How and for whom does gender matter? Rethinking the concept of sexual orientation

Abstract

While the gender reliant binary hetero/homo sexual orientation model shapes our social understanding of sex and desire, there is often a disjuncture between individuals’ self-described sexual orientations and the gender(s) of their sexual partners. This article examines the complex relationships between individuals’ sexual orientations, sexual experiences, and choices of sexual and intimate partners. Using qualitative data gathered from samples of two sexual subcultures, this article explores new ways of conceptualizing sexual selves, desires, and relationships outside of the traditional categories of heterosexual and homosexual. We explore resistance to heterosexual identification, conventional heterodoxies, and heteronormativity and provide a framework for a rethinking of the concept of sexual orientation to move beyond the current gender-centric model.