Intersection with Sexuality

Trans-homosexuals outside the LGBTQ community

Relating back to the medical sector, a trans person’s sexuality was considered when assessing their access to medical care. People outside the LGBTQ community often confused the lines between gender and sexuality. Historically, doctors would only allow a sex reassignment surgery to a trans person who would be “heterosexual post-surgery” (Haefele-Thomas). Yes, there is a lot to unpack here. Firstly, like above, it considers sexuality to be dependent on a person’s bodily characteristics, thereby assuming physically altering one’s body also inverts one’s sexual orientation. Secondly, it is heteronormative; it implies that in order to be a “real” trans person, one must be the opposite gender of those who you are attracted to. This is the opposite side of the same coin from above, in which implies that in order to be a “real” gay person one must have the same biological sex. Such discrimination can only be recognized with the interlacing of homophobia and transphobia.

Trans people also face double erasure at the hands of both homosexual and heterosexual people. As seen in the examples above, cisgender heterosexuals often categorize trans and gay people as one and the same, ignoring the fact that trans issues and concerns can be separate from those of homosexuals. On the flip side, research by Monro finds that many gay people believe that “transgender issues are gender issues,” and should be excluded from LGB platforms and theory (Monro). This one-two punch to trans theory occurs because of its simultaneous categorization with and exclusion from queer theory.