Queering gender: studying gender identity in ‘normative’ individuals

Joel, Daphna; Tarrasch, Ricardo; Berman, Zohar; Mukamel, Maya and Ziv, Effy. 2013. Queering gender: studying gender identity in ‘normative’ individuals. Psychology & Sexuality, pp. 291-321. ISSN 1941-9899 [Article]

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Abstract or Description

In contemporary psychology, normal development is contingent on the establishment of a coherent, universal, stable and unitary ‘core gender identity’. The present study assessed the perception of gender identity in ‘normative’ individuals in Israel using the newly constructed Multi-Gender Identity Questionnaire (Multi-GIQ). The Multi-GIQ includes 32 items assessing gender identity (Feeling like a woman, Feeling like a man, Feeling like both a man and a woman, Feeling like neither), gender dysphoria (Contentment with affirmed gender and the wish to be the ‘other’ gender, Contentment with one’s sexed body) and gender performance (Compliance with gender norms in clothing and language). Of the Men (n = 570) and Women (n = 1585) that participated in the study, over 35% felt to some extent as the ‘other’ gender, as both men and women and/or as neither. Although such feelings were more prevalent and on average stronger in Queers (n = 70), the range of scores for all measures of gender identity was highly similar in Queers and non-Queers. A similar pattern was obtained for measures of gender dysphoria and gender performance. Sexual orientation was not a major contributor to the perception of gender identity in both Men and Women. We discuss our results in view of the current debate around the terminology and diagnostic criteria of gender dysphoria (a substitutive category for Gender Identity Disorder) in DSM-V. We conclude that the current view of gender identity as binary and unitary does not reflect the experience of many individuals, and call for a new conceptualisation of gender, which relates to multiplicity and fluidity in the experience of gender.

Item Type:

Article

Identification Number (DOI):

https://doi.org/10.1080/19419899.2013.830640

Keywords:

gender identity, gender dysphoria, performance, queer, sexual orientation

Departments, Centres and Research Units:

Social, Therapeutic & Community Engagement (STaCS) > Unit for Psychotherapeutic Studies

Dates:

DateEvent
5 September 2013Published Online
29 July 2013Accepted

Item ID:

23701

Date Deposited:

17 Jul 2018 15:35

Last Modified:

17 Jul 2018 15:35

Peer Reviewed:

Yes, this version has been peer-reviewed.

URI:

https://research.gold.ac.uk/id/eprint/23701

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