pertains to the sex binary. With the exception of agender individuals, whom frequently lack a sense that is internal of, many people have gender identification.
- Gender Expression: the real ways an individual manifests masculinity, femininity, both, or neither through look, behavior, gown, message patterns, choices, and much more.
The social expectation is that one’s biological sex, sex identification, and sex phrase will align in stereotypical means: that a person who is male will identify as being a boy/man and have now a masculine sex phrase, as an example. This expectation will not provide our world that is diverse and wide variety experiences of self that you can get.
For lots more definitions about sex identification and phrase, see Transgender 101. We also have resources for Queer and Trans Youth.
Going Deeper
Definitions can’t ever encompass whom our company is as full beings that are human. The religious invite is to get a cross divides of huge difference and simply just simply take dangers by authentically deciding to get acquainted with each other. Labels could be tools of liberation or oppression—it’s all in exactly exactly just how we make use of them. Therefore do not stop with just learning definitions. Listed here are three next actions for certainly deepening your understanding.
- Explore your sense that is own of: just exactly exactly What perform some definitions above talk about for your needs? exactly exactly What language do you really used to explain your very own feeling of self?
- Keep in touch with people you trust about intimate gender and orientation identification. Inquire further respectfully what exactly is real that you are curious about for them and talk about the things that confuse you or.
- Develop relationships with individuals that have different orientations that are sexual sex identities from your. Be respectful of each and every person’s directly to privacy by asking questions that are open-ended find out more about how they feel the globe.