Transgender Issues 101: What is the difference between gender identity and sexual orientation?

Matt Kailey – Transgender Issues Examiner

Many people confuse gender identity and sexual orientation, assuming that transgendered male-to-female (MTF) individuals are really gay men and that transgendered female-to-male (FTM) individuals are really lesbians.

This is why trans women (who were born male but have a female gender identity) in particular are often subjected to anti-gay slurs. Their tormentors believe them to be gay men.

The reality is that these two concepts — gender identity and sexual orientation — are very different, at least in Western culture.

Gender identity is who you think you are, in terms of your gender. Everyone has a gender identity, and the majority of people believe themselves to be either male or female. Some people believe themselves to be both, and some believe themselves to be neither.

Sexual orientation is who you are attracted to. Everyone has a sexual orientation. Some people are attracted to men, some are attracted to women, some are attracted to both, and some are attracted to neither.

Women who are attracted to men are generally labeled “straight,” while men who are attracted to men are generally labeled “gay.” Women who are attracted to women are generally labeled “lesbian,” while women who are attracted to men are generally labeled “straight.”

Women or men who are attracted to both are generally labeled “bisexual.” Women or men who are attracted to neither are generally labeled “asexual.”

There are also people who consider themselves to be “pansexual” or “omnisexual.” People who define themselves in this way generally recognize more than two sexes and/or genders and can be attracted to a person for reasons that are not based on sex or gender at all.

A person’s gender identity often has little to do with who that person is attracted to. For example, a person may have a female gender identity and be attracted to men, to women, to both, or to neither.

Gay men are happy being men — they are simply attracted to other men. Lesbians are happy being women — they are simply attracted to other women. Gay men and lesbians have a gender identity that matches their physical body.

Transgendered people, on the other hand, have a gender identity that does not match their physical body. Transgendered people can be attracted to men, to women, to both, or to neither.

Sometimes, when a transgendered person goes through a transition (changes his or her body to match his or her gender identity), these attractions can change. Most often, they remain the same — only the label changes.

For example, a person who was born female and is attracted to men is labeled “straight.” When this person transitions to male and remains attracted to men, this label changes to “gay.” It is not the sexual orientation that has changed. Only the label for the sexual orientation has changed.

This is where things can get complicated for those unfamiliar with the concepts, so let’s make it easy and wrap it up where we started — gender identity is who you believe yourself to be, and sexual orientation is who you are attracted to.

Keeping this difference in mind can clear up a lot of confusion as you navigate the world of transgender issues.

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