Sexual Orientation

Brian Anderson on being the first out pro skaterboarder

Photography: http://kristinapattersonphoto.tumblr.com/

Photography: http://kristinapattersonphoto.tumblr.com/

Brian Anderson is a badass.

He's won Thrasher magazine's Skater of the Year award and won the World Cup of Skateboarding back in 1999. His video parts are legendary, and not surprisingly, he's a hero to many kids who skate.

And now there's even more reason to like and respect him - he publicly came out as gay.

Many of the people close to him have known for a while, but it wasn't until recently that BA felt like it was safe to share with the public.

In this clip from Vice, he describes how one of his main motivations for coming out was to make it easier for other kids who are in the closet.

What's most shocking are the comments in the YouTube comments section. Usually the comment section is a cesspool of the worst of humanity, but in this case, the comments are consistently supportive and positive. How rad.

If you've got the time to watch the clip (and you skate), it's worth it.

The skateboarding community worships Brian Anderson as a god, but for many years kept his sexuality a secret from nearly everyone in his life. Our guy Reda sat down with Brian and some of his closest friends to talk about being gay in the professional skateboarding industry and why he chose now to come out.

Bisexual Awareness Week: September 19-26.

bisexual sexual orientation | Dr. Jason Winters | Sex Therapy Vancouver | Squarespace Blogging

It's bisexual awareness week!

This is particularly important given the discrimination that people who are bisexual face.

Research has shown that both heterosexual and homosexual people tend to judge those who identify as bisexual quite negatively. This is based on some myths and faulty assumptions about what it is to be bisexual. They're described in this clip from GLAAD:

GLAAD interviewed bisexual people about what it means to be bisexual at the iconic Stonewall Inn. Video: Filmed & edited by Claire Pires http://www.glaad.org/ - For more information about GLAAD's work, please visit http://www.glaad.org, http://facebook.com/glaad, and http://twitter.com/glaad.

For more information, check out the GLAAD bisexual awareness week here: link.

Man protests same-sex marriage by suing to marry his computer.

chris sevier same sex marriage bigot | Dr. Jason Winters | Sex Therapy | Blogging on Squarespace

From news of the strange.

Mark “Chris” Sevier, lawyer and EDM musician, is really opposed to same-sex marriage. So much so that he's insisting that he be allowed to marry his porn-filled laptop in protest. Sevier claims that if two people of the same sex are able to get married, then a person should be able to marry whoever or whatever they want.

Of course, his claim is intended to be absurd to support his view that marriage between a man and woman is constitutionally protected and same-sex marriage is not. He's filed a two lawsuits, one in Utah and the other in Florida, after being denied marriage licences to wed his laptop. Both cases have been dismissed. These are the not the first times that he's protested same-sex marriage with frivolous lawsuits.

More about him and his absurdity from the DailyBeast:

Meet the Anti-LGBT Bigot “Marrying” His Computer
Meet Mark Sevier, a Christian music producer with a lengthy arrest record and a history of bogus lawsuits.
by Samantha Allen
It’s a love story as old as time itself. Man meets laptop. Man fills laptop with pornography. Man sues state for the right to marry his masturbatory aid.
In 2014, former Tennessee lawyer and Christian electronic dance music producer Mark “Chris” Sevier filed a motion in Florida arguing that if same-sex couples “have the right to marry their object of sexual desire… then I should have the right to marry my preferred sexual object,” in this case his “porn-filled Apple computer.”
The motion was dismissed, of course, but Sevier is back again with a new Texas lawsuit demanding that he be granted a 14th Amendment right to wed his laptop.
As the Houston Chronicle reports, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has already asked for the lawsuit to be dismissed, arguing that “the right to marry one’s computer is not an interest, objectively, deeply rooted in the nation’s history and tradition.”
At the very least, Sevier appears to be monogamous. The laptop named in this new suit is the same 2011 MacBook that he asked to marry in 2014.
But Sevier, who has said that “the Constitution is being hijacked” by same-sex marriage, does not seem to actually be in love with his computer. The EDM artist has a long history of bogus legal actions designed to undermine marriage equality.

Read the rest here: link.

Bisexuals face double the discrimination.

bisexual sexual identity orientation discrimination | Dr. Jason Winters | Sex Therapy | Blogging on Squarespace

A recent study has confirmed what many bisexuals have been saying for years - they face discrimination from both ends of the spectrum.

Some straight people discriminate based on bisexuals' attraction to people of the same sex.

Some in the gay and lesbians communities discriminate based on bisexuals' attraction to people of the opposite sex.

The stigma driving this discrimination is associated with several myths that are perpetuated about people who are bisexual. Here are some examples:

  • bisexuals are just promiscuous/overly sexual/sluts
  • bisexuals are just gays/lesbians that haven't come out of the closet yet
  • bisexuals are sexually greedy
  • bisexuals just can't make up their minds
  • bisexuals are confused, or going through a phase
  • bisexuals can't be sexually monogamous
  • bisexuals will cheat on their partners with people of the other sex

Of course, these myths are complete baloney, but they persist nonetheless.

The following article does a great job of reviewing the study and discussing the discrimination that many bisexuals experience.

From the DailyBeast:

Are Bisexuals Shut Out of the LGBT Club?
New studies show that bi people are being excluded by both straight and gay peers.
by Samantha Allen
No, bisexuals don’t have twice as much sex as everyone else. But there is mounting evidence to suggest that they experience double the types of discrimination as their gay and lesbian peers.
Two studies published in the December 2015 issue of the Journal of Bisexuality confirm what bi people have been saying for some time: The discrimination they face within the LGBT community is as real as the discrimination they face outside of it. As the U.S. enters its first full year of marriage equality and the battle for transgender rights continues, these studies point to the persistent but often ignored problem of biphobia among gay men and lesbians.
In one study, Counseling Psychology Ph.D. student Tangela Roberts and two professors at the University of Massachusetts surveyed 745 bisexual people about their experiences of discrimination in various social contexts. They found that the biphobia their respondents experienced from gay men and lesbians was not equal to, but still disturbingly comparable to, what they experienced from straight people.

Read the rest here: link.

Film short: A Gay Hike.

Passed along by Franz (thanks!). From Extremely Decent:

The magic of nature lets the gang finally come to terms with who they really are. Subscribe: http://bit.ly/11FZqo4 Facebook: http://on.fb.me/184mMNN Twitter: http://bit.ly/13mhg3Z EXTREMELY DECENT is a sketch comedy group based out of Los Angeles, CA. Our popular videos include "A Facebook Update in Real Life," "The First Honest Cable Company," "Gollum vs.

Gen Z much more accepting of non-binary identities and orientations.

Recognition and acceptance of LGBT(QIA) identities and rights have come a long way in the last few decades. Each newer generation is more accepting than the previous, and as such, younger generations have very different perspectives than older generations.

Researchers from The Innovation Group, a "creative think tank," (i.e., non-academic), asked Gen Zers about sexuality and gender. The results were recently reported online and presented at SXSW.

From Broadly:

Teens These Days Are Queer AF, New Study Says
by Zing Tsjeng
A new survey of young Americans aged 13 to 20 years old (also known, in marketing-speak, as "Generation Z") has found that they are far more open-minded and permissive than their older millennial counterparts when it comes to issues of gender and sexuality.
According to a report by trend forecasting agency J. Walter Thompson Innovation Group, only 48 percent of Gen Zs identify as exclusively heterosexual, compared to 65 percent of millennials aged 21 to 34.
On a scale of zero to six, where zero signified "completely straight" and six meant "completely homosexual," more than a third of the young demographic chose a number between one and five, indicating that they were bisexual to some degree. Only 24 percent of their older counterparts identified this way.
Fifty-six percent of 13-to-20-year-olds said that they knew someone who went by gender neutral pronouns such as "they," "them," or "ze," compared to 43 percent of people aged 28 to 34 years old. Over a third of Gen Z respondents also strongly agreed that gender did not define a person as much as it used to. This figure dropped to 23 percent among millennials who were 28 and up.

Read the rest here: link.

And some infographics:

sexual orientation identity queer | Dr. Jason Winters | Sex Therapy | Blogging on Squarespace
gender

More infographics here: link

Oh Joy Sex Toy by Erika Moen.

Erika Moen is an artist and educator. She is the authour the comic strip Oh Joy Sex Toy. It started out several years ago as a sex-positive, diversity-friendly sex toy review but has expanded into all aspects of sex and sexuality. There is no topic that she's afraid of addressing. The strips are fun, subversive, educational, and visually appealing. You can read more about her here and here. Check out all her comic strips and reviews here. And a sample of her work:

how to eat pussy erika moen cunnilingus oral sex  | Dr. Jason Winters | Sex Therapy | Blogging on Squarespace

Video: Jam (as a metaphor for sex).

There is a mind-boggling amount of stuff packed into this 6-minute clip. Everything from sexual learning to relationships, identity, pleasure, and consent. The metaphor of a musical jam provides an interesting perspective and while not perfect for all people, it does impart some important wisdom.

From Karen B. K. Chan:

Video commissioned by the SexEd Project http://sexedproject.org for the exhibition "SexEd: Chapter 1" at Cuchifritos gallery Feb. 9-Mar. 10, 2013. A stop-motion animation by Toronto sex educator Karen B. K. Chan, Jam is a proposal for rethinking how we have sex. Jam proposes an alternate framework for sexual connection that comes directly from musical improvisation.


New research on gynandromorphophilia, or sexual attraction to 'shemales' (pejorative).

Bailey Jay

Bailey Jay

It appears that a growing number of heterosexual-identifying men are seeking out pornography featuring performers who were born male, retain their penises, but otherwise are female. These trans women performers and sex workers are often called shemales or tgirls, although many consider both terms pejorative. Typically, their transitions include the use of feminizing (i.e., female) sex hormones and breast enhancement surgery.

Many heterosexual men with this sexual preference are understandably confused and question their sexual identities. I've worked with several of them in my clinical practice. The objective of our work together is to increase understanding, acceptance, and integration of their sexual interest within the context of their heterosexual identities (much like any other unusual sexual interest).

As for the exact nature and origins of this sexual interest, nobody is entirely sure. Some, such as Dan Savage of Savage Love, have suggested that what drives these men is a sexual interest in penises, but not men. Framed this way, trans women with penises are a man-free and safe way to satisfy a sexual interest in penises.

Another theory suggests that a sexual interest in trans women with penises is related to, or a manifestation of, autogynephilia. Autogynephilia is a paraphilia (an unusual sexual interest) seen in heterosexual men, and characterized by sexual fantasies of having a woman's body.

A study recently published in the journal Psychological Medicine is the first to shed some light on this topic.

The main findings were that men with gynandromorphophilia really are heterosexual (and not homosexual or bisexual), but exhibit a unique pattern of sexual responding to stimuli featuring trans women with penises.

You can read the full academic journal article here: link.

Abstract

Background
Gynandromorphophilia (GAMP) is sexual interest in gynandromorphs (GAMs; colloquially, shemales). GAMs possess a combination of male and female physical characteristics. Thus, GAMP presents a challenge to conventional understandings of sexual orientation as sexual attraction to the male v. female form. Speculation about GAMP men has included the ideas that they are homosexual, heterosexual, or especially, bisexual.

Method
We compared genital and subjective sexual arousal patterns of GAMP men with those of heterosexual and homosexual men. We also compared these groups on their self-ratings of sexual orientation and sexual interests.

Results
GAMP men had arousal patterns similar to those of heterosexual men and different from those of homosexual men. However, compared to heterosexual men, GAMP men were relatively more aroused by GAM erotic stimuli than by female erotic stimuli. GAMP men also scored higher than both heterosexual and homosexual men on a measure of autogynephilia.

Conclusions
Results provide clear evidence that GAMP men are not homosexual. They also indicate that GAMP men are especially likely to eroticize the idea of being a woman.

Another approach to classifying sexual orientation.

Linked article passed along by someone in the comments section (thanks!).

Before Kinsey, sexual orientation was classified predominantly as heterosexual or homosexual. In the 1940s, Kinsey introduced a new way of thinking about sexual orientation. He viewed it as a continuum with the anchor points being 100% heterosexual and 100% homosexual. In between were shades of grey, or bisexuality. When he created a corresponding scale to measure sexual orientation, he focused on sexual behaviour as the indicator. Here's what it looked like:

This model persisted until the 1980s when Storm introduced a model that conceptualized sexual orientation not as a single continuum, but as two unrelated but interacting continuums: interest in people of the same sex (homoeroticism), and interest in people of the opposite sex (heteroeroticism). People were scored on both continuums:

This model proved to be much more helpful and importantly, it includes the experiences of people who identify as asexual.

The article linked below describes another model. The model was proposed by a non-academic man who identifies as heteroromantic asexual. He felt that other models of sexual orientation didn't apply to his identity and experiences. While the model isn't entirely effective, it's still an interesting approach to thinking about sexual orientation and identity.

Snippets from the article published at Connections.Mic:

Parks decided to develop a more comprehensive alternative: the Purple-Red Scale of Attraction, which he recently posted on /r/Asexuality. Like the Kinsey scale, the Purple-Red scale allows you to assign a number from zero to six to your level of same-sex or heterosexual attraction, but it also lets you label how you experience that attraction on a scale of A to F. A represents asexuality, or a total lack of interest in sex "besides friendship and/or aesthetic attraction," while F represents hypersexuality.
Parks told Mic that he came up with the idea for the Purple-Red scale after learning about asexuality and realizing that he was a "heteroromantic asexual, or a B0 on the scale" — someone who is interested exclusively in romantic, nonsexual relationships with the opposite sex. 
"I then thought, not only are there sexual and asexual people, [but] there are different kinds of sexual people as well," he said. "I thought of adding a second dimension to Kinsey's scale to represent different levels of attraction." (As for the color scheme, Parks opted for purple because of its designation as the official color of asexuality, while "'red-blooded' is a term often used to describe someone who is hypersexual.)

Read the rest here.

 

Bisexual awareness week.

As a past student mentioned in the comments section this week, it's bisexual awareness week! Check out the website for BiWeek here.

While bisexuality falls under the umbrella of the LGBTQ community, people who identify as bisexual face their own challenges. Research show that they often experience stigma (biphobia) from people of other orientations (both people who identify as gay/lesbian and people who identify as straight). Here's a video clip discussing some of the things people who identify as bisexual often experience:

PLEASE READ BELOW, CORRECTIONS ADDED. I made this many years ago and I feel like I learnt more about bisexuality and other sexualities after filming this. So some of the things I say in this video I would not say today.

 

And here is infographic from One Equal World laying out some of the effects of stigma experienced by people who identify as bisexual:

 

And finally, one sample of some of the articles that have been published this week. It's a list from MTV of celebrities who are out and proud about being bisexual: link.

Bad sex media bingo.

Brought to you by Sense About Sex (link), a brilliant and fun way to counter all the misinformation that seems to get repeated over and over again in the media, despite no scientific evidence to support it. Read below the card for information from the Bad Sex Media Bingo site (link).

Notice any claims that you thought were true? For the explanations, click here.

From the site:

Why Bad Sex Media Bingo?

So much coverage of sex in the media is boiled down to the simplest of clichés and the loudest of headlines. People with vested interests – campaigners, people selling toys, remedies and dubious fixes – are uncritically quoted as experts.

There are many ways to spot a bad sex programme or article – one that’s been made to fit an agenda, perhaps, or one that is more about prurience and sensationalism than accuracy or helping people.

So we’re inviting you to play Bad Sex Bingo with us. How many of our bingo numbers can you spot during each new programme or article about sex? Will you be able to call House! first?

Play along with us on Twitter: our hashtag is #badsexbingo.

We also hope you’ll use Bad Sex Media Bingo to inform media production, to teach and train on these issues, to support activist work in this area, and for any other purposes for which it is useful.

Each of the points in Bad Sex Media Bingo is:

  • Commonly repeated in the media (across broadcast and print media),
  • Problematic and potentially harmful,
  • Easily recognisable, and
  • Covers a range of areas.

For each of our bad sex media examples we also have explanations saying:

  • Why they are a problem,
  • What negative impacts they can have, and
  • What would better ways of presenting sex there are.

The Hanky Code: Signalling sexual preferences in gay culture.

The Hanky Code originated in 1970s San Francisco gay culture, although some have suggested that it goes back to the time of the Gold Rush, when access to women was limited.

It is a way for men looking to have sex with men can communicate the type(s) of sex they like, and what type of role they would like to play (e.g., top versus bottom). It may vary slightly by region to region, but generally the code is pretty consistent.

The Gay Entertainment Directory created the following decoder that captures most combinations. Check it out (click to make larger):

This weekend: Hump! movie tour hits Vancouver.

For those of you unfamiliar with the Hump! movie festival, it's the creation of Dan Savage of Savage Love. People are invited to create short porny films and submit them for review. The best ones are chosen and become part of the Hump! tour, which makes it way around the continent.

From the homepage:

Since 2005, the HUMP! Film Festival has challenged ordinary people from all over the Pacific Northwest to become temporary porn-stars by making their very own five-minute dirty movies for a chance to win big cash prizes. And they did not disappoint! The resulting short films run the gamut of sexual styles: straight, gay, lesbian, transgender... every color in the sexual rainbow. Created and performed by sex-positive people just like you, HUMP! films are sexy, funny, thought-provoking, artistic, outrageous, and oh so real. Now, we're bringing the very best of HUMP! to your town! See 18 of the hottest HUMP! films in action. They'll make you laugh, squeal, and marvel at the broad (and creative) range of human sexuality. It's the best of HUMP! You'll be glad you came.

If you're interested in checking it out, it's this weekend. You can find more information and tickets here: link.

Re-released 1961 documentary on homosexuality: The Rejected.

It wasn't that long ago that homosexuality was considered a mental disorder. It was officially expunged from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual (DSM) of the American Psychiatric Association in 1986.

This documentary from 1961 was considered progressive at the time. It features many of the most forward-thinking researchers and clinicians of the time. Yet, they describe homosexuality  as a disorder that can be treated. This claim was used in attempt to decriminalize homosexual behaviour, which at the time was illegal.

From the description:

Introduced by KQED's General Manager James Day, The Rejected was the first ever U.S. televised documentary about homosexuality, broadcast on September 11th 1961. Originally titled 'The Gay Ones', The Rejected was filmed mostly in the KQED studio. Several sources - including co-producer Irving Saraf - confirm that at least one scene was shot on location at the Black Cat Bar in San Francisco (710 Montgomery Street). However, those scenes and others were cut from the film before it aired. Production correspondence written from March to July 1961 between KQED's Program Manager Jonathan Rice and NET's Director of TV Programming Donley F. Feddersen outline this process whereby The Rejected was edited down from it's original 120 minutes, to 89 minutes, then 74 minutes and finally the 59 minute version which aired. You can now view a draft script for The Rejected in DIVA, scenes from which never aired.
The Rejected is comprised of varied discussions about sexual orientation from: Margaret Mead (anthropologist); Dr. Karl Bowman (former President of the American Psychiatric Association); Harold Call, Donald Lucas and Les Fisher of the Mattachine Society; San Francisco District Attorney Thomas Lynch; Dr. Erwin Braff (Director of San Francisco's Bureau for Disease Control; Al Bendich; Mr J. Albert Hutchinson and Mr. Morris Lowenthal (who engage in debate); Bishop James Pike and Rabbi Alvin Fine. This film was written by John Reavis Jr., produced by Reavis Jr. and Irving Saraf, directed by Dick Christian and features location photography by Philip Greene. Note that Professorial Lecturer of Women's, Gender and Sexuality Studies at American University Bob Connelly wrote an informative article about the making of The Rejected for Advocate.com.

See: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rejected Introduced by KQED's General Manager James Day, The Rejected was the first ever U.S. televised documentary about homosexuality, broadcast on September 11th 1961. Originally titled 'The Gay Ones', The Rejected was filmed mostly in the KQED studio.

Gay marriage legalized in the US

Today is a historic day for the LGBT community and its allies. The Supreme Court of the US ruled that it is unconstitutional for states to ban same sex marriage. Essentially, this means same sex marriages are now legal across the US. Congratulations USA! And welcome to the club.

In honour of today's decision, here's a gif depicting changes in laws concerning same sex marriage, over time and location.


Biphobia.

According to the women in these videos, the pecking order is lesbians > bisexuals > college girls who are experimenting. Keep in mind, the views presented in these videos don't represent all lesbians and bisexuals.

Bisexuality is a common misunderstood orientation. Watch The Gay Version : http://youtu.be/XUXzNowXVwo Subscribe To Matt! : http://youtube.com/gaygod *These are the opinions of SOME lesbians, not all.* ------- Check Out The Lesbians : Liz, Joanna Courtney: http://www.youtube.com/user/hatefulcourtney413 Marissa : http://youtube.com/lezbeontalk LESBIAN ADVENTURES! : http://bit.ly/SubscribeToGirlfriends TWITTER : ‪‪‪http://twitter.com/arielleishammin‬‬‬ FACEBOOK : ‪‪‪http://facebook.com/arielleishamming‬‬ T SHIRTS : ‪‪‪http://www.districtlines.com/arielleishamming SNAIL MAIL : Arielle Scarcella P.O.

Bisexuals respond to what the lesbians think about them. Watch The Original Video : http://youtu.be/xUozcqlhX3w GIRLS in order of appearance : http://www.youtube.com/user/staceybrennan http://youtube.com/heythere005 http://www.youtube.com/user/lezbeontalk http://instagram.com/ms_mujer LESBIAN ADVENTURES! : http://bit.ly/SubscribeToGirlfriends TWITTER : ‪‪‪http://twitter.com/arielleishammin‬‬‬ FACEBOOK : ‪‪‪http://facebook.com/arielleishamming‬‬ T SHIRTS : ‪‪‪http://www.districtlines.com/arielleishamming SNAIL MAIL : Arielle Scarcella P.O.

 

And one from the gay men, with the educational commentary around the 2:30 mark (thanks for passing this along, anonymous student!):

Want to know what the lesbians think about bisexuals? Watch Arielle's video: http://youtu.be/xUozcqlhX3w (and subscribe to her cause she's amazing: http://www.YouTube.com/arielleishamming) CHECK OUT THE GAYS: Nick: http://www.YouTube.com/LUSH Jake: http://www.YouTube.com/TheDiaryofJake Pano: http://www.YouTube.com/Sockl3ss Cameron: http://www.YouTube.com/TheCamCamera Jon: http://www.twitter.com/jonnpastorr Everytime you don't subscribe, a gay baby turns straight. Do it for the gaybies!

 

 And one more video on myths about bisexuals:

PLEASE READ BELOW, CORRECTIONS ADDED. I made this many years ago and I feel like I learnt more about bisexuality and other sexualities after filming this. So some of the things I say in this video I would not say today.


Coming out to immigrant parents.

Despite this clip being specifically about the children of immigrants, the stories are universal. But, it's probably safe to say that coming out as the child of immigrant parents can make things even more difficult, especially if the parents come from a culture that views non-heterosexaulity as negative. From Buzzfeed:

"This part of me is different...and what if it changes the way they see me...?" Check out more awesome videos at BuzzFeed Yellow! http://bit.ly/YTbuzzfeedyellow MUSIC: "Departure" by Exist Strategy https://soundcloud.com/exist-strategy/departure Big thanks to Andrew, Joel, Rashmi, Sara, Vivien, Priscilla, and Noriko for sharing their stories GET MORE BUZZFEED: www.buzzfeed.com www.buzzfeed.com/video www.youtube.com/buzzfeed www.youtube.com/buzzfeedvideo www.youtube.com/buzzfeedyellow www.youtube.com/buzzfeedblue www.youtube.com/buzzfeedviolet BUZZFEED YELLOW Tasty short, fun, inspiring, funny, interesting videos from BuzzFeed.

Bisexual girl problems.

From Buzzfeed:

"You guys must be having SO many threesomes!" Post to Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1oH4WnB Like BuzzFeedVideo on Facebook: http://on.fb.me/1ilcE7k Post to Twitter: http://bit.ly/1E9Wkjc Music: Quirky Moments Music Licensed Via Warner Chappell Production Music Inc. Written by Gaby Dunn Featuring: Gaby Dunn - @gabydunn Kristen Mortensen - @kris10mor10sen Allison Raskin - @allison620