Differences Between Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Sexual orientation and gender identity are two distinct but interrelated aspects of human sexuality. While sexual orientation refers to a person's emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction to other people, gender identity refers to a person's sense of their own gender, whether male, female, or non-binary. Despite their differences, both sexual orientation and gender identity are important components of a person's identity and can impact how they interact with the world around them.

What is Gender Identity?

Gender identity refers to the gender that an individual personally identifies with and the manner in which they express their gender through behavior and personal appearance.

The process of understanding and expressing your gender identity begins at an early age. Often parents will assume the gender identity of their baby and make choices for their child regarding how they express their gender identity. For example, a female baby will often be dressed in pink clothing and given feminine toys to play with. However, once the child is old enough to express themselves, they may continue to express their gender accordingly or identify with another gender. Parents should be open to each of these possibilities.

Furthermore, there is an ever-growing list of gender identities that reflects the intersectional nature of gender identity and the cultural shift that allows various gender identities to be acknowledged in research, mainstream media and so forth.

It should be noted that hundreds of gender identities have developed as a result of people from all over the world expressing themselves in a variety of different ways.

Some of these gender identities include identifying as −

• Transgender − A transgender person has a gender identity that differs from the sex they were assigned to at birth

• Cis-gender − A cisgender person has a gender identity that matches their sex at birth.

• Genderfluid − A genderfluid person interchangeably identifies as different genders.

• Agender − An agender person does not identify with a gender at all. They can be considered genderless.

What is Sexual Orientation?

Sexual orientation refers to the gender in which an individual is physically, sexually and/or romantically attracted to. This can be understood as a person’s sexuality. It is often assumed that an individual is heterosexual. A heterosexual person is attracted to a member of the “opposite” sex. For example, a woman being attracted to a man and vice-versa. We cannot limit our understanding of sexual orientation to heterosexuality because it does not acknowledge the definitive existence of the various other sexual orientations.

There are multiple sexual orientations that have been extensively categorized according to the lived experience of people across the world.

A person’s sexual orientation could be −

• Heterosexual − Sexual/ romantic attraction to someone of the opposite sex or gender

• Homosexual − Sexual/ romantic attraction to someone of the same sex or gender

• Bisexual − Sexual/romantic attraction to men and women

• Asexual − No sexual/romantic attractions

• Any other sexual orientation that suits their sexual practices.

An individual’s sex is either male, female or intersex. It is often determined by the appearance and function of their sexual anatomy. Contrary to popular belief, the sex of an individual does not determine their sexual orientation or gender identity.

A person can be born a male, identify as a man and be sexually attracted to men too. Furthermore, a person can be born female, identify as a man and be sexually attracted to females. There is no specific combination of gender identities and sexual orientations.

Differences: Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity

Sexual orientation is typically categorized into four main categories: heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, and asexual. Heterosexual individuals are attracted to members of the opposite sex, while homosexual individuals are attracted to members of the same sex. Bisexual individuals are attracted to both men and women, while asexual individuals experience little or no sexual attraction to others. Sexual orientation is often seen as a spectrum, with many people falling somewhere between these categories.

Gender identity, on the other hand, refers to a person's sense of their own gender, which may or may not align with the sex they were assigned at birth. Gender identity is not necessarily tied to sexual orientation, and a person's gender identity may not necessarily determine their sexual attraction. For example, a transgender woman may be attracted to men or women or both, just as a cisgender woman may be attracted to men or women or both.

Gender identity is often categorized into three main categories: male, female, and non-binary. While male and female gender identities are traditionally associated with biological sex, non-binary gender identities do not fit into the male/female binary. Non-binary individuals may identify as neither male nor female or as a combination of both.

It is important to note that sexual orientation and gender identity are not choices, but rather aspects of a person's innate identity. Just as a person cannot choose their biological sex, they also cannot choose their sexual orientation or gender identity. Furthermore, both sexual orientation and gender identity are fluid and may change over time.

While sexual orientation and gender identity are distinct aspects of human sexuality, they are also interrelated. Discrimination based on sexual orientation often intersects with discrimination based on gender identity, as many people who identify as LGBTQ+ experience discrimination and harassment due to their sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

The following table highlights the major differences between Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity −

Characteristics	Sexual Orientation	Gender Identity
Associations	Associated to the sexuality of an individual. This encompasses their sexual practices.	Associated to the identity of an individual. This refers to the markers they use to define themselves as a person.
Feelings	Romantic or sexual feelings towards another person.	The feelings that one has about themselves and how they wish to understand and express their gender.
Expression	Usually expressed through one's sexual desires and choices in a partner.	Usually expressed through behavioral choices that exist within the parameters of masculinity and femininity.
Misconceptions	Believing that sexual orientation is connected to your gender.	Believing that there are only two genders. One can either be a man or a woman.
Examples	Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Asexual, Pansexual	Transgender, Cisgender, Agender

Conclusion

In conclusion, sexual orientation and gender identity are two distinct but interrelated aspects of human sexuality. Sexual orientation refers to a person's emotional, romantic, and sexual attraction to others, while gender identity refers to a person's sense of their own gender.

While both sexual orientation and gender identity are important components of a person's identity, they are also fluid and may change over time.

Discrimination based on sexual orientation and gender identity is unfortunately all too common, and it is important for society to recognize and address this discrimination in order to create a more accepting and inclusive world for all individuals.