Understanding The Spectrum

  By Kana To help everyone reading this blog have a better understanding of and get acquainted with the new concept of gender, in this post, I’m going to explain the definition of “gender identity” and introduce you to the different types of gender identity that people identify with. First, the word “gender identity” refers to how someone understands and experiences their own gender and it may or may not correspond to their assigned sex at birth. Some people feel like they do not fit into the body they were born with or feel uncomfortable being referred to as either a male or a female based on their anatomy, which often prompts them to start exploring their gender identity to better understand themselves. Aside from the two genders “male” and “female”, which are the most recognized in our society, there are more than those two genders that people can identify with. Here are some of the terms and their definitions. 1.     Agender:  A person who does not ide...

By Vivi      Do you know how many people identify as non-cisgender in the world? According to a global survey done in 2023, 3 percent of respondents from 30 countries identified themselves as transgender, non-binary/non-conforming/gender-fluid, or in some other way. In a 2022 survey, around 1.6 percent of American adults answered that they do not identify with their gender assigned at birth. For young adults it is even higher, with 5 percent of people under the age 30 now being transgender or non-binary. As you can see from these statistics, we can tell that the acceptance in society towards gender identity has increased and it is becoming easier for people to be open about their status.       Schools have also seen some positive reactions. As more students identify themselves as non-cisgender, schools have been changing to meet the new standards of today. Facilities are setting up non-gender specific bathrooms, using the pronouns or names students ide...

  By Vivi      Even though society has become more open on the term gender identity, there is still a percentage of people who don't believe in genders other than male and female. Reasons differ from their religion or beliefs that contradict with a fluid gender to negative stereotypes to just not being able to understand people different from them. Of course, there are other social factors that come into play than the ones that were listed above, and just as we should respect pro-gender identity, we cannot judge their beliefs either. However, there is a different between having a belief and harming others based on that belief. In this post, to broaden our views, we will be talking about transphobia and transmisia.      What is "transphobia"? According to Merriam-Webster Dictionary, it is the irrational fear of, aversion to, or discrimination against transgender people. There is no single reason as to why this happens. It is very complicated with differ...

By Kana  Each gender identity community has a flag to represent itself, which makes the people feel connected and gives them a feeling of belonging. The flags can also be used as a way for others to show their support towards a certain group and its people. I am going to introduce you to some different pride flags and explain what they stand for.  1. Gilbert Baker Pride Flag:  This flag was created in 1977 by Gilbert Baker, who was an artist and activist. It represents LGBTQ people and consists of eight different colors. Each color in the flag has a specific meaning.  Red equals life Orange symbolizes healing Yellow stands for sunlight Green represents nature| Turquoise equals magic & art Indigo stands for serenity Violet represents the spirit of LGBTQ people     e 2. Transgender flag This transgender flag was created in 1999 by Monica Helms, who was a transgender woman. The pink color in this flag represents baby girls and the blue stands for baby boys...

By Vivi This is written from the perspective of someone the extreme anti-transgender perspective. All the characters are made-up and are based on characteristics seen throughout several articles. It is written as if Virginia Madison, a mother who found out her son was transgender, was introducing herself: Hatch, J. (2024, April 10). A mom of a nonbinary teen became an anti-trans activist, fracturing a  California family. The Sacramento Bee. https://amp.sacbee.com/news/local/article285961211.html Extremism Fact Sheet . (2023, June). [Slide show]. Human Rights First. https://humanrightsfirst.org/wp-content/uploads/2023/06/FINAL-HRF-Fact-Sheet-Anti-Trans-Extremism-June-2023.pdf What does the Bible say about transgender people? (n.d.). Human Rights Campaign. https://www.hrc.org/resources/what-does-the-bible-say-about-transgender-people      My name is Viginia Madison, and I am a mother of two living in the state of Florida. Recently, my 16-year-old son, Aaron, suddenly...

By Kana This is written from the perspective of someone who is a transwoman. The people mentioned are all fictional but it is based on facts on the following articles.   Karunakaran, K., Subbiah, M., Palanisamy, S., & Padmanaban, V. (2016). Comparative Evaluation of Sorption, Desorption, and Degradation of Quinalphos and Carbofuran in Two Soils of Southern India. Journal of Health & Pollution, 6(11), 24-32. https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC5025345   Jankowski, M., Trivedi, D., Bradburne, C., Houde, M., & Lydy, M. J. (2021). Influence of sediment particle size on the bioavailability and toxicity of chlorpyrifos to Chironomus dilutus. Ecotoxicology and Environmental Safety, 214, 112099. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ecoenv.2021.112099 My name is Christina Anderson and I am a transwoman. When I was born, I was assigned the sex “male” and was born with a male anatomy. When I was around seven, I started feeling a little strange and uncomfortable being addressed ...

These are 30 questions that we have come up with on the topic of "gender identity" that we believe is important. From simple definitions to more controversial questions, we will be answering some of them in hopes that you learn something new on "gender identity" you didn't know before. What is the definition of "gender identity"? What are some of the different types of gender identity? Why do people want to change their identity? What is the percentage of non-cisgender people in the United States? What about the world? Are gender and sex the same? What does the term "intersex" mean, and how does it differ from transgender? Why do some people find it difficult to accept those who identify differently from how they were originally born? Should one's sex be isolated from their gender? Which is more important, biological facts or how you feel? What are the flags that represent each gender identity group? In how many countries is same-sex marr...

Hello and welcome to "Understanding the Spectrum." Our names are Vivi and Kanako and are sophomores at a Japanese university. This blog is part of a project where we have to choose a controversial issue and introduce it in a blog format. The reason we chose gender identity as our topic is because it is a subject that has not been talked about enough in Japan. By doing this blog, we wanted to have a deeper sense of understanding on people who identify themselves differently than their biological gender and the troubles they go through in this relatively conservative world. Our goal is for those who read this blog to understand that everyone is unique. We don't ask you to see eye to eye with them. We just want everyone to respect each person and their beliefs, whether you decide to agree with or not. In this blog we will post about themes such as different types of gender identities, government policies on the LGBTQ+ community, parents in this new era, as well as the opposi...