Shades of sexuality in the 21st century
The noun sex is primarily associated with the gender identity of an organism. Typically organisms have male and female sexes and occasionally hermaphrodite sex, where both sexual organs are present in the same body. The verb is colloquially used to describe the act of a sexual relationship or intercourse. Sexuality is ascribed to the feeling of determination and emphasis on matters that are sexual. When it comes to humans, the most complex of animals, the basest nature of sex remains unchanged as such. However, it picks up various shades, including a mode of expression of love, and is referred to as love-making then. With the development of understanding of the various nuances and the shades of the complex human mind, sex as an act, or sex as an identification have both evolved into a rainbow. The expression of one’s own sexuality and preference for sexual interaction is now a wide gamut. Today, in pride month we look at this rainbow and delve into the various aspects of sexual identity and activity.
Sexual identities are broadly classified into three standouts- Ace Spectrum, Monosexuals, and Multi sexual ones. As we go through the various groups of people we will identify them and realize that these include people starting with no sexual attractions, going on to people with sexual attraction towards a certain gender, and then on to those who have no fixed affinity towards a gender for sexual attraction or arousal.
Ace spectrum, short for Asexual, constitutes of people whose sexual attraction towards any gender is lacking or limited. Does that mean they are incapable of love? No. Some people in the Ace spectrum do have platonic relationships where affection and companionship are extremely high and relevant. However, the drive for sexual relationships is usually low. The spectrum starts with people with absolutely no sexual drive or asexual people. Greysexuals occasionally feel sexual moods which might be interspersed by periods where they are indifferent towards sex. The duration of these periods is not fixed and may vary depending on the mood and circumstances. Sex as a thought or idea might not be a repulsive idea for them. This is more pronounced for demisexuals, whose state of sexual interest is dependent on social circumstances when they may become alleviated. In most cases, the presence or absence of a strong emotional connection with a partner is the key towards sexual attraction, and the gender of the person is not relevant. In most cases, for a demisexual person, first impressions or primary attractions don’t matter. The possibility of sexual attraction exists only for persons the demisexual has interacted with and come to know already. Thus secondary attraction is the more relevant form of attraction for a demisexual. Some of the myths associated with the grey sexual and demisexual persons include low sex drives, there being a possibility of choices, or a fear of sex. None of these are true. This is an orientation of a person and hence has nothing to do with fear or choices. Similarly, a demisexual person might have a high sex drive for a partner once a suitable connect is established. Nikola Tesla, Florence Nightingale, and Issac Newton are all people who are believed to be asexual.
The monosexual spectrum of people is the most populous spectrum. Whether homosexual or heterosexual identification, the monosexual person has a fixed preference towards a gender. A gay that is a male preferring another male lover, a lesbian who is a female taking on a female as her lover, and a male with a female lover or vice versa all constitute monosexual identities of sexual identities.
The third spectrum of sexual identity is of multi-sexual identities. These individuals have sexual preferences encompassing the genders and encompass Bisexual, Omnisexual, Polysexual and Pansexual individuals. A bisexual person has attractions towards two or more genders, including one’s own gender. A polysexual person is attracted to three or more genders. An omnisexual person is attracted to an individual of any gender. However, they do take note of the gender of their partners, and gender does play some role in deciding the level of sexual attraction of the individual. In contrast, a pan-sexual person will be gender blind and can be attracted to a person irrespective of the person’s gender identity. There are many myths regarding polysexual people. Loyalty is one of the greatest myths about these people. Unlike popular belief, once in a relationship, these people are perfectly capable of being polygamous and do not look beyond the existing relationship. The libido of polysexual people is another myth, with such people believed to be hypersexual. There is actually no correlation here, and it is just that they have a preference towards their partners that is unique and even consent is as important from their partner as it is for a monosexual person. People often believe that polysexual people are essential experimental and hence will one day make a choice. This is pretty removed from the truth as the orientation is a valid identity in itself and hence not about choice. Thus settling down is not an inevitability for polysexual people.
While the above would encompass the major sexual identities of individuals, we will also touch upon the various gender identities that we encounter in today’s everyday life, briefly. The typical gender identities we see are that of males and females. The trans spectrum covers within its broad spectrum transgenders and transsexual people. Transgenders are essentially people who identify in a gender other than the biological gender they are born with. Thus a male might feel trapped in his body while his mental identification is that of a female and vice versa. In fact, the butch roles of a lesbian relationship are taken by females who identify with male identity while entrapped in a female body. A transvestite or a cross-dresser is a typical example of a transgender. Sometimes such practices are part of culture and religion and not just a gender choice. Trans sexuals however not just identify with these roles but take the next step to alter their physical appearances so that they conform physically to the physical appearance of the gender they identify with. This might include hormonal therapy and even surgery to change the physical attributes of the genitals associated with their birth to the gender they associate with. Eunuchs as a result of castration where either the testicles or testicles along with the genitalia are removed constitute the third gender and have been accorded a definitive third gender today. Socially however a range of crossdressers identify as eunuchs even though they have not undergone any castration.
Today we have more and more awareness about the various gender and sexual identities. People are more conscious of their identities and choices. People are becoming more accepting of these choices although myths and misconceptions abound galore. However, with more and more people coming out and expressing their choices towards gender identities and going beyond concepts of a gender binary order, the taboo will only lift. Similarly, in terms of sexual preferences, the heterosexual norms of society have been dispelled to a huge spectrum of sexual preferences today. The taboo associated with expressing and choosing such alternate sexual preferences will only dispel as more and more people express these preferences and practice them as well. Choices of ways to make love and who to make love with today are more varied and more definitive today. But what is more relevant today is love is necessary in today’s world running at a breakneck speed. So reach out and love whoever you chose and in whatever it suits you. Love conquers all and pervades everything. The rainbow is just waiting to be touched and let you touch itself. This rainbow month of pride, lets open ourselves to love in all its ways of manifestation.
