UNIT II

BIOMEDICAL PERSPECTIVE IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY

OBJECTIVESLESSON 6
SEXUAL HEALTH AND HYGIENE

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:

• Identify the important health habits from the developing adolescent;

• Observe maintaining good hygiene; and
• Know when to seek help from a health care professional.

SET OFF

List the myths in health and hygiene practices that you recall and answer the guide
questions.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

ON LOOK

Guide Questions:

1. From your list, which among them had you tried? Share your experience.
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
___________
_____________________________________________________________________________________
___________ 2. Who taught you that health and hygiene practices?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_______
3. Did you believe him/her? Why?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_______
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_______
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_______

GRASP

Puberty causes all kinds of changes in the adolescent's body. These bodily changes
are normal part of developing into an adult. There are instances when these changes can
be a source of anxiety to the growing teen. Does anyone not worry about smelly breath
and underarms? This further puts personal hygiene and healthy habits being important life
skills for the teen.

Oily Hair

The hormones that create acne are the same ones that can make you feel like you
are suddenly styling your hair with a comb dipped in motor oil. Each strand of hair has its
own sebaceous (oil) gland which keeps the hair shiny and waterproof. But during puberty,
when the sebaceous glands produce extra oil, it can make your hair look too shiny, oily,
and greasy. Washing your hair every day or every other day can help control oily hair.
Dozens o shampoos are available in drugstores and supermarkets for you to choose from.
Most brands are pretty similar, although, you might want to try one that is specially
formulated for oily hair. Use warm water and a small amount of shampoo to work up a
lather.

Do not scrub or rub too hard-this does not get rid of oil any better and can irritate
your scalp or damage your hair. After you have rinsed, you can follow up with a conditioner
if you like; again, one for oily hair might work best. When you are styling your hair, pay close
attention to the products you use. Some styling gels or lotions can add extra grease to your
hair, which defeats the purpose of washing it in the first place! Look for formulas that say
greaseless" or "oil free."

Sweat and Body Odor

Perspiration, or sweat, comes from sweat glands that you have always had in your
body. But thanks to puberty, these glands not only become more active than before, they
also begin to secrete different chemicals into the sweat that has a stronger smelling odor.
You might notice his odor under your arms in your armpits. Your feet and genitals might also
have new smells.

The best way to keep clean is to bathe or shower every day using a mild soap and
warm water. This will help wash away any bacteria that contribute to the smells. Wearing
clean clothes, socks, and underwear each day can also help you to feel clean. If you sweat
a lot, you might find that shirts, T-shirts, socks, and underwear made from cotton or other
natural materials will help absorb sweat more effectively. If you are concerned about the
way your underarms smell, you can try using a deodorant or deodorant with antiperspirant.

Deodorants get rid of the odor of sweat by covering it up, and antiperspirants
actually stop or dry up perspiration. They come in sticks, roll-ons, gels, sprays, and creams
and are available at any drugstore or supermarket. All brands are similar (and ones that say
they are made for a man or tor a woman are similar, too, except for some perfumes that
are added). If you choose to use deodorant or antiperspirant, be sure to read the
directions. Some work better if you use them at night, whereas others recommend that you
put them on in the morning. But keep in mind that some teens do not need deodorants or
antiperspirants. So why use them if you do not have to? Deodorant and antiperspirant
commercials may try to convince you that you will have no friends nor dates if you do not
use their product, but if you do not think you smell and you take daily baths or showers and
wear clean clothes, you may be fine without them.

Body Hair

Body hair in new places is somethin8 you can count on again, they are hormones in
action. You may want to start shaving some places where body hair grows, but whether
you do is up to you. Some guys who grow facial hair like to let it develop into a mustache
and beard. Some girls may decide to leave the hair on their legs and under their arms as is.
It is all up to you and what you feel comfortable with. If you do decide to shave, whether
you are a guy or girl, you have a few different choices. You can use a traditional razor with
a shaving cream or gel or you can use an electric razor. If you use a regular razor, make
sure the blade is new and sharp to prevent cuts and nicks. Shaving cream and gel are often
a better bet than soap because they make it easier to pull the razor against your skin. Some
of the newer razors contain shaving gel right in the blade area, making even beginners feel
comfortable shaving.

Whether you are shaving your legs, armpits, or face, go slowly. These are tricky areas
of your body with lots of curves and angles, and it is easy to cut yourself if you move too
fast. An adult or older sibling can be a big help when you are learning to shave. Do not be
afraid to ask for tips. You might want to avoid shaving your pubic hair because when it
grows back in, the skin may be irritated and itchy.

Dental Hygiene

Dentists say that the most important part of tooth care happens at home. Brushing
and flossing properly, Along with regular dental checkups, can help prevent tooth decay
and gum disease. To prevent cavities, you need to remove plaque, the transparent layer
bacteria that coats the teeth. The best way to do this is by brushing your teeth twice a day
and flossing at least once a day. Brushing also stimulates the gums, which helps to keep
them healthy and prevent gum disease. Brushing and flossing are the most important things
that you can do to keep your teeth and gums healthy. Toothpastes contain abrasives,
detergents, and foaming agents. Fluoride, the most common active ingredients in
toothpaste, is what prevents cavities. So you should always be sure your toothpaste
contains fluoride.

If you have teeth that are sensitive to heat, cold, and pressure, you may want to try
special toothpaste for sensitive teeth. However, you will still need to talk to your dentist
about your sensitivity because it may indicate a more serious problem, such as a cavity or
nerve inflammation (irritation).

Tips on Proper Brushing:

Dentists say that the minimum time you should spend brushing your teeth is two minutes
twice a day. Here are some tips on how to brush properly:

• Hold your brush at a 45-degree angle against your gumline. Gently brush from where
the tooth and gum meet to the chewing surface in short (about half-a-tooth-wide)
strokes. Brushing too hard can cause receding gums, tooth sensitivity, and, over time,
loose teeth.
• Use the same method to brush all outside and inside surfaces of your teeth.
• To clean the chewing surfaces of your teeth, use short sweeping strokes, tipping the
bristles into the pits and crevices.
• To clean the inside surfaces of your top and bottom front teeth and gums, hold the
brush almost vertical. With back and forth motions, bring the front part of the brush
over the teeth and gums.
• Using a forward-sweeping motion, gently brush your tongue and the roof of your
mouth to remove the decay-causing bacteria that exist in these places.
• The main reason for going to the dentist regularly-every six months-is prevention. The
goal is to prevent tooth decay, gum disease, and other disorders that put the health
of your teeth and mouth at risk.

Keeping the external female genitalia clean:

• Use soap and water to wash the external genitalia and your underarms every day,
especially during menstruation.
• Use either a disposable pad made of cotton, which has a nylon base, or a clean
piece of cotton cloth to absorb blood during menstruation.
• Properly dispose of the pad after each use, or wash and dry the piece of cloth used
as a menstrual pad before reuse.
• Wash only the external genitalia. Do not try to clean the inside part of the vagina.

• While washing, wash starting from the vagina towards the anus. Do not wash from
the anus towards the vagina. This will allow germs to enter the inner genitalia easily
and cause infection.
• Be aware of abnormal fluids from your vagina. Do not confuse this with normal
vaginal fluids. If you see any changes in the vaginal fluid-a change in color or odor,
please visit a health professional.

Keeping the external male genitalia clean:

• Wash the external genitalia at least daily with soap and water, as you wash the rest
of the body.
• Boys who are not circumcised need to pull back the foreskin and gently wash
underneath it with clean water.
• Be aware if any abnormal fluids coming from your penis. Do not confuse this with the
presence of normal fluids.
• If you see any abnormal fluid or wound, please visit a health professional.
 In this chapter, we have identified the important health habits for the developing
adolescent to address the various changes that take place in the growing adolescent.
Practical tips on observing good and healthy hygiene daily have been highlighted as well
as indications when to seek help, especially from a healthcare professional.

INTEGRATE

Make a video tutorial about proper health and hygiene practices. Choose one among the
following:

• Oily hair
• Sweat and body odor
• Dental hygiene Body hair

EVALUATE

Match the items in Column A with the statements in Column B.

COLUMN A COLUMN B
1. Masturbation a. Prevents acne by elimination of blackheads

2. Using tampons b. Not necessary with regular bathing

3. Wearing an athletic supporter c. Can eliminate jock itch
4. Breast self examination d. A normal, healthy way to relieve sexual
tension
5. Using deodorant e. Important for sexual and reproductive health

6. Douching f. Cleans the genital gently and keeps them

odor free
7. Rubbing cornstarch on genital g. Mask the normal other associated with
healthy genitals
8. Avoiding viginal infection h. Protects and support the penis and testicles
9. Using feminine hygiene sprays i. May destroy natural bacteria that keep the
vagina clean
10. Frequent bathing j. Protects you and a partner from further
infection
11. Using an abrasive facial cleanser k. Can detect small lumps that could develop
into cancer
12. Circumsicion l. Does not affect sexual or reproductive
health
13. Apply heating pad to abdomen m. Can cause toxic shock syndrome if left too
long
 14. Being treated and tested from STDs n. Depends on diet, clothing, bathing, and
other health behaviors
15. Having a regular pelvic examination o. May eliminate menstrual health

UNIT III
PSYCHOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY

OBJECTIVESLESSON 7
GENDER AND SEXULAITY AS A PSYCHOSOCIAL ISSUE

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:

• Define the term psychosocial;

• Discuss the psychosocial dimension of gender and sexuality; and
• Reflect upon one’s responsibility in ensuring psychosocial wellness in the aspect of
gender and development.

SET OFF

List down five things that your family and friends are expecting from you based on your
gender.

1.

2.

3.

4.

5.

ON LOOK

Guide Questions:

1. How do you deal with your family’s and friend’s expectations?

__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
2. Are these expectations help you to express your real self in the society? Why or why
not?
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
 GRASP

What Does Psychosocial Mean?

The term "psychosocial" is an encompassing term. It is comprised by two primary

aspects:
psychological and social. There are myriad of ways in defining these two terms but in
essence, psychological pertains to anything associated with mental process and behaviour
while social pertains to anything associated with human relationships, connection, and
interaction.

The psychological aspect of gender and sexuality anchors itself on the field of
psychology. Psychology is a field of science which concerns itself with how people think
and feel and how thoughts and feelings interact and lead to behavior. There are three
primary psychological domains: affect, behavior, and cognition. Affect or the affective
domain pertains to people's emotions and feelings. Behavior or the behavioral domain
pertains to peoples actions-both observable (overt) or not readily observable (covert).
Cognition or cognitive domain pertains to people's thought processes such as memory,
perception, and information-processing. Hence, to say that gender and sexuality have a
psychological dimension is to note that our sexual behaviors, as well as gender-related
behaviors, originate from what we sense, think, and feel.

On the other hand, the social aspect of gender and sexuality primarily anchors itself
on the field of sociology and allied fields such as social psychology. In essence, Sociology is
a field of science which concerns itself with the human person's realities and experiences as
part of groups and institutions, including the structures and functions of these institutions,
and the dynamics of human relationships within them.

Understanding the Psychosocial Dimension

There are many ways through which the psychosocial dimension of gender and
sexuality can be understood and explained. Our experience of gender and sexuality is
generally a relational experience. It is relational because while as individuals, we have our
own affect, cognition and behavior to be aware of, we are also viewing ourselves in
relation to others who also have their own personal preoccupations. There are some
elements of our gendered self which are best viewed in an ecological context-that is, in the
circumstances in our physical and social environment.

Awareness

At the front of our experience as gendered beings is awareness. In simpler terms,

awareness is our conscious understanding of something. As individuals, we are in constant
process towards self-awareness: Who and what am 1? What do I like/dislike? What are my
strengths and weakness? What motivates me? What are my aspirations? We are in an
endless process of asking and trying to understand. In the context of gender and sexuality,
we ask: What am I physiologically? Am I happy with what I am? How do I genuinely see
myself? How do I feel about myself as a sexual being? Is there anything good I should do?

But then again, we are not isolated in a vacuum. We are social beings. We live in
relation to others. Hence, as we try to understand ourselves more, we a constant process
towards other-awareness, that is, understanding others: What is the other motivations,
preferences, and aspirations? Where am I positioned in her or his life, vis-a-vis where is s/he
positioned in my life? How different and or similar am I and other?

Intimacy and relationship

In certain situations, when two people recognize and become aware of each other,
they decide to keep close distance in each other's lives, share their personal bubbles, so to
speak, and allow frequency of interaction between them. This forges some form of human
relationship a bond formed between two or more people, manifested through
communication and interaction. These relationships may be in the form of family,
friendships, romantic relationship, or others. While in these relationships, we share resources
and emotions, we, as individuals, constantly aim to further understand our own selves as we
also try to understand others and be understood by them. This process of knowing others
and allowing others to know us is intimacy.

As social beings, we also learn from our own experiences and from the lessons
taught to us by those who have come before us. How we behave in relation to other
people, with due consideration to social expectations related to our gender, and how we
make choices to balance out personal goals and social goals, might be passed on to us
through education and other cultural preoccupations. The process by which we learn
cultural norms and traditions is referred to as socialization.

At the end of it all, as rational beings, we are also capable of making sense of our
experiences visà-vis the influences of our environments and integrate these interpretations
into our own choice.

Well-being as a Psychosocial Goal

The ultimate goal of understanding the psychosocial aspects of our experiences is

well-being a state of satisfaction, meanin8, and purpose. There are two sides to well-being.
One is that kind of wellbeing which is observed, outward, and can be evaluated through
the presence or absence ot particular elements in our environment. This is referred to as
objective well-being. In the aspect of gender and sexuality here are some of the questions
to ask:

• Does the physical environment allow expression of diversity Does the physical
infrastructure mitigate any possibility of abuse and violence related to gender?
• Are material resources (money, properties) equitably available to men, women, and
other people with different genders? Are these resources sufficient for them?
• Are there health systems which cater to gender-related needs? Are there wellness
programs that support women, men and people of different genders?
Another side of well-being is our personal experience of satisfaction, meaning, and purpose.
This is referred to as subjective well-being. It is subjective because it pertains to our own
appreciation of how well we are. Sometimes, even when the environment fully provides for
all our needs, we remain unsatisfied, and thus, having low sense of subjective well-being.
There are also moments where the environment has shortcomings, but we are at peace
and satisfied within. In a common term, the closes word to also mean subjective well-being
is happiness. Some of the question to ask are as follows:

• How far is your sense of satisfaction about the various areas of your life as a sexual
being?
• Is your purpose as a person clear to you and it not yet, what are you doing to clarify
this purpose?

Dimensions of Well-being

Based on what well-being means, we can see that there are various dimensions into it. The
following are just the primary dimensions of well-being which we must look into when trying
to understand the psychosocial condition of a person:

• physical physical/biological health;

• emotional-positive feelings; mood stability;
• mental-clarity of mind; healthy thought process

• material-available and adequate financial and other resources; and social

- healthy and positive interaction and relationship with others.
One of the essential elements of our gender and sexuality is the psychosocial dimension.
Aside from upholding human dignity and human rights, one of the ultimate goals of our
discussions of gender and sexuality is to ensure well- being among people of different
genders. Understanding our psychosocial needs and concerns, as well as the various
elements of our psychosocial conditions as humans, is necessary.

INTEGRATE

Make an illustration of a person who is psychosocially well. Consider each aspect of well-
being.
 EVALUATE

Choose one of the dimensions of well-being and gather articles from academic journals or
websites suggesting how to maintain wellness in this dimension. List it down.

UNIT III
PSYCHOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY

LESSON 8
LOVE, INTIMACY AND RELATIONSHIP

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:

• Discuss different theories of love;

• Identify needs, issues, and concerns experienced by people who are in a romantic
relationship; and
• Reflect one’s attitude towards, love, intimacy, and relationship.

SET OFF

Write a word or draw a symbol that comes to your mind when you hear

these words. Love

Intimacy
Relationship

ON LOOK

1. For you, what is love?

__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
2. How can you get attached to someone?
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
3. How do you protect your relationship to someone?
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________

GRASP

In February 15, 2015, an article featuring a study by McCann World Group, among
30,000 respondents from 29 countries, came out of a national newspaper, bannering the
title "Filipinos most expressive about love among Asia Pacific countries -study" (Hegina 2015).
The article presented an interesting result: The Filipinos say "I love you'" approximately 17
times in a week, making us sixth among the countries in the survey, which are most
articulate and expressive.

Robert Sternberg, a psychologist renowned for his theory of love asked, in his 1986
paper: "What does it mean "to love" someone? Does it always mean the same thing, and if
not, in what ways do loves differ from each other?" In this chapter, we will tackle, perhaps,
one of the most complex and celebrated human emotion and experience: love.

LOVE AS A HUMAN EXPERIENCE

Love is a human experience differently defined and conceptualized.

Love as a culture universal

Love is construed as a culture universal. A culture universal is a phenomenon

experienced similarly by people across time and cultures. This means that humans, whether
those who lived in the past or who are living now and regardless of their geographic
location and socio-cultural identities, have experienced love, in one way or another. Said
differently, love is an experience that transcends time and culture. People before us, such
as our grandparents, parents, and other adolescents like us who live in other countries, are
believed to know and encounter love as we do. The way we appreciate and experience
this phenomenon may be unique, but it is a similar phenomenon altogether.

Love as a social phenomenon

Likewise, love is viewed as a social phenomenon. Social phenomena are events or

experiences which ensue within our interaction and relationship with other people. Loving
entails communication -the process of giving and receiving information between and
among people. It also entails the use of a language-symbols that are culturally agreed
upon as possessing certain meanings and that are used by people to express certain
realities and worldviews.

Love as an emotion

Love is also construed as an emotion. Emotions are physiological responses that we

evaluate psychologically as we experience particular life events. There are basic emotions
such as joy, sadness, fear, disgust, and anger among others. There are also complex
emotions, which are a combination of basic emotions in varying magnitudes and are made
intricate by circumstances surrounding the experience (e.g, the people involved, thee
place and time where the emotion is experienced, etc.). Love, as we know it, is a complex
emotion.

Love as a neurobiological event

With recent advancements in science, love, now, can be studied as a

neurobiological event. Every split of a second, information is being passed on within our
nervous system –a conglomerate of organs (including our brain, our spinal cord, and our
nerves, among others) responsible for our ability to process and transmit essential
information among the many organs in our body. The information comes in the form of
electrical signal running along our neurons (nerve cell), which movement is facilitated by
our neurotransmitters-a variety of chemicals found in our nervous system.

Neurobiologically, the experience of love is associated with various parts of our

brain. For instance, the loving experience is commonly associated with the activation of the
ventral tegmental area (VTA) of our brain which is just right behind our left eyes. It is also
associated with the increased amount in endorphins -hormones believed to provide
humans a good mood.

Theorizing Love

Since love is a rather complex idea, which can be described, defined and
experienced in myriad of ways, several theories and trameworks offer diverse perspectives
on how it can be understood and explained.

Psychodynamic view on love

Psychodynamic theory is a collective term, which pertains to the psychoanalytic

tradition forwarded by Sigmund Freud (a Viennese neurologist), as well as the succeeding
theories that support, redefine, or refute his propositions.

In a nutshell, the psychodynamic theory posits that we have desires and motives
fueled by our life (eros) and death (thanatos) instincts. For instance, desirable behaviors that
promote positive relationship with others might be viewed as influenced by our life instincts,
while aggressive behaviors that hurt, manipulate, or harm ourselves and others might be
viewed as intluenced by our death instincts. Both the life and death instincts are thought to
stream from our unconscious the province of our mind, which we are highly unaware of.
Likewise, the psychodynamic view puts prime on the influence of our early life experiences
(from conception to around six years old) referred to as formative years-in our personality
development. Crucial to this life stage is our relationship with our primary caregiver-typically
the mother. It suggests that the kind of attachment (psychic bond) we have with our
primary caregiver/s, influence our relationships in later lite, including our choice of romantic
partners and the way we relate and operate within this partnership.

Hence, from a psychodynamic view, love can be seen as a manifestation of our eros
and the placement of our libido (life energy) unto an object (a thing or a person towards
who we our psychic energies to ease pain or achieve pleasure).

Color wheel of love

John Alan Lee (1973), a Canadian psychologist, suggested that there are different
types of love. The primary types are: eros (sexual and romantic), philia (friendly), and storge
(parental/ilial love). The secondary types are: pragma (practical love), agape (universal
love), and philautia (self love). It is possible for us to experience not just one, but two or more
of these types of love in our lifetime. A child who loves her parents (storage) might
eventually find new friends whom to like once they go to school (philia) and then
experience romantic love (eros) especially during her youth.

Triangular model of love

One of the most popular theories of love is the triangular model by Sternberg (1986),
a psychologist. This theory looks at love from a psychometric stance, which means that it is
generally concerned about trying to measure love as a psychological variable and in
determining the various dimensions and facets that love has as experienced by people.
 According to Sternberg (1986), love has three interlocking dimensions- passion,
intimacy, and commitment. Passion refers to the physical/emotional aspect. Intimacy
pertains to the psychological/relational aspect. Commitment pertains to the agency
component that is the choice we make with regards to engaging and maintaining the
loving relationship. The combination of these dimensions yields a particular love type. For
instance, when there is only passion but no other components, infatuation is formed. When
there is only intimacy but no other components, there is liking. When there is only
commitment, there is empty love. However, when there is passion and intimacy, there is
romantic love. When there is passion and commitment, there is ludic love. When there is
intimacy and commitment, there is friendly love. When all three components are presents,
then we can say that consummate love exists.

Romantic and companionate love

Hatfield and Rapson (1978, 1993), on the other hand, suggests that there are two
general types of love: romantic love and companionate love. Romantic love is
characterized by intense passion"a state of intense longing for union with your partner"
(Hatheld and Rapson 1987, 1993). Companionate love, on the other hand, is characterized
by intense intimacy-emotional closeness-which is also characteristic of liking. Love
Languages

Gary Chapman, a world-renown author, suggested that people have various ways
through which we give and receive love. He referred to these unique ways as love
languages. Chapman (1995) posited that there are generally hve love languages; namely,
words of affirmation, touch, time, gifts, and acts of service.

People whose love language is words of affirmation tend to verbally express their
thoughts and feelings of love towards the people they love. They may be comfortable
saying "I love you" and articulating other words of endearment. They also seem to be
generous in expressing through words their appreciation of others presence in their lives, as
well as the positive impact their loved ones have in them. Those whose love language is
touch, on the other hand, express love non-verbally through hugs, kisses, or, simply, a tap on
the back. They value proximity (nearness) and yearns for physical contact (not necessarily
sexual in nature) with their partners. Those whose love language is time tend to value quality
moments with their loved ones. They are much willing to create memories with the people
they love. Those love language is gifts, want to show and receive affection through material
objects, especially during special occasions. Finally, those whose love language is act of
service, are much willing to serve the other person by helping her or him in things that they
do.

Love and Intimate Relationships

Love, although well-studied and variedly-theorized, remains abstract and obscure

unless viewed in the context of human relationship. The Greek philosopher, Aristotle, has
been widely quoted as referring to humans as social animals. This means that we survive,
thrive, and flourish when we are together such that relating to other humans is not only a
sentimental, but also an evolutionary and a practical process.

Social connection is necessary for our growth as individuals. In certain cases, it also
serves as a foundation for family life, which then provides us humans a venue for nurturance
and care and as a platform where we can develop to our greatest potentials. In other
cases, it enables us to secure our social position and provides us human resources to
implement our goals for ourselves and for the greater community.

In his analysis of close human relationships, George Levinger (1982) postulated that
there are stages that intimate relationships go through: (1) acquaintance, (2) build up, (3)
continuation or consolidation, (4) deterioration or decline, and (5) ending or termination.
Simply, the ABCDE of intimate relationships.

Acquaintance

Intimate human relationships start in acquaintanceship. We meet up through circumstances

and first learn about basic information about one another. Crucial at this stage is attraction.
What does it take for a person to actually decide to be acquainted with another?
Attraction can take place in an enabling environment. It can happen when there is
propinquity or proximity-when we are physically closer to one another. It can happen when
there is exposure-when due to proximity, there are repeated possibilities of interaction. It
can also happen when there is similarity-common preferences, interests, and probably,
beliefs and values. Build-up

Some acquaintanceships build up into deeper relationships. Frequency of

interaction increases. Kinds of activities shared become diverse. The involved parties begin
to introduce one another to each other's friends and families, thus, making the social
network larger and interconnected. This is the stage when two persons test their boundaries.
They test the waters before engaging fully and so committedly in the relationship.

Consolidation and Continuation

The third stage of intimate relationship is consolidation. This stage is when people commits to
a long-term relationship with one another, either through a personal agreement (i.e.,
exclusivity of partnership, domestic partnership) or a social-legal agreement (i.e., marriage).
What makes people commit to a relationship, to the point of legitimizing it through
marriage? Often, people set standards that are sustainable (e-g., ability of each other to
maintain a family or a household, readiness of each other to raise children, career, and
financial capacities).

Decline or Deterioration
 Unfortunately, some intimate partnerships are unable to sustain and maintain their
commitments or attraction. For one, there may be a change in priorities between the
individual couple, such that the conjoint value of the partnership is not anymore sufficient.
There may be infidelity-the breech of loyalty and promises as agreed upon by both
individuals (e-g. presence ot a third-party, extra-marital affairs). Or, in other, there may be
irreconcilable differences -which are already harming each individual and the partnership
as a whole.

Ending

Finally, for those intimate partnerships who are unable to address the causes and
circumstances leading to the deterioration of their relationship, the stages culminate into
ending or termination of the agreements made (either personal or socio-legal) through
informal (eg, collective decision to end the relationship) or formal (eg, marriage dissolution)
means.

Humans are social beings and at the core of this nature, is relating and connecting
with others. Central to understanding human relationship is the concept of love, an
experience so abstract, yet so meaningful to many people. But then again, love is diversely
defined inasmuch as it manifests and is experienced in diverse ways. This chapter tackles
the various theories which explain love and its types. It also tackles the stages which people
who are in love and in an intimate relationship undertake as they progress from
acquaintanceship to a deeper form of consensual relationship. Conversely, reasons for
deterioration of intimate relationship, as well as its eventual demise, are also highlighted. By
and large, we are all encouraged to reflect about our human relationships with the goal of
forging healthy, successful, and nurturing connections with others.

INTEGRATE

Look for a popular song which tackles love, intimacy or relationship. Reflect about the
essential messages that these songs are trying to deliver.

Title of the song:

Key messages:

1
.
2
.
3.

EVALUATE
Identify one of the theories of love you are most interested with and explain this theory using
a collage.

UNIT III
PSYCHOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY

OBJECTIVESLESSON 9
SEX AND SENSES

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:

• Discuss the human senses in the context of sexual response; and

• Show appreciation of how the sensorium contribute to our experience of human
sexuality

SET OFF

Fast talk. Just answer it on your mind.

Clothed or naked?

Spicy or sweet?

Silent or moaning?

Hard or soft?

ON LOOK

1. Have you felt sexual arousal? When and in what circumstances?

 __________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
2. How do you think your senses intensify your sexual desire?
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_______

GRASP

When we were children, we were taught that there are five bodily organs, which
corresponds to our primary senses, that we use to explore and experience the world around
us. Our eyes enable our sense of sight (visual), so that we are able to see visual stimuli (color,
size, shape) in the environment. Our nose enables sense of smell (olfaction), so that we are
able to experience scent. Our ears allow us sense of hearing (audition), so that we are able
to experience sounds of varying tones, pitches, and volume. Our tongue is covered with
taste buds that allow us sense of taste (gustation), so that we are able to experience the
taste (eg, saltness, sweetness, bitterness, etc.) of our food and other objects we put in our
mouth. Then, we have sensory reception in our skin, muscles and joints which allow us the
sense of touch/feeling so that we are able to have tactile experiences, e.g., heat or its
absence, various texture, various physical pressure.

These five senses comprise our sensorium-the totality of our sensory experiences and
perception. While we receive information trom our environment through the senses, our
brain has the ability to organize and interpret these numerous stimuli into meaningful ideas
that are useful for our choices (behavior).

HUMAN AFFECT AND THE SENSES

Interestingly, while human beings are hailed as rational beings who are constantly
making choices and are behaving through a set of rational choices made from higher
order thinking (eg, evaluating, judging), it is hypothesized that our afect (emotions and
feelings) actually play a major role in our behaviors.

Affective Primacy Hypothesis (Zajonc 1980) postulates that in many cases, cognitive
processing (ie., higher order thinking) plays a lesser role compared to our emotional
responses in eliciting behavior. By virtue of this hypothesis, by default, our emotions take
precedent primarily because these are only processed and modulated by the limbic system
the emotional part of our brain which is more primitive compared to the ones responsible
for higher order thinking (e-g, neocortex). This is where the sensorium and the human aftect
meets. Here it will help us to think of a particular case: Imagine walking in the woods with
your friends when all of a sudden, venomous snake drops down in front of you. How will you
respond to the situation?
 As part of our mechanisms for evolution, humans like us have three primary
emotional responses: fight, flight, or freeze. A fight response is when we face adverse or
dangerous stimuli squarely. This would mean grabbing the nearest solid object in the
environment and throwing it to the snake to "shoo0" the snake away. A flight response is
when we move away from the adverse or dangerous stimuli. This would mean running away
from the place, finding a new route where the snake cannot find you. A freeze response, on
the other hand, is when you are startled and are unable to make a choice, thus, are unable
to move. Sometimes, the freeze response can also be used to buy time so you can
calculate the advantages and disadvantages of your choice: shall you fight the snake or fly
away from the scene.

In all three basic emotional response, there is a requirement: We should be able to

sense the environment, organize the stimuli we receive, and interpret these stimuli, so we
can choice and corresponding action. We will not be able to arrive at the behavior if not
through our senses. 1 his makes our sensorium necessary component of the emotional
response arc.

SENSES AND SEXUALITY

Having provided an overview on now human affect, the sensorium, and the brain's
limbic system coordinate, we are now reaay to aiscuss how the various senses play in the
human sexual response.

Visual Experience

Humans are predominantly visual. Our societies highly rely on visual culture to co-
create meaning and convey information. For instance, our language has a visual
component, as observed from our writing systems. Walking down the streets, you will see a
lot of signs which directs you what to do or not do. You will see signage placed on business
establishments to tell you where to buy your groceries, ask for medical help, or go to school.
These only show that visual culture is an essential element ot our society. It is only
appropriate to utilize these visual cues since Visual memory is deemed superior to other
forms (Cohen et. al 2008). It is assumed that, at the average, when realities are presented
visually, we tend to remember them and easily retrieve them from our memory.

In the context of human sexuality, some studies have explored gender differences in
visual stimuli and sexual arousal. For instance, the study of Rupp and Wallen (2007) found
that men respond more to visual sexual stimuli and tend to be influenced by the sex of the
actors in a sexual scenario. This means that when confronted by an intimate interaction,
men would tend to be rather influenced by visual cues, e.g., how the other person looks
physically or what the other person is wearing. In the same study, on the other hand,
women were found to be more influenced by context, although they, too, are responsive to
the sexual content of a visual stimuli. This means that when confronted by an intimate
interaction, women tend to be rather influenced by the nature or relationship they have
with another person, e.g, is the other person someone they know and can trust.

Olfactory Experience
 Olfacton in non-human animals, which are believed to be microsmatic organism or
organisms having greater sense of smell, have been an interest among psychologists since
the 19505. Conversely, humans and apes are generally believed to be microsmatic (lesser
levels of oltaction) compared to their non-ape counterparts. However, recent studies in the
field of human sexuality show that while we humans have limited olfaction, sense of smell
may play an important part in our sexual response.

For instance, in a study by Muscarella, Arantes, and Koncsol (201m) explored on the
preferred scent among heterosexual and homosexual males and females. The study found
that heterosexual females who participated in their study tend to like wearing floral-sweet
but want musky-spicy scent to be worn by their partners. Heterosexual males and
homosexual females in their study preferred wearing musky-spicy scent and liked their
partners to wear floral-sweet scent. On other hand, homosexual males who joined the study
wanted musky spicy for themselves and their partner.

Scientists have tried to explain how human olfaction influence sexuality. They
identified through posibilities: first, through what is referred to as signature odor (the unique
way that each individual smells) which is associated with the Major Histocompatibility
Complex, a set of proteins signaling our immune system the presence of foreign substances,
and second, through what is referred to as pheromones, substances putatively excreted by
our glands which signals mood and affects social behaviors.

One of the famous studies about MHCs is the "sweaty T-shirt experiment (Wedekind
and Füri 1997; Wedekind et al. 1995). In these experiments, it was found that individuals
tend to be attracted to other people with a different set of MHC genes.

Humans interest i pheromones, on the other hand, has been present since the early 1930OS
when an entomologist Bethe (1932) suggested that there are hormones emitted outwards
the body. These are called ectohormones. In a few decades, the term was replaced with
the word pheromones, and eventually, the concept was generalized to be true also to
mammals. In the 1970s for instance, the McClintock effect (1971) or menstrual synchrony-
the observation that females in the same dormitory usually would have their menstruation at
nearly the same time-was thought to be due to pheromones. This culminated in the 1980s
when the presence of a human pheromone was hypothesized (Cutler and Preti 1986).

What do scientists think human pheromones do? First, it is thought to act as

attractants (of the opposite sex), repellants (of the same sex), stabilizer of mother-infant
bond, and modulators of menstrual cycle (Cutler 1999). Some chemicals thought to be
human hormones are: (1) androstadienone (AND), a testosterone-like substance found in
male sweat, saliva, and urine; (2) estratetraenol (EST), an estrogen-like found in female
urine, and G) 1-pyrroline, a substance found in human semen, pubic sweat, and Smegma.

However, there are those who dispute the presence of human pheromones because
modern studies could not replicate what has been believed to be the effect of putative
pheromones on social behaviors (Wessel 2017). Hence, it is an interesting area of research
to really explore it, pheromones truly exist as they are believed to be.

Tactile Experiences
 Touch is observed to be an element of intimacy. Our body is covered in skill often
referred to as the largest bodily organ. Our skin totally accounts for 16 to 20% of our body
weight. It l15 a sensitive organ as every square inch of it houses more than a thousand nerve
endings. Hence, in social interactions, particularly intimate ones, touch holds meaning.
There are only people who we allow to touch us. There are only parts of our bodies we allow
people to touch. touching, just like any other behavior, may also be governed by social
norms.

As a sensation, touch has some elements. Tactile element pertains to the experience
relative to the object being felt: Is it rough? Is it smooth? Is the surface hard or soft? Then
there is thermal element: Is it warm or cold? Finally, there is vibrational element: Is the
pressure of the touch strong or weak? Is the sensation moving and pulsating or steady and
stationary?

Different parts of the human body also have different threshold of tactile experience.
Areas such as the mouth, anus, genitals, and nipples are referred to as primary erogenous
zones -as they are very sensitive to touch. The back, cheek, neck, and buttocks are
secondary erogenous zones as they are also sensitive to touch, but only supportive of the
primary zones in eliciting response. Often, these erogenous zones are areas of the body
involved in the reproductive and sexual act.

Human touch is essential in social bonds. Often, we only give people we trust the
right to have tactile contact with us. It is always a consensual act to touch and be touched.
When we touch, our body produces a hormone called oxytocin -it is referred to as the love
hormone because it is believed to iniluence tribal behaviors and maternal bonding.
Oxytocin is observed to be produced in vast amounts during nipple stimulation, such as for
instance when a mother suckles her newly-born. In intimate relationships, touch is sug8ested
to De one or the love languages. A person whose love language is touch tend to give and
receive tactile stimulation to and through holding, hugging, and other forms of physical
connections.

Auditory Experience

Social interactions are not only visual, but are also auditory processes. Our human
language often have a verbal counterpart to the written language. In fact, historically,
much of our culture are passed on through oral traditions, even before the writing system
was developed. Sexual activities are also a verbal communication process. Sounds give
additional context to sexual situations. For instance, in sexual interactions, couples may give
verbal erotic encourage-words that triggers sexual response or verbal expression of
affection words that manifests feelings (e-g I love you, I miss you). A survey of popular music
will show that love and sex are among the common themes of songs nowadays. This only
emphasize the value of sound in human sexuality.

The senses are the windows to our consciousness. We are aware, we learn, and we
experience because we can receive information from the environment through our sense
organs.

INTEGRATE
Look for three research articles which give updated information about particular sense
organ. Write down a brief review of these articles emphasizing similarities and differences in
their findings.

EVALUATE

Discuss how each of the senses link to human sexuality.

Senses Human Sexuality

1. Visual

2. Auditory

3. Olfactory

4. Tactile
UNIT III
PSYCHOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY

OBJECTIVESLESSON 10
SEXUAL BEHAVIORS

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:

• Discuss the variety of sexual behaviors in humans;

• Tackle atypical sexual variation; and
• Show appreciation of the diversity of human expression.

SET OFF

Is having sex moral or immoral? Why or Why not?

_________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_____________

ON LOOK

1. How do you often hear about sex? Are you comfortable discussing this topic? Why or
why not?
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_______
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_______
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_______

GRASP

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pKUsKKX-P4c

INTEGRATE
Choose a particular sexual dysfunction. Research about possible interventions or ways to
manage or address the dysfuncion.

Sexual dysfunction:
Interventions How it is done? Advantages Disadvantages

EVALUATE

Look for one news article that discusses the issue of pedophilia. Write down the summary of
the article.

Reflect:

1. Why is engaging in sexual activity with a nonconsenting person who is a child

unacceptable?
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
2. What do you think should parents, teachers, and other adults do to keep their
children safe from unwanted sexual advances from other people?
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
UNIT III
PSYCHOSOCIAL PERSPECTIVE IN GENDER AND SEXUALITY

LESSON 11
STEREOTYPE, PREJUDICES AND DISCRIMINATION

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:

• Differentiate stereotype, prejudice and discrimination; and

• Identify the manifestations of stereotypes, prejudice, discrimination on gender.

SET OFF

Write the first thing that comes in your mind when you see the pictures below.
 ON LOOK

1. Why do you think you come up with that impression?

_________________________________________________________________________________________
_______
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_______
_________________________________________________________________________________________
_______

GRASP

There are 7.7 billion people across 195 countries and every race has their own belief
system, religion, culture and tradition. Yet, each individual is unique mix of their own. That is
why appreciating diversity is very important to fully understand the human experience and
for us to coexist peacefully.

However, understanding diversity requires us to broaden our appreciation of the

many facets of the human race and recognize that we have our own stereotypes,
prejudice and discrimination.

STEREOTYPES are an “over-generalized belief about particular group or class of people”

(Cardwell 1996) TWO TYPES OF STEREOTYPE

• POSITIVE (Ex. Filipino is being known for their hospitality;

All students in Harvard University are very intelligent.)

• NEGATIVE (Ex. Muslims are terrorists; Farmers are lazy and less educated.)

PREJUDICE is an “unjustified or incorrect attitude (usually negative) towards an individual

based solely on the individual’s membership of a social group” (McLeod 2008).

In simpler term, prejudice pertains to our prejudgment based on our emotional response to
an individual upon learning of person’s membership to specific group (Like age, skin color,
disability, generation, nationality, religion, sex etc.)

Ex. Sexist- a sexist person is someone who has negative attitude towards other sex and sees
them as the lesser sex.

DISCRIMINATION- refers to negative actions or behaviors towards an individual or a group of

people. (With the use of power and force to harm someone physically or emotionally.)

Ex. Gender Discrimination (unfair treatment of people to women.)

LGBT Discrimination (member of lgbt get bullied or physically assaulted as they explore
and express their sexuality.)
 Apartheid (means separateness: separateness of black and white; outcast; mass

murder of Jews) FREEDOM AND EQUALITY

Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights states that “all human beings are
born free and equal in dignity and rights”. Its preamble recognizes that the “inherent dignity
and of the equal and inalienable rights of all members of the human family is the foundation
of freedom, justice and peace in the world”.

While discriminatory traditions, policies, ideas, practices and laws exist in many countries,
many have shifted towards making opportunities and privileges accessible to everyone.
(eg. Same sex relationship and marriage; availability of facilities for differently abled
person.)

Appreciating diversity of the human race is key to making a safer and more inclusive
environment for everyone, regardless of sex, race, religion, sexuality, gender or creed.

Stereotyping, prejudice and discrimination is a sensitive issue for many people since it
can be traced to our history, culture, tradition, and religion.

However, with the internet and technology, we now live in world that seems to have
no borders. It is important to create a society that respects the uniqueness of every human
being and uphold everyone’s dignity and rights.

INTEGRATE

Look for tv or newspaper advertisements which you think are promoting stereotypes,
prejudice or discrimination. Print this advertisement on a bond paper. Write a short essay
explaining why you think so and how to make the advertisement more inclusive.

EVALUATE

CONTEMPLATE. What stereotype, prejudice and discrimination can you think about the following:
Group Stereotype Prejudice Discrimination

Filipino men

Filipino women

LGBT

Badjao
 PWD

1. How can we promote an inclusive environment for everyone?

UNIT III
GENDER AND SOCIETY AS SOCIAL REALITY AND SEXUALITY

OBJECTIVESLESSON 12
LGBT PSYCHOLOGY

OBJECTIVES

At the end of this lesson, the student should be able to:

Discuss LGBT history and relevant LGBT

terms; and Explain the importance of
these terms.

SET OFF
Bawal judgmental: Examine the picture and guess the gender preference of the following
personalities:

______________ _________________ _______________ ________________ ______________

_______________ _________________ _________________ _________________ ______________

ON LOOK

1. Are you aware of your own gender? How?

__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
2. Who are you attracted to?
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
3. Who do you feel and experience yourself?
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
__________________________________________________________________________________
______________
4. How do you act and project yourself to the public?

GRASP

Labels are so powerful it can be used to discriminate and oppress people. Like how
the German Nazi's used the word 'Aryan race' to mean superior and Jews' and 'homosexual'
to justify their mass murder of what they called as inferior race.
 However, labels can also empower people to claim their space in our society,
especially in the political sphere. Language can be used to avoid offense or disadvantage
to certain groups of people like using "persons with disabilities" instead of disabled, 'African
American instead of "blacks', and LGBT instead of homosexuals."

Views on LGBT in History

Sexual and emotional attraction towards the same sex has been recorded
throughout history of mankind. In China 600 BCE, they used the terms pleasures of the bitten
peach and 'brokeback. In Japan, they have 'shudo' or 'nanshoku'. 'Kathoey' is used in
Thailand to refer to lady boys. In the Philippines we have the "babaylan' and the 'catalonan'
who were mostly women priests, but some are males who lived their lives as women.

Society's attitude towards homosexuality and other gender variants change through
history. In ancient Greek, all males are expected to take on a younger male lover in a
practice called pederasty. Some societies, like the indigenous Native Americans, accepted
and celebrated what they called 'twospirited' person in a dance to the 'Berdache.

However, later cultures see it as a "sin" following the Abrahamic Religion which
branded it as sodomy, a crime against nature. As these cultures colonized other countries, it
enforced its belief systems of viewing same sex attractions as a sin through violence such as
killing homosexuals through burning, stoning, or being fed to the dogs.

Homosexuality was classified as an illness in the 19th century as a basis for them to
legally persecute homosexuals, imprison, and commit them to a mental institution. An
example of this percussion is that of Alan Turing, the father of modern computing, who was
prosecuted in 1952 for homosexual acts. He was sentenced with chemical castration
treatment, and he later died through cyanide poisoning.

As science advanced through years of extensive research, the APA removed

homosexuality as a psychiatric disorder or a sickness in 1973. This decision was after many
years of struggle from the gay and lesbian liberation movement. APA finally declared that
being attracted to people of the same sex is a natural variation of the human experience,
and it does not make anyone any less of a healthy and functioning human being. Now that
society is more accepting towards the LGBT, new terms and labels have been used to cater
to everyone.

The ABC's of the LGBTQIA+

In an effort towards visibility and inclusion, a few letters were added to the LGBT. The term
"homosexual" sounded too clinical and it no longer adequately represents the diversity
within the LGBT community. These labels are changing, some you may be familiar with, but
others may be very new to you, so let us try to explain it as simple as we can.

• Lesbian- Women who are emotionally and sexually attracted to women.

• Gay-men who are emotionally and sexually attracted to men.
• Bisexual-man or woman who are emotionally and sexually attracted to men or
women.
 • Transgender- when your gender identity (how you feel) is different from your physical
sex (male/female).
• Queer- used by people who celebrate all gender identities, can also mean
someone who do not want to be restricted as Lesbian, Gay, or Bi.
• Intersex-people who were born with sex genitals or chromosome patterns that do
not fit the typical male or female body.
• Asexual- A term people use to describe their experience of little no sexual attraction
to people of any gender. Asexuality is a sexual orientation, and is not the same as
celibacy or abstinence.
• Allies-are straight or heterosexual people who are fighting for LGBT rights.
• Plus+-the plus sign refers to all sexualities that do not fit in the LGBTQI spectrum.
Knowledge on the human sexuality is still evolving so there many terms that pops up.
Here are a few more to help us become more inclusive:

Androgynous-people whose gender expression (their physical appearance) may or may

not be distinctly male or female.

Gender -your internal sense of being masculine or feminine or neither

Gender identity - how you feel, man, women, or neither.

Gender expression - how you express your sense of being male or female or neither, maybe
through hairstyle, clothes, etc.

Sexual orientation - your emotional and sexual attraction to a person.

Sex assigned at birth - your given sex when were born based on your sex organ.

Cisgender- when your gender identity matches with the sex you are assigned at birth.

Non-binary- people who do not feel like a boy or a girl; they may feel like they are both or
neither, so sometimes they use the pronouns they, them, and theirs.

There are many other terms that we have not discussed here but these are the basics of the
ABC's of the LGBTQIA+.

Understanding Transgenderism

Society attaches a lot of meanings to our biological sex or physical sex. Parents
unknowingly set up a gender-based pattern of raising their children upon knowing the
biological sex of their babies. Pink for girls and blue for boys is a reflection of our
heteronormative culture wherein we expect females to be feminine and males to be
masculine.

This limited view on sexuality makes it harder for those who do not fit in the box of
masculinity and femininity, like the lesbians, gays, and bisexuals. However, it makes it so
much more difficult for the transgender people, those who feel like they were born in the
wrong body or given the wrong biological sex.
Who is a transgender?

The APA defines transgender as "an umbrella term for persons whose gender identity,
gender expression, or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to
which they were assigned at birth." This means that a transgender person does not feel
comfortable in their biological sex like a person who is born male but feels like a female,
and a person who is born female may feel like he is male. This "feeling" or gender identity is
not something that changes through time, but is a feeling that they have since childhood.
This creates a problem for a heteronormative society wherein everyone is expected and
forced to fit in the boxes of male masculinity and female femininity.

However, history tells us that in different cultures across the world and in different
times in our history, there are people who lived their life expressing a gender that is different
from their biological sex. This gender nonconformity or gender crossings were celebrated by
the Native Americans through the "berdache" or the two-spirited people. We also have our
own "babaylan" or "catalonan, precolonial priests who are mostly females but some are
males who lived their lives as female priests.

The word transgender is also used as an umbrella term, this means that there are
many identities under this term. Transsexuals, for example, is often used in the medical field
to refer to people whose gender identity is different from their biological sex and they may
want to change their body, so it resembles how they feel about their gender identity. A
biologically male person may feel like she is a woman since she was just a child and in
adulthood, she may choose to have a "hormonal replacement therapy or sex reassignment
surgery. Medical advancements have helped transgender people live a full life; however, it
can be a long difficult, and expensive process.

Other sexualities under the transgender umbrella term includes:

• FTM-female to male, a person whose biological sex is female and has transitioned to
living his life as a male;
• MTF-male to female, a person whose biological sex is male and has transitioned to
living her life as a female;
• Crossdressing - some people want to dress as the opposite gender from time to time,
however, unlike the transsexual, they are comfortable identitying with their biological
sex;
• Drag kings and queens -these are people who dress as the opposite gender for
entertainment which they do out of passion or for work; and
• Gender queer - these are people who feel like their gender does not fit the
• gender binary view that is limited to the male or female category because they feel
that these are too restrictive.

The Transitioning Process

When a person realizes that he or she may be a transgender, a psychologist can

guide the person through the transition especially when a person wants to go through
permanent changes like sex reassignment surgery. In some countries, transitioning is
covered by their medical insurance, and they get support from their employers and families
which is very crucial during transitioning because it takes years to fully transition.

There are transgender people who cannot have or do not want to have hormonal
replacement therapy or sex reassignment surgery because of personal, economic, or
cultural reasons and that is okay. Transitioning to another gender is a very challenging
process for many transgender people because of the social stigma, discrimination, medical
cost, accessibility of medical treatment and support, oppressive laws in each country, and
the threat of violence from prejudiced people.

Some countries allow for transgender people to change their legal gender from
male to female or female to male. This recognition is a product of decades of collective
effort of the transgender community and the LGBTQ+ community. However, Philippines still
lack the laws and the medical capacity to support transgender people in living their full
potential.

The proper use of pronouns, he or she, should be observed when talking to a

transgender person to show respect as a decent human being. Often, when a person is
clearly presenting herself as a female by the way they dress and carry themselves, it is safe
to assume that they want to use "'she" and "her. The same goes for the transgender men
who is clearly presenting himself as a man, you may use "him" or "her". However, it is always
a good practice to ask them for their preterred pronoun instead of assuming but do so in a
polite way.

Labels are important especially in the acceptance and promotion of human rights.
The evolution of the terms used to describe people who are emotionally and sexually
attracted to the same sex have evolved through time. From homosexuality, to gay, and to
LGBTQIA+, let us remember that we are all humans, born free and equal.

INTEGRATE

Look for a news article discussing the experience of LGBTQ+ in the Philippines. Cite the
negative and positive experiences.

EVALUATE

Write a reflection paper on what you think and how you feel about how the LGBTQ is
portrayed in your favourite movie or series.