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Lauren Perez

Professor Nelson

ENGL 1302

10/12/2021

Gender Fluidity

Gender fluidity is a topic that the majority of people do not understand. Typically, most

parents have taught their kids that only two genders exist. This can have an effect during a child's

adolescence. Although gender norms are not just society's standard view, this view also plays a

role in cultures with traditional beliefs. The common conversation involving gender fluidity

usually tends to be overlooked, neglected, and has a negative viewpoint on the idea. Due to this,

people with gender identity conflicts can suffer from mental health issues, and it can go for all

ages. The majority of people who have experienced hardship with their gender identity can often

lead to trauma. Because they usually come into contact with people's beliefs that they would

have to "pick a gender”, or their gender is what was documented after birth. Yet, that is not the

case in a study researchers could argue that it is a "pattern in time." Because their understanding

is that gender is not stable attainment due to one person adapting to current circumstances while

building on previous dynamics (Diamond). There is a wide variety of research dealing with

gender fluidity; This paper shows there is a dynamic, and growing field of research examining

how gender fluidity ties to adolescent development and mental health, including coping

mechanisms.
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Gender Fluidity

Frontanella, Maretti, and Sarra understood that the idea of gender starts from cultural and

social traditions of femininities and masculinities regardless of either male or female sex. This

research aims to present the experiences of gender code transformation globally and discover the

disparities in gender-related feelings, beliefs, attitudes, and behavior across various identity

profiles. Frontanella, et al. explained that gender has a significant influence in life, and what

male and female roles consist of. This includes how a person interacts with others, their

behavior, psychological characteristics, and social characteristics. The authors argue that "gender

is not something we are but what we do," meaning socially recreated regularly, it changes the

viewpoint with either sex (Frontanella, pg. 2). Due to this, it affects a person's social life even in

situations they come across on. The authors have conducted few ways to come across a better

understanding on gender fluidity by creating a survey that consist of three parts along with a

multidimensional approach to gender identity. The Multidimensional approach involves an

overall person’s gender profile, psychological reasoning, and shared experiences.

In Thompson research about Lien Stein’s message behind “Fluidity of Gender” came

from source called GenderBend in 2010. It states from one perspective, it's more feminine; from

another, it's more masculine: From the front, it has broad hips and petite breasts, and from the

back, it has strong shoulders and a straight waist. Implying that Judith Butler's work on gender

performativity during the last two decades sheds light on this which caught Stein’s attention.

Although the idea behind the sculptures remained the same by showing the point where the

performance is never perfected and is always in progress. Stein’s sculptures allow viewers to
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consider what determines their gender, as well envision themselves in connection to other ideals,

such as a model that is out of proportion to their body. Tactility is also displayed on the sculpture

which is visuality is intellectual and spiritual rather than bodily, hence it is a higher grade of

sensation. It is also used for a strategy to approach for exploring feminine subjectivity and sexual

desire while avoiding exploitative and objectifying gazes. In these figurative works, Stein

likewise emphasizes tactility, yet with a different goal in mind to call attention to the body

surface by using body image. In the Fluidity of Gender, body image, gender identity, and

sexuality are all in inscribed and inflected at the level of skin.

Gender Fluidity in Child Adolescences

Diamond mentions in the article that typically a child gets a basic understanding of

labeling genders in their language within a range of eighteen to twenty-four months of age. This

is also the time when children begin to establish a sense their own individual of identity and start

seeking information on acceptable behavior. As a result, once child enters this stage, they are

able to recognize, and employ gender categories, their gender typed behavior grows as in what

toys a kid plays with. Later on, when a child reaches an age range of three to five years, they

develop gender constancy which refers to the recognition that gender is a permanent trait.

Diamond believes that when children get a grasp on gender constancy, they often become less

rigid in gender types behaviors. Reflecting on understanding the since gender is permanent, it

cannot be altered by changes in clothes or play behavior. When a child enters middle childhood,

they start to develop an increasing ability to observe social categories from a variety of angles, as

well as a realization that other people have their own unique beliefs, motivations, feelings, states,
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and points of view. This source talks about these ideas behind child adolescences to bring

awareness on what the stages are when a child comes into terms with gender constancy. Starting

from where an infant is aware of the fundamental importance of the category by distinguishing

women, and men.

Mental Health and Gender Fluidity

Lynch along with Mbatha, Nel, and Victor who study psychology have conducted

research in South Africa about mental health in gender diversity. The authors give the reader an

insight into the position on sexual and gender diversity from within the psychological society in

South Africa. On the African continent, that offers psychologists a positive perspective on a

sector of human experience that has been historically ignored from discussions about

psychological well-being in sexual and gender variety. Which make it difficult because

individuals encounter patriarchy, and heterosexist (believes in only heterosexuality) communities

that discriminate based on gender, and sexuality. The profession of psychology has long had an

implicit heterosexist orientation, implying that research and practice, both locally and globally,

have largely suppressed genders and sexualities that differed from this norm. It led to the

LGBTQ plus community being condemned, victimized, and persecuted in significant ways.

Bailey along with Ellis, and McNeil have researched the mental health involving

transgender people, and people with identity hardships in the UK along with suicide risk. Bailey,

et al. have found that the influence of gender dysphoria, minority stress, and medical delay, in

particular, is underlined the findings around suicidal ideation along with suicide attempts. The
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authors have conducted a survey with a list of questions addressing their suicidal ideation and

suicide attempts throughout their lives, as well as how this may be related to their trans status

and gender transition. What the researches have found was that as a result, trans persons may be

up to seven times more likely than the global norm to attempt suicide. Bailey, et al. have

cumulated the overall reasoning behind the suicide risk which were gender dysphoria,

Confusion/denial about gender, fears around transitioning, social stigma, etc. Gender transition,

on the other hand, has been demonstrated to significantly reduce suicidal ideation and suicide

attempts in individuals who desire it. Thus, stressing the importance of social transition and

gender reassignment in increasing respondents' quality of life and overall well-being.

Nadal with Wong, Issa, Meterko, Leon, and Wildman researched on the LGBTQ plus

community mental health, and how they use coping mechanisms. Nadal, et al. focused on LGB

which is lesbians, gays, and bisexuals on how they cope with microaggressions that play a role in

their mental health. The researches have categorized various types mechanisms when they

interact with microaggressions. Microaggressions are a group of people who are discriminated

against, or another way of heterosexism in its different forms. Nadal, et al. stated that previous

research involving prejudice, hate crimes, antigay harassment, etc. has negatively impacted

mental health of those who are LBGT. It has even led to a report of suicide attempts among the

youth in LGBT. The coping mechanism were protective coping, confrontational coping, and

passive coping when it came to microaggressions. As a result, it's critical to understand why

many LGB persons get depressed in the first place, and how that depression can progress to self-

destructive behaviors.
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Conclusion

In the end, gender fluidity is a vast interpretation. Yet, majority of the research that

involve gender fluidity imply that gender is not stable, it is flexible. It is more than a social

construct rather than it being perceive from traditions, culture, and gender norms. Although

gender fluidity is a board statement it is not something a reader can find an immediate answer it

is more complex than that. Then the general base definition of gender fluidity. Therefore, this

paper demonstrates by making a connection to one source to another. Along with the expanding

field of study that explores how gender fluidity play a significant role in adolescent development

and mental health, that also includes coping mechanisms.

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Works Cited

Bailey, Louis, et al. “Suicide Risk in the Uk Trans Population and the Role of Gender Transition

in Decreasing Suicidal Ideation and Suicide Attempt.” Mental Health Review Journal, vol. 19,

no. 4, 2014, pp. 209–220., doi:10.1108/MHRJ-05-2014-0015.

Diamond, Lisa M. “Gender Fluidity and Nonbinary Gender Identities among Children and

Adolescents.” Child Development Perspectives, vol. 14, no. 2, 2020, pp. 110–115.,

doi:10.1111/cdep.12366.

Fontanella, Lara, et al. “Gender Fluidity Across the World: A Multilevel Item Response Theory

Approach.” Quality & Quantity : International Journal of Methodology, vol. 48, no. 5, 2014, pp.

2553–2568., doi:10.1007/s11135-013-9907 -4.

Lynch, Ingrid, et al. “The Psychological Society of South Africa Sexual and Gender Diversity

Position Statement : Contributing Towards a Just Society.” South African Journal of Psychology,

vol. 44, no. 3, 2014, pp. 292–302., doi:10.1177/0081246314533635.

Nadal, Kevin, et al. “Sexual Orientation Microaggressions: Processes and Coping Mechanisms

for Lesbian, Gay, and Bisexual Individuals.” Journal of Lgbt Issues in Counseling, vol. 5, no. 1,

2011, pp. 21–46.

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Thompson, Margo Hobbs. “Linda Stein's ‘Fluidity of Gender’ (2009-2010).” Sex Roles, vol. 65,

no. 7-8, 2011, pp. 647–650.