Identity, sexual

Sexual identity refers to lesbian, gay, bisexual, pansexual, demisexual, asexual, and pansexual individuals.

While sexual orientation describes the „orientation of a person’s sexual and emotional needs toward others of the same or opposite sex or both sexes.“(1; cf. Sexual Orientation-in Psychotherapy and Counseling p.6), sexual identity adds to the term the value of self-understanding, which cannot be determined exclusively by sexual relations or actions with or toward other persons.

According to Magret Göth and Ralph Kohn, sexual identity is the identity that a person develops based on his or her sexual orientation. The development of identity would be influenced by the individual, social and cultural situation and by other aspects. (2; cf. Sexual Orientation-in Psychotherapy and Counseling p.6).

Again, it can be seen that sexual identity can develop from sexual orientation, but the two terms should not be used synonymously. It should also be emphasized that not feeling sexually attracted, which can also be expressed by not entering into sexual relationships, can also be a sexual identity, namely asexuality. Linking sexual identity exclusively to sexual relations/actions can consequently lead to false conclusions. Furthermore, sexual identity can be influenced by, among other things, cultural imprints, but also individual developments can emerge, sexual identity consequently reaches more comprehensively than sexual orientation.

Stefan Timmermann, on the other hand, defines sexual identity thus: „Sexual identity is people’s fundamental self-understanding of who they are as sexual beings – how they perceive themselves and how they (want to) be perceived by others. It includes biological, social, and also psychological sex, as well as sexual orientation.“ (3; cf. Handbook of Sex Education and Sexual Education, p. 261). Furthermore, sexual identity is not static in the course of life, but rather changeable (4; cf. Handbuch Sexualpädagogik und sexuelle Bildung,p. 261).

This clearly shows that sexual relationships, which can result from sexual orientation, do not automatically have to be identity-forming; rather, it is a matter of self-understanding, which can be changeable.

Definitions for sexual identity as well as examples

Asexual: Asexual persons do not feel sexually attracted to other people. Bisexual Bisexual persons are romantically, erotically, and/or sexually attracted to persons of their own sex or the „opposite“ sex. This designation of sexual identity presupposes self-location in the binary gender order (cf. „pansexual“). (…)

Demisexual: Demisexual persons are only sexually attracted to persons with whom they have already established a close relationship.

Heterosexual: Heterosexual persons are romantically, erotically, and/or sexually attracted to persons of the „opposite“ sex. This sexual identity designation assumes self-location within the gender binary. Heteronormativity is considered the social ordering principle by which sexuality and gender are normalized.

Homosexual: Homosexual persons are attracted to persons of the same sex in their romantic, erotic, and/or sexual desires. This designation of sexual identity presupposes self-location within the gender binary. Sometimes pathologizing perceived designation, which is why the designation „lesbian“ and „gay“ is rather resorted to. (…)

Lesbian: This designation of sexual identity presupposes the self-location in the binary gender order. This is understood to mean the same-sex sexual identity of women. Formerly used as a pejorative, but through the lesbian-gay emancipation movement it has become a positive self-designation. (…)

Pansexual: Pansexual persons are attracted to other people regardless of their gender. This includes transgender and intersex people in addition to men and women. Hereby the binary gender order is questioned. (…)

Gay: This designation of sexual identity presupposes self-location in the binary gender order. This is understood to mean the same-sex sexual identity of men. Formerly used as pejorative, but has become a positively connoted self-designation through the lesbian-gay emancipation movement.

Sexual identity: also referred to as sexual orientation. Identity emphasizes that it is not only the orientation with regard to possible partners, but it is a component of identity. Nevertheless, it can change over the course of a lifetime. Sometimes gender or gender identity is included in this because the identification of sexual identity is dependent on gender categories. In this report, gender is framed as a possible cross-cutting dimension that can interact with sexual identity and lead to multidimensional or intersectional experiences.“ (quoted from Experiences of Discrimination in Germany Based on Sexual Identity by Dorina Kalkum, Magdalena Otto, August 2017, page 124ff. (5)

Difference to gender identity

Sexual and gender identity do not describe the same thing, but they are often connected. Gender identity describes the social gender, i.e. the gender with which a person identifies. This may differ from the biological sex. (6)

Judith Butler sees the reason for the introduction of gender identity in the problems that a binary gender system brings with it. It is biologically undeniable that there are also people with several morphological sex characteristics. Thus, it would not be permissible to transfer this supposed binary to gender identity. In English, the biological sex (sex) is distinguished from the social sex (gender); to make this distinction in German, the terms Geschlecht (sex) and Geschlechtsidentität (gender) are to be used. (7; cf. Das Unbehagen der Geschlechter (Gender Trouble), p. 23ff.).

While gender identity describes how one reads oneself or wants to be read, sexual identity includes interpersonal sexual relations, (or in the case of asexuality, the absence of sexual attraction).

More detailed information on gender can be found here: https://www.hyperkulturell.de/glossar/gender/.

Literature

1 Göth, M.; Kohn, R. (2014): Sexual orientation-in psychotherapy and counseling. Springer Verlag: p. 6

2 Göth, M.; Kohn, R. (2014): Sexual orientation-in psychotherapy and counseling. Springer Verlag p. 6

3 Sielert, U. [ed.]; Schmidt, R. (2008): Handbook of sex education and sexual education. Juventa Verlag: p. 261

4 Sielert, U. [Eds.]; Schmidt, R. (2008) Cf. Handbuch Sexualpädagogik und sexuelle Bildung (2008): S. 261

5https://www.antidiskriminierungsstelle.de/SharedDocs/downloads/DE/publikationen/Expertisen/expertise_diskrimerfahrungen_in_de_anhand_der_sex_identitaet.pdf;jsessionid=E2D04807FA660332333E3B75FB02D856.intranet211?__blob=publicationFile&v=3 p.124 (accessed 20.08.2021).

6https://www.antidiskriminierungsstelle.de/SharedDocs/downloads/DE/publikationen/Expertisen/expertise_diskrimerfahrungen_in_de_anhand_der_sex_identitaet.pdf;jsessionid=E2D04807FA660332333E3B75FB02D856.intranet211?__blob=publicationFile&v=3 (accessed 08/20/2021).

7 Butler, J.. [Ed.]; edition suhrkamp 2433(1991): Das Unbehagen der Geschlechter; original title: Gender Trouble; Suhrkamp Verlag: p.23 ff.