The LGBTQ+ community is a prevalent topic in modern society; Whether it's the rights of these members or the hate crimes committed against them, there are often news stories about the community. However, these stories are exclusive to a select few members of the community – while there's nothing wrong with that, the LGBTQ+ community has so much more to offer. Growing up in a conservative Filipino family, heteronormativity found its way into our daily lives, and I found myself growing up around phrases like "this toy is for boys!" and “that’s gay, don’t do that.” I remained ignorant of the LGBTQ+ community until my sophomore year of high school, where I encountered more individuals who fit into in-between categories, which I didn't even know existed until that year, and my ignorance of them was no coincidence – modern media has deliberately ignored them. For them, explaining what these gray areas were was a waste of time, too complicated to bother with, and that's precisely why I made the decision to research the gender and orientation spectrums the least known. Say no to plagiarism. Get a tailor-made essay on “Why Violent Video Games Should Not Be Banned”?Get an original essayMy goal was to erase the stigma that individuals are only supposed to be one or the other, in terms of gender identity and orientation. Since society continually perpetuates heteronormativity, I hoped to not only fight against it, but also spread the opposite concept to my peers. While conducting my research, I asked myself few general questions; The majority of my research has been conducted based on prior knowledge. However, I had one question that stood out as the central point of my research: what was it that the media was so insistent on ignoring? Why was the non-binary community so intimidating that we had to push them away? During my research, I referenced information provided on sites focused on the LGBTQ+ community, as well as the personal experience of a close friend of mine and various articles. In gathering sources for my research paper, I looked at articles that discussed heteronormativity in the media, the hate crimes faced by gay people in America, and the concept of "corrective rape." Through my research, I found myself solidifying my own knowledge, gaining a good understanding of the issues queer people experience, and understanding why society refuses to let these issues see the light of day. What does non-binary mean? To begin to understand this community, one must approach gender as an abstract idea based on self-image. Society exists within the boundaries of the genders “man” and “woman,” but many consider themselves to be outside or between these boundaries. These people constitute queers and can experiment with identities often grouped into three categories: Genderqueer, multigender and asexual (“Too Queer for Your Binary: Everything You Need to Know and More About Non-Binary Identities”).Being GenderqueerGenderqueer, according to Kaylee Jakubowski , “can have any gender identity,” but their method of expressing that gender identity can be described as “non-cisheteronormative.” This term also serves as a “catch-all” for non-binary people – although not all of the many people who fall into this category identify as the same gender; they identify as genders that “do not have a dominant niche within our society.” Define all possible identities under the termGeneric Genderqueer would be a difficult feat given the diversity under this term, but certain terms serve as starting points for understanding the terminology behind the field outside of the gender binary. is the idea of ​​being half-gender, which includes half-girl/half-boy identities. These refer to a person who was assigned female or male at birth, but who only feels a slight association with their assigned gender. This dissociation is not enough to cause dysphoria, in which the mismatch between their gender identity and their biological sex causes extreme stress and anxiety. Demigender can also refer to a person who was assigned a sex at birth and associates more with the opposite sex, but not strongly enough to warrant identification as inherently "male" or "female". Demigender is both an umbrella term and an identity in itself, understood as an identity for someone who only partially identifies with the concept of gender. Second, trans* identity. Although this term includes those who identify as transgender/transsexual, there is much more to it than is known in modern society. People who identify as trans* may also identify as transmasculine/feminine, meaning they are very closely dissociated from their sex assigned at birth – that's where gender identity ends. -gender. Although demigender people can dissociate from their birth sex, this is not enough to identify as "masculine" or "feminine." It is important to realize that the terms transgender and transsexual are not the same; When a person identifies as a gender that does not match their “assigned birth sex,” they are transgender. Likewise, when a person is born in a body that they do not consider "correct" and they work to change that (i.e. through body modification surgery), they are transsexual – the important difference between the two is “whether the emphasis is on the body”. depends on an individual's gender or birth sex. When used as an umbrella term, it refers to those who identify as "something other than their birth gender", and it is essential to remember that the term transsexual is often considered an insult by some members of the trans* community (Terminology | The Safe Space Network).Being MultigenderMultigender is used as an umbrella term for people who describe their relationship to gender as "experiencing multiple genders or pieces of multiple genders." Most people who experience multiple genders explain that “they feel masculine/manly some days and feminine/feminine other days” (Jakubowski), but each individual has their own way of expressing their identity. As with other non-binary people, pronouns for those who are multigender are a difficult thing to explain; The most important thing to remember, both for your convenience and for the comfort of the individual, is to ask beforehand what your desired pronouns are and make an effort to remember to use them correctly. Multigender people can also experience genders simultaneously, and their expression is no different than those who are Genderqueer. This term encompasses a wide range of gender identities, some being polygender, bi/trigender, and Genderfluid. A person who identifies as polygender may experience multiple gender identities and may express them simultaneously or vary between them. These identities are not limited to masculine or feminine, as polygender individuals can experience masculine, feminine, and/or non-binary identities. They may identify as multigender, nobinary and/or transgender, as well as gender fluid. These individuals can have any possible gender expression, but most prefer to keep their presentation androgynous and/or change it to be more masculine or feminine depending on which identity they feel comfortable with. Gender fluidity can be considered an identity in itself. This is when a person feels like they are fluctuating between gender identities, depending on the moment, circumstances, and/or situations. A gender-fluid person's expressions may change gradually or quickly; Personally, I identify as gender fluid, although the extent of my expression differs from others. Although I often dress and behave in a "feminine" way, there are days when I wake up in the morning and feel like expressing my gender identity in this way would be incorrect. Gender fluidity fluctuates quickly, and gender-fluid people may spend weeks or months expressing themselves in a certain way, then have a desire to change. Bi/Trigender encompasses two or three genders.three genders, and one generally does not identify as bi/trigender if they feel they have more than two or three gender identities. A bigender person may feel like they belong to two genders simultaneously or consecutively in one body. Although these genders are usually masculine or feminine, this is not always the case. These people may express two different personalities, one distinctly "masculine" and the other distinctly "feminine", but many other gender configurations exist. Trigender covers two different circumstances; someone who identifies as trigender may feel neither male nor female, but not to the point of identifying as androgynous or agender, constructing their own gender identity as they see fit. The term can also refer to a person who moves between three genders, simultaneously or consecutively. Being genderless Not all non-binary individuals see themselves as harboring more than one gender identity – it is a "complete inverse", in which people see their relationship to the concept. the genre being “completely rubbish” (Jakubowski). This can be described as having no attachment to one gender or another, or as the very concept of gender being inherently foreign and intangible. The most common identity that falls into this category is agender, in which an individual identifies as having no gender and/or feels as if they have no gender. Although expression in the previous two categories can be explained to some extent, for genderless people, gender expression is a unique challenge, both to describe and to perform. Jakubowski says one source described that, each morning, they made a "conscious decision...what kind of gender expression will be given off," keeping in mind the different social interactions that would come with a certain way to get dressed. Ultimately, the expression of asexual individuals varies, defaulting toward “queer aesthetics.” Although the term usually connotes "vibrantly dyed hair" and "Genderqueer clothing combinations", all that queer aesthetic really entails is whatever an individual finds aesthetically appealing, without paying attention to what seems to be its apparent “commercialized demographic.” When it comes to pronouns, genderless people most often prefer to be referred to using gender-neutral pronouns, which isn't really a surprise if you really think about it. Some of them include “they/them/their,” and others even forgo pronouns altogether and prefer to be referred to by name. Is the term “non-binary” gender exclusive? The term,although it may refer to gender expression, is non-gender exclusive; it can also refer to orientation. It's important to realize that there is a difference between being sexually attracted to someone and being romantically attracted to someone, and this difference is not difficult to understand – you can be in love with another person without however, desire to experience sexual intimacy with her. . This can also apply the other way around; although one may feel the desire to have a sexual relationship with someone, one may also not have the desire to pursue a romantic relationship. The umbrella term for these people is “queer,” encompassing a wide range of sexualities. The best known of these sexualities is asexuality/aromanticism.Asexual/aromanticAn asexual person is someone who "does not experience sexual attraction" – note, however, that asexuality is not the same thing as celibacy, because single people experience sexual attraction and choose not to act on it, whereas asexuals view their sexuality as “an intrinsic part of who they are.” (Asexuality.org) As with gender identities in the community, asexual people express and experience their sexuality differently; some people "may or may not masturbate, have sex, create relationships, or have the same definition of asexuality." Likewise, a person who considers themselves aromantic experiences a lack of romantic attraction and/or a lack of interest in romantic attraction. While asexuality and aromanticism usually coexist within the same individual, they are not codependent – ​​someone can be asexual, but still experience romantic attraction, and vice versa. Being in a relationship with an asexual person is not a relationship doomed to failure. Generally, people believe that a healthy relationship must include sexual intimacy and believe that an asexual's lack of sexual attraction means that a relationship with them would not be satisfying or fulfilling. However, asexual people do experience attraction, but do not feel the desire to express that attraction through sexual intercourse, but rather to work around their lack of sexual attraction and get to know their partner through sexual intercourse. other means. There is also a subcategory of asexuality, known as Grey/Gray-A. Those who identify as Grey-A generally do not experience sexual attraction, but; can experience it at times, experience sexual attraction with an incredibly low libido, experience sexual attraction and possess an adequate libido but not enough to desire the act itself, or even enjoy and desire sex, but only in specific circumstances. variety of people who consider themselves non-binary in terms of gender identity, orientation, or both, the general consensus among the public outside of the non-binary community is that members of the community have no idea of what they are talking about. I've been told that if I "keep filling my head with nonsense" I won't get anywhere in life, which makes me wonder if success is determined by whether a person either cisgender or not. Are there successful non-binary people? many people acknowledge the existence of non-binary individuals, either by choice or lack of knowledge, but among those who do, some dismiss the idea of ​​"non-binary" as a pubescent phase. These people view the non-binary community as a group of millennials who are still coming of age and/or just want to be “unique.” Many cisgender people tend to make up outrageous names andlabeling them “non-binary genders/sexualities” for the sake of ridicule. Contrary to popular belief, there are a number of successful celebrities who identify as non-binary, both in terms of gender identity and orientation. One of them is Laverne Cox, a transgender actress famous for her role as Sophia Burset on Orange is the New. Black. She is the first openly transgender person to be nominated for an Emmy in acting, and the first to be nominated for an Emmy Award since 1990. She has been recognized by Time magazine and Madame Tussauds, becoming the first openly transgender person transgender to appear on the show. cover and the first transgender woman to have a wax statue of her likeness. She actively uses her success to advocate for the acceptance of transgender people in the United States and expresses self-love for herself and others. Cox has also won awards for her work on social issues: in May 2016, Cox received an honorary doctorate from the New York School for her work in the fight for gender equality. Her impact in the media has led to discussions about how being transgender "intersects with everyone's race and identity." Anna Paquin, known for her role as Rogue in bisexuality is not greed or many other ignorant things I have heard at this point. She also criticized Larry King when he asked if she was a "non-practicing bisexual" because she is married to a man, saying "it doesn't work that way." Her participation in the Give a Damn campaign and her responses to questions about it demonstrated the passion she has for the cause itself; the actress, when asked about her participation in the video, replied that "it was a cause that was close to her heart and that she supported privately, but not a cause that she had ever had the opportunity to speak about in a public way." that would be useful. » Jaden Smith also created media buzz for his fashion choices throughout 2016. He was photographed wearing various skirts and dresses, clothing typically considered girls' clothing. In an interview with GQ Style, he said: "I don't see men's clothing or women's clothing...". Smith also shared his views on gender norms and their relationship to clothing, saying he feels like "people are a little confused about gender." standards…[they] don’t really understand. Smith's breaking of gender roles is an example of "queer aesthetics", in which people do not see gender in clothing; all they see are attractive pieces. Despite the success of these celebrities, the media still attempts to erase the possibility of not only more young people discovering themselves non-binary, but also the possibility of currently non-binary people feeling like them. can also be successful.Heteronormativity in the mediaThe media is the main information center of today's society and the driving force behind the spread of heteronormativity. Adults often have their opinions on the LGBTQ+ community, with the media serving to shape the opinions of younger people. There are two media that are usually always heard or seen in daily life: television and toys. From tailoring certain toys to different demographics to erasing LGBTQ+ characters on popular television shows, mainstream media works to perpetuate heteronormative culture. Since the days of Barbie and Hot Wheels,children's toys have always been aimed at girls and boys. This implants the idea in children's minds that you are only allowed to interact with certain toys; not only does it restrict their freedom to choose when they grow up, but it also prohibits children from being children. There are toys that tell boys they will “make important discoveries…and impact the environment…” and toys that tell girls they will “focus on attracting men.” Children conform to these gender roles early on, but as they grow, there can be confusion about why they don't fit these roles. Lori Day asks, “What are we so afraid of?” ("How Highly Gendered Toys Present Children with an Exclusively Heterosexual Worldview") Instead of being afraid that their children won't fit in, parents should understand that causing their children stress will only hurt them inside. as they grow. Television witnesses the direct erasure of homosexuals. – TV shows often only depict heterosexual relationships to be healthy. In case a healthy homosexual relationship is portrayed on television, the depth of their storyline is superficial compared to that of their heterosexual counterparts. Media watchdog group GLAAD reported that "4.8% of characters in the 2016/2017 TV season are LGBTQ" and while that percentage is up from previous years, it's nothing compared to 95, 4% heterosexual characters in the same season. Perhaps the most criticized example of erasure is the death of Commander Lexa in The 100; Megan Townsend explains that "queer characters... end up being killed off or die in some way... often to further the development of the more central, usually heterosexual, cisgender character" ("The 'record number' of LGBTQ characters in television remains depressing).The media's contempt for queer people contributes to the propagation of a heteronormative culture. As more children grow up learning that the only correct way to live is to be cishet, children who experience isolation and confusion about how they feel are at higher risk of bullying from their peers. Queer violence and endangerment Hate crimes are fueled against queers The community is no stranger – over the years, countless cases of violence have been reported, with victims being openly queer, with some even seen with their close ones. Although there are an infinite number of queerphobic people, only a handful have the courage to be violent; As small as that handful is, it doesn't erase the danger that people face in the queer community. There is also the idea of ​​“corrective rape”. Julie Decker, an asexual activist and blogger, has openly admitted to being sexually assaulted when she was 19, saying she "talked at length about [her] sexuality" to a friend, only to have him try to kill her. kissing him even after she rejected his desire. advances, to which he claimed, “I just want to help you.” Decker also says that since coming out as asexual, she has "received death threats" and messages saying that "she just needs a 'good rape.' When people hear that someone is asexual, some see it as a challenge, thinking that "you really want sex but you don't know it yet" and that their victims will "thank them later." Not only does this perpetuate rape culture, but it also fuels the isolation that asexuals feel in their community. These are people who will grow up thinking they're broken.