Gender Identity and Sexuality in Adolescence
Directions: Locate and select a book, movie, television series, or streaming series that portrays an adolescent character who struggles with gender identity or issues related to their sexuality. The following have been provided as options, but you do not have to select one from the list. The following shows, movies, and works of literature are for mature audiences and have an R or M rating.
Movies: Tomboy - no rating, Wild Tigers I Have Known (2006) - not rated, Geography Club (2013) - PG-13
Documentaries: Little Girl (2020) - not rated
Books: Middlesex, Freakboy, Cemetery Boys
TV Shows: I am Jazz -not rated, Euphoria - M rating, We Are Who We Are - M rating
Write a paper in 1,200-1,500 words and address the following:
What gender or sexuality issue is the character struggling with? Describe the character's adolescent stage of development. If you are unsure, based on what you know about their background, did they struggle in adolescence?
What are some physical, cognitive, and social challenges and changes this character might have experienced during adolescence? Include a description of a pivotal moment when the character transitioned.
What support if any does the character have? What impact might the lack of support have?
How is the character impacted by factors using the processes of development (e.g., social norms)? What social stigmas exist for this character, and how do they handle these stigmas? Include a discussion on the relationship and influence of religion on the characters development.
How can the Christian Worldview influence gender and/or sexual identity? Based on various Worldviews, how can different perceptions cultivate stigmas?
Gender Identity and Sexuality in Adolescence
Author’s Name
Institution of Affiliation
Course Name
Instructor’s Name
Date
Gender Identity and Sexuality in Adolescence
Since time immemorial, gender seems to be the benchmark for an individual's identity; therefore, somebody with XX chromosomes is considered a female and should have feminine qualities, while a person with an XY chromosome is described as male and should have masculine attributes. Personal sexuality is also determined by gender, meaning a man should fall in love with a woman and vice versa. Due to several debates over the years about sexual identity, numerous books, television series, and movies have been released to address this issue. This paper reflects on "Tomboy," a movie released in 2011 by French female director Celine Sciamma as it provides insights into sexual identity.
The film describes an adolescent girl named Laurie who desires to establish her identity and sexuality. The French film comprises various themes of sexuality as portrayed by characters, particularly Laurie. Laurie, an adolescent girl, covers herself up as a boy named Mikael after she relocates to a new neighborhood. As the narrative goes by, the audience begins to recognize curiosity as a constant theme in the entire film as they watch Laurie/Mikael's quest to understand who she is, depending on the interaction with her family and friends. The initial image demonstrates the back, which appears to be like a boy's slender with brown hair rustling in the wind.
During Laurie's adolescence, she spends much time learning tricks to act like a boy. For example, she creates a fake Play-Doh penis to position it in the swimming trunks. She fashioned herself from a girl's swimsuit and spat like her male friends when playing soccer. Furthermore, she embraces these habits to cover up her femininity and develop a character she can relate to as Mikael. On the other hand, she experiences numerous struggles. For instance, her physical appearance is impacted depending on certain activities depending on activities they engage in. On one occasion, she does not show up when her new friend goes swimming. She is not contented when she looks at herself in the mirror. Laurie worries about whether her friends will accept him, particularly after keeping them in the dark.
The experiences of Laurie in French culture add an extra layer of conflict. The French language offers little room for people to exist outside a gender, a critical issue Laurie has to tackle in the movie. For example, after Laurie's friends and family meets, they use masculine types of words, which play a vital role in demonstrating that Laurie's identities could exist together in the language. During this instance, gender dictates the French language, which is grouped into boxes of feminine and masculine. Although new strides have been made to offer space for individuals to present themselves with authenticity linguistically, "Tomboy" film demonstrates the need for a continued determined effort to embrace gender neutrality in the French language.
The film demonstrates that Laurie is shown support in her home. Back at home, there is extreme happiness and love. Moreover, Laurie's family is supportive as the parents act as both restrictive and caregiver's challenges (Dry, 2022). They support her side as she dresses in masculine clothes and has a male haircut. However, when she visits Lisa and plays around with makeup, her mother becomes even happier, motivating her to present herself as a female even as she hides her face. This demonstrates how gender forces adults to communicate with their children in a subtle way each day. Laurie spends her time outdoors, hanging out with others who accept her. However, a lack of support could, in turn, hurt her. The conflict...