LGBTQ Community, Gender Dynamics in

For the lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and queer (LGBTQ) community in the United States, gender has been a central organizing feature. Gay men and lesbians, for instance, experience gender nonconformity more often and in higher degrees in early childhood than their heterosexual counterparts. This can lead to more concern and anxiety about gender performance and affect interactions in places like schools, athletic teams, and other social events. In addition, LGBTQ individuals have historically been considered gender dysfunctional by religious, law enforcement, medical, and psychological institutions in the United States, resulting in persecution, alienation, and even, in some cases, incarceration. The American Psychological Association removed homosexuality from the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders in 1973 and removed any definition of homosexuality as a disorder ...