Studying with AI: Gender and Sexuality 1 - Confusion Over Terminology
Last time, when I compiled a list of books on sexuality, I realized that due to my lack of study, I wasn't keeping up with the latest developments. To supplement my missing knowledge, I used ChatGPT to do a rough study. This is a record of that.
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Of course, ChatGPT is not omnipotent and is not necessarily always correct, so I used it as a way to save time and learn the basics, and it is essential to explore on my own to deepen my learning.
If anyone who is knowledgeable about this topic has any corrections like 'This is wrong' or 'There is also this way of thinking,' please let me know in the comments or elsewhere.
Gender and Sexuality: The Very Basics - Meanings of Terms
★Question 1: Can I consider these four things—biological sex, gender identity, social gender roles, and sexual orientation—as completely separate things?
ChatGPT response: That is correct.
① Biological Sex
Innate physical characteristics (chromosomes, hormones, reproductive organs, etc.).
There is diversity including intersex, not just male/female. There is diversity including intersex, not just male/female.
② Gender Identity
The internal sense of 'what gender I feel I am.'
Various identities such as male, female, non-binary, X-gender, etc.
③ Social Gender Roles (Gender Role/Gender Expression)
Roles, behaviors, and appearances expected by society.
These change depending on culture, such as 'feminine clothing' or 'masculine work'.
Individual expression (hairstyles, clothing, behavior) is also included here.
④ Sexual Orientation
Who one feels romantic or sexual attraction toward.
Heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality, asexuality, pansexuality, etc.
The four are independent of each other
Even if the body is male, the mind may be female.
Even if one's gender identity is male, one may want to express themselves in a gender-neutral way socially.
Regardless of one's gender identity, it is unrelated to the gender of the person one is attracted to.
In other words, the idea that the four aspects—body, mind, social role, and the object of attraction—do not need to align at all is the current general understanding.
★Question 2: Generally, people who have transitioned (or want to) are called transgender, but based on the above thinking, shouldn't it be transsexual?
ChatGPT Answer: If you focus only on physical changes, that would be logical, but due to historical circumstances, it became transgender.
■ Stating the conclusion first
If emphasizing physical changes (medical gender transition), 'Transsexual' is the original term.
As a broad concept based on gender identity, 'Transgender' is generally used.
In other words, gender identity changes → Transgender; changing the body → Transsexual
is technically the 'correct' classification.
However, it has now become common to include everyone under 'transgender' regardless of whether they have undergone medical changes.
■ Why has 'transgender' become so widely used?
There are three reasons.
① The term transsexual became strongly linked to medicine (especially psychiatry).
It was once treated as a set with 'gender identity disorder' and used to refer to
'people who undergo gender reassignment surgery as treatment.'
As a result, resistance to being 'treated as a disease' grew, and it fell out of use.
② Gender transition cannot be distinguished by the presence or absence of surgery.
People who only undergo hormone therapy
People who have not undergone surgery but live socially as women/men
Non-binary people
, and so on; it is truly broad.
Drawing a line based on whether or not surgery has been performed often does not match the reality.
3. The individuals themselves preferred the term 'transgender'
It came to be accepted as an inclusive term that does not exclude people who are 'pre-medical/in-process/non-surgical'.
■ Summarizing the answer to the question in one sentence
As a concept, 'transsexual' is correct if you are changing your body.
However, in modern general usage, it is standard to include people under 'transgender' regardless of whether they have had surgery.
■ It is clearer to organize the terminology like this
TransgenderGender identity differs from assigned sex; includes no surgery, no hormones, social transition only, non-binary, everything included
TranssexualLimited to people who undergo medical body-altering surgery or hormone therapy
■ Summary: Your sense of discomfort is correct
'Transgender' is too broad, making gender identity, gender expression, and physical changes appear as one thing. That is why there is originally a distinction from 'transsexual'.
However, currently, due to the history of discrimination and issues with the acceptance of terminology,
'transgender' is simply used generally as an inclusive term.
★Question 3: I think asexual is a type of sexual orientation, but what about aromantic?
ChatGPT Answer: 'Aromantic is a "romantic orientation," and it does not directly fall into any of the four categories mentioned at the beginning.'
■ Re-listing the initial 4 classifications
Biological sex
Gender identity
Gender role / gender expression
Sexual orientation
■ So where does aromantic fit in?
👉 It doesn't fit anywhere (it is an independent concept)
To be precise, it is treated as
a fifth axis: 'romantic orientation'
.
■ Why is the axis of romantic orientation necessary?
Sexual orientation indicates:
who you are sexually attracted to
whereas,
aromantic refers to:
who you feel romantic attraction toward (or whether you feel it at all)
.
For many people, sexual attraction and romantic attraction do not align, so they are treated as independent.
■ Common examples
Asexual/Aromantic
→ Not attracted to anyone either sexually or romanticallyAsexual/Romantic (heterosexual, homosexual, etc.)
→ Not sexually attracted, but experiences romantic feelingsAromantic/Sexually bi, gay, straight, etc.
→ No romantic feelings, but experiences sexual attraction
Because such people actually exist,
romantic orientation has come to be treated as a separate axis from sexual orientation.
■ Summary
Asexual = related to 'sexual orientation'
Aromantic = related to 'romantic orientation'
Therefore, aromantic does not belong to any of the four you initially listed; it is an independent concept.
★Question 4: Is the term 'gender' in Japan used to mean social gender differences? Or does it also include gender identity?
ChatGPT Answer: In Japanese, 'gender' is often used as a term that encompasses 'both' (2) gender identity and (3) social gender differences.
However, depending on the context, it may refer only to (3).
In other words, 'basically a broad meaning, but it can also have a narrow meaning in academic fields' is the reality.
◆ General usage in Japan (broad sense)
In daily conversation, news, and administrative documents, it is treated with a broad meaning:
'Gender = social and psychological aspects of gender, not biological sex'
.
Therefore,
(2) Psychological gender (gender identity)
(3) Social gender differences (gender roles/gender expression)
are both included in 'gender'.
Example:
'Gender identity' = gender identity
'Gender equality' = correction of social gender differences
→ These two are discussed under the same 'gender'.
◆ Usage in academia (sociology/gender studies) (narrow sense)
In academic settings, it is often clearly defined as
gender = social gender differences (3)
.
In this case,
(2) Gender identity is 'gender identity'
(3) Social gender differences are discussed separately as 'gender role / gender norms / gender expression'.
In short, academically, it is limited to a meaning close to (3).
◆ Why Japanese is confusing
In English-speaking countries, 'gender' is also a broad term that includes both the mind and society, but in Japanese:
'Gender = social gender differences'
'Gender = a broad concept that also includes psychological gender'
Since both usages are mixed, it is necessary to judge based on the context.
◆ Summary
The Japanese word "gender"
General usage: (2) + (3) (broad sense)
→ Includes gender identity and social gender differencesAcademic/professional usage: (3) only (narrow sense)
→ Refers to social roles, expectations, and norms
Summary of terms
The words used vaguely in everyday life have been quite ambiguous, and I have always felt uneasy about them. Being able to organize them this time has made me feel much clearer.
Most of these concepts were imported from abroad, so the fact that their meanings in English/English-speaking countries and in Japanese/Japan differ slightly might be the source of confusion in discussions...
Furthermore, through the long-term efforts of the people involved, the meanings of words have changed, and new words have been created. The fact that language changes means that society and people's perspectives are also changing. I felt that if I just drift along, I will be left behind.
This is the starting point, and from here on, I would like to study the things I specifically wonder about and want to know.