Understanding Human Sexuality through the Genderbread Model

This article explains the core concepts of the Genderbread Model and how it helps in understanding human sexuality. It covers gender identity, biological sex, gender expression, gender roles, and diversity in human sexuality. It also discusses heterosexual and homosexual approaches. The article concludes by emphasizing the importance of accepting personal freedoms of every individual.

Running Head: SEX THERAPY
Sex Therapy
Name
Institutional Affiliation

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Contents
Sex Therapy...............................................................................................................................1
Definition and Scope................................................................................................................2
Main Elements of the Genderbread Model...........................................................................2
Gender Identity.....................................................................................................................2
Biological Sex........................................................................................................................3
Gender Expression...............................................................................................................3
Gender Roles.......................................................................................................................4
Diversity in Human Sexuality in Light of Genderbread Model..........................................4
Human Sexualities................................................................................................................5
Heterosexual and Homosexual Approaches.......................................................................6
Conclusion.................................................................................................................................6
References.................................................................................................................................6

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Definition and Scope
The genderbread person is an infographic representing a ginger man colored yellow.
This yellow rigid shape represents the stereotypic gender scope. This graphic has been
labeled. Its labeling describes orientation, biological sex, identity-based on gender and
attractions common to each gender (Killermann, 2018). The binary version has been refuted
explicitly by genderbread model.
(Source: Killermann, 2018)
The scope of this model is quite wide and vast. It undertakes all the forms of socially
constructed gender as well as biological versions of sex. Three main areas of gender are
covered by this model profoundly. These are gender identity, gender expression, and
biological sex. Apart from this, the concept of sexual attraction is also covered extensively by
this model. A brief overview of these concepts is given hereunder.
Main Elements of the Genderbread Model
Gender Identity
Gender identity refers to how a person looks oneself in the spectrum of socially
constructed genders. The tendency to identify with one or the other gender is termed as
gender identity. Most often biological females identify themselves as females, but they also
have the tendency to identify themselves either as a male or no gender. The same goes true

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for the males (Gosh, 2019). The paradigm of gender has become so wide and vast, and it shall
be discussed in the following paragraphs.
Biological Sex
There is quite a concrete difference prevalent between biological sex and gender. The
same difference is elucidated deeply by genderbread model. Difference between gender and
sex can be understood in a better way by this compare and contrast table.
Gender Sex
It is socially constructed, and each gender is
assigned socially determined roles and
responsibilities. For example, a woman has
the common homemaking task while men are
supposed to go out and earn a livelihood.
This attributes care and kindness to women
and assertive and authoritative nature to man.
It is biologically determined by the
physiology of a person. The genital organs of
the human body, most precisely, define the
sex of a person.
Gender can be changed by dint of gender
identity and sexual orientation.
Sex cannot be changed and remains the same
throughout one’s life (Newman, 2019).
Gender Expression
Representation of a particular gender in society is termed as gender expression. It is
closely associated with the roles and responsibilities that are assigned to each gender. Gender
expression is explicitly a socially and culturally constructed phenomenon (Daly, 2017). Most
often it is very difficult, in fact, near to impossible to alternate or exchange gender roles and
responsibilities as that goes against the norms of the society. Gender expression is
constrained in the binary outlook. Going out of this set paradigm can prove disastrous in
certain cultures. This binary outlook limits the extent to which gender can be expressed
(Ghosh, 2019).

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Gender Roles
Within the narrow wider framework of gender expression there lies another
significantly important domain named gender roles. Gender roles refer to the expectations
that a culture or a society expects from each gender. Dressing, daily routine work,
professions, the way of talking and walking and contributing to society, all these details are
governed by gender roles. These specifications attribute certain traits to males and others to
female. Here as well the context is binary which is male/female, man/woman or
masculine/feminine (Gender Identity & Roles, n.d.). Some gender-based attributes in this
binary set up are given hereunder.
Attributes for Males Attributes for Females
Bread earner Homemaker
Assertive Accommodating
Dictates Accepts
Rigid Flexible
Strong Frail
Decisive Vacillates
Diversity in Human Sexuality in Light of Genderbread Model
Genderbread model successfully explains the diversity in human sexuality. This
diversity is defined and explained in light of the core concepts and fundamental assumptions
of the genderbread model as explained in the discussion made above. The genderbread model
calls for following multiple sexualities prevalent in humans.
Before looking with scrutiny into different sexualities, it is important to note what
sexuality actually is. Sexuality refers to one’s sexual attractions and preferences. How does a
person see another sex and what relative experience of sexuality exists between both is
termed as sexuality? This ability to gauge and measure one’s sexual attraction and respond

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accordingly plays a vital role in defining the position of a person in a wider world and society
(Newman, 2018). For those people who get along the set norms and parameters of sexuality,
society does not pose any threat or coercion. Those people who tend to deviate from normal
sexual attraction, for example, a girl feeling sexually attracted to a girl face terrible
circumstances and consequences (Kent, 2009).
Human Sexualities
Apart from the binary paradigm so many other sexualities have emerged in the
modern era. One thing needs are kept in mind essentially that human sexuality is the tendency
of human being to feel sexually attracted to the other human being. In the binary context, the
phenomenon of sex and conceiving a child most appropriately through marriage is endorsed
and encouraged the formation of sexuality. No other expression of sexuality is either
endorsed or encouraged (Simon, 2017).
Three new dimensions of sexuality have emerged during modern times. Though these
were prevalent in the old days as well but they were neither widely accepted nor allowed to
flourish and spread publically. By the time now many developed countries have legally
recognized and endorsed these sexualities. These include Lesbians, Gays, Bisexuals and
Transgender (Brabaw, 2018).
LGTB stands for Lesbians, Gays, Transgender and Bisexuals and these are the most
recent dimensions of human sexuality (Scherrer, 2010). The core concept of genderbread
model collides with one another at different levels to produce these outcomes. For example,
when the binary outlook of gender is negated, and the sexual orientation of the sex goes for
the same sex, it results in homosexuality. This is how gays and lesbians come into the broader
spectrum of gender (Cahill, Baker, Deutsch, Keatley & Makadon, 2016).

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Heterosexual and Homosexual Approaches
Commonly accepted sexuality is heterosexual one. When a male and a female feel attracted
to each other, it is called heterosexuality. In contrast to this when people from the same
gender feel attracted towards each other that is male to male and female to the female it is
called homosexuality. Homosexuality has not yet been perceived as a normal and workable
sexual orientation.
Conclusion
Most recent developments show that changing and challenging sexual orientation
have taken society like a storm. Within a significantly shorter time period, the progress made
by these genders is astonishing. Not only people and broader societies have begun to accept
this new sexual orientation, but also several policies are made by different governments on
the national level to bring these people into the mainstream. It is expected that categorization
made on sexual patterns particularly in terms of sexual orientation will become more rigid
and more pronounced in the near future. On a broader level, it is high time to recognize one's
sexual orientation as a purely personal issue, and no interference should be made in it either
by society or by the state. Marginalizing of these people will cost the entire world a great set
back. The time to cherish the differences and accept the personal freedoms of every
individual as long as it does not disturb the peace and security of the society has come. The
future trends will define the development of these sexualities, and even more, sub-domains
can emerge out in these defined sexualities (Kent, 2009).
References
Brabaw, K. (2018, November 28). What It Means To Be Asexual, Bicurious - & Other
Sexualities You Need To Know. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from
https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/sexual-orientation-types-of-sexualities

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Cahill, S. R., Baker, K., Deutsch, M. B., Keatley, J., & Makadon, H. J. (2016). The inclusion
of sexual orientation and gender identity in stage 3 meaningful use guidelines: a huge
step forward for LGBT health. LGBT health, Vo. 3(2), pp. 100-102.
Daly, H. L. (2017). Modeling Sex/Gender. Think, Vol.16 (46), pp. 79-92.
Gender Identity & Roles | Feminine Traits & Stereotypes. (n.d.). Retrieved April 6, 2019,
from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/sexual-orientation-gender/gender-
gender-identity/what-are-gender-roles-and-stereotypes
Ghosh, S. (2019, February 02). Gender Identity: Definitions, Development of Gender Identity
- Usual Patterns, Development of Gender Identity - Unusual Patterns. Retrieved April
6, 2019, from https://emedicine.medscape.com/article/917990-overview
Kent, H. M. (2009). The Future Landscape of Sexualities. Third Space: A Journal of Feminist
Theory and Culture,8(2). Retrieved April 6, 2019, from
http://journals.sfu.ca/thirdspace/index.php/journal/article/view/editorial_8-2/256
Killermann, S. (2018, September 25). Breaking through the binary: Gender explained using
continuums. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from
https://itspronouncedmetrosexual.com/2011/11/breaking-through-the-binary-gender-
explained-using-continuums/
Newman, T. (2018, February 07). Sex and gender: Meanings, definition, identity, and
expression. Retrieved April 6, 2019, from
https://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/232363.php
Scherrer, K. S. (2010). What asexuality contributes to the same-sex marriage
discussion. Journal of gay & lesbian social services, Vol. 22(1-2), pp. 56-73.
Simon, W. (2017). Sexual conduct: The social sources of human sexuality. Routledge.