Elements of Humanity

Example: The "FemaleFemale to Both" set of ideograms below denote someone genetically female whose gender identity is female and affinity is toward both men and women; i.e., a bisexual woman.

Some time ago, I read a blog post by a trans woman who didn't care for transgender being included in "LGBT" because it is about gender identity and being lesbian, gay, or bisexual is not. I think I got her point, but I also think terms for sexual orientation imply gender identity.

Some mental maundering led me to work on ways to show various ways different things combine to make us the people we are. The result is Elements of Humanity, ideograms that represent fundamental aspects of our being.

• Genetically female (XX sex chromosomes) or male (XY sex chromosomes)
• Identity of the gender that people know themselves to be: male, female, or both/other
• Affinity or orientation toward women, men, or both men and women

Sets of Genetically, Identity, and Affinity ideograms

FemaleFemale to Both
(bisexual woman)

FemaleFemale to Female (lesbian)

FemaleFemale to Male (straight woman)

FemaleMale to Both
(bisexual trans man)

FemaleMale to Female
(straight trans man)

FemaleMale to Male (gay trans man)

FemaleBoth to Both (bisexual and intersex, genderqueer, or two-spirit)

FemaleBoth to Female
(intersex, genderqueer, or two-spirit)

FemaleBoth to Male
(intersex, genderqueer, or two-spirit)

MaleMale to Both (bisexual man)

MaleMale to Female (straight man)

MaleMale to Male (gay man)

MaleBoth to Both (bisexual and intersex, genderqueer, or two-spirit)

MaleBoth to Female
(intersex, genderqueer, or two-spirit)

MaleBoth to Male
(intersex, genderqueer, or two-spirit)

MaleFemale to Both
(bisexual trans woman)

MaleFemale to Female
(trans lesbian)

MaleFemale to Male
(straight trans woman)

Individual ideograms

Genetically : Female

Genetically : Male

Identity : Both (intersex, genderqueer, or two-spirit)

Identity : Female

Identity : Male

Affinity : Both (bisexual)

Affinity : Female

Affinity : Male

I suspect that describing my "Identity : Both" ideogram as intersex, genderqueer, and two-spirit might not be correct. Please feel free to offer more suitable neutral terms.

Tags: bisexual, Elements of Humanity, gay, GLBT, heterosexual, homosexual, ideogram, intersex, JamieCo Design, lesbian, LGBT, genderqueer, queer, straight, transgender, two-spirit