In order to get on the same page about LGBT youth homelessness,
let's first talk about the differences
between sexual orientation, gender identity, and gender expression.
They are all different.
We think of each existing on a spectrum.
Being on a spectrum means that they are more than just two ways to be.
There's a whole range of ways to be.
Sexual orientation
describes an individual's emotional and/or physical attraction
to another person or people.
Gender identity refers to a person's innate identification
as a man, woman, neither, both, or some other gender.
A person's gender
may or may not correspond to the sex assigned to them at birth.
While gender identity is someone's understanding of their own gender,
gender expression refers to the way
that a person communicates their gender to the world.
It includes all of the external characteristics and behaviors
that are socially defined as either masculine or feminine,
such as dress, grooming,
mannerisms, speech patterns, and social interactions.
Social or cultural norms can vary widely,
and some characteristics
that may be accepted as masculine, feminine, or neutral in one culture
may be assessed differently in another.
It is important to note that someone's gender expression
may or may not align with tradition or perceptions of gender identity.
Again, gender is a spectrum.
It's important to remember that there are more than just two ways to be.
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