by Ray Langley

Created on: November 28, 2010   Last Updated: November 29, 2010

Define sexual ambiguity

Ambiguity is a state without clear definition, and for sexuality, it goes against social norms not to define the self clearly. It goes beyond the effeminate male and the woman with cropped hair, and excludes members of the gay and lesbian community. The reverse gender roles by the gay and lesbian community are not ambiguous, yet the result of a lifestyle. These two different states of being are often confused, as younger sexual ambiguous children are the target of bullies, because the bullying child’s intellect cannot comprehend a state of existence beyond the two defined gender roles.

What does it mean to be sexually ambiguous? For men it is the absence of the defining characteristics typical of male development and social roles defined for each male. Late sexual development, slight physical appearance and a disinterest in pursuing the opposite sex, either through lowered hormonal desire, or shyness. These factors create the ambiguous images by their absence, yet do not define the individual. A slight, soft-spoken man who cares about his appearance, and is tidy can fall victim to the gay stereotype, without ever expressing any interest in the same sex. In addition, many gay men fit neatly into the social norms and expectations for the typical male, without ambiguity.

For women the issue becomes one of deeper comprehension. The limits that men understand women create a partition between the male and a true understanding of female sexuality. The female gender roles also have a wider variance of acceptance in society. A woman can crop her hair; choose not to follow socially accepted standards for beauty, and dress in the opposite role, without it considered sexually ambiguous. For females, the mannerisms and self-proclamations are really the only characteristics that can put them into an ambiguous state. This is proves true by many institutions that try to impose what is acceptable for males and female to wear, activities the separate genders can participate and the attitude of the institution of those who dare to step out of the accepted boundaries.

Sexual ambiguity goes beyond the appearance of the individual. It does encompass the personal choices of each person, the acceptable roles for each gender in the society, and the general attitude of that society toward those who choose not to follow the prescribed definitions of males and females. The biggest challenge that all sexually ambiguous people face are stereotypes of homosexuality, weakness or being different. These challenges should not exist in a society that has freedom of expression, but does exist because as a society, humans are generally insecure and need validation by their peers.

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