Our local leftist rag, The Willamette Weekly (which I call “The Moth” because its stylized initials on the cover resemble the Hebrew word for “moth”) has reported that Portland State University now recognizes nine genders, and nine sexual orientations:
The expanded options grow out of 2015 legislation that asked all Oregon public universities to allow students to disclose their sexual orientations so schools could better serve students. But the effort grew to include additional genders…
Here are the choices PSU students now have when disclosing their gender:
Agender
Genderqueer
Man
Non-binary
Questioning or unsure
Trans man
Trans woman
Transgender
Woman
Other
Funny how “Woman” ended up at the bottom; I guess alphabetical order is sexist. Also, I’m a bit surprised they didn’t include “Trans fat” in the list.
The article continues:
Here are the choices PSU students now have when disclosing their sexual orientation:
Asexual
Bisexual
Gay
Heterosexual/straight
Lesbian
Pansexual
Queer
Questioning or unsure
Same-gender-loving
Other
I asked a gay friend of mine what “Same-gender-loving” means, and how it’s different from “Gay.” He was as confused about it as I was, but I’ve done a little reading, and apparently “Same-gender-loving” is a specifically black version of “Gay.” Only it’s not that simple. To the question, “What, exactly, is the difference?” it’s hard to get a straight answer (pardon the pun).
I’m also confused about the distinction between “Gay” and “Lesbian.” Aren’t lesbians gay women? It’s all so confusing!
Personally, I think there are as many shades of sexuality, and identity, as there are people. To try to label them all, and define them, is an exercise in futility. At this rate, we’ll have entire books (textbooks, no doubt) explaining the various distinctions and nuances.
Even the above list is far from exhaustive. What about zoophiles, necrophiles, and people who like to have sex with cars or furniture? We need to be inclusive, don’t we?
How does knowing students’ sexual orientation make it easier for schools to serve them? I would imagine most of them are there to earn a degree. Unless the degree is in sexuality, I don’t see how the student’s sexual orientation is relevant.
There should be an additional option for both of the above lists:
None of your business!
Only nine choices? Facebook offers 58.
They forgot those who are trans-species! Does the university discriminate against non-humans trapped in human bodies? How much longer will right-wing racist academia refuse to acknowledge that we exist or give us the respect to which we are entitled? I call on non-humans to march in protest of Portland State University’s discriminatory policies!
THERE SHOULD BE ONLY THREE- MALE, FEMALE, AND “IT”.
Re your question, I’d guess that “gay” refers to a biological male who relates sexually to biological males (and perhaps similarly to a female who relates to other females).
Whereas “same-gender-loving” relates to a person who identifies as being of a gender and who relates to someone who also identifies as being of that gender. (Such as a male who relates to a female transsexual identifying as a male. Or two biological males who both identify as female and relate to each other.)
All horrendous or diverting or whatever. But, as you say, why is the university trying to keep track of all this?