Gender is everywhere. When you visit a public restroom, fill out a registration form, get a new haircut, enter a clothes store, or step on your bicycle. Yet between the stereotypical male and female, a whole range of identities, expressions and sexualities can be found.
In society, we like to categorize people as either male or female, but what if you don't feel at home with your assigned gender? Most people have a penis or vagina, but your gender identity can be different from the biological sex you were born with. If you identify as male, you may still want to dress more femininely. And all of that says nothing about your sexual and romantic preferences.
Expressions of gender and sexuality that go beyond male and female are not new, but they’re increasingly moving from the margins to the mainstream. These developments are often met with resistance. Transgender individuals, for example, belong to one of the most stigmatized groups in society. In this lecture, psychologist Mark Hommes will not only discuss the major role gender plays in our lives, but he will in particular illustrate how people are affected when they don't fit into the usual boxes.
Dr. Mark Hommes is an associate professor in the department of Clinical Psychology at the Open University. His research focuses on (self)stigma, coping and well-being among transgender people and their families.
This lecture was recorded on 16 November 2022.