"Beyond the Closet: The Transformation of Gay and Lesbian Life," "Dude, You're a Fag: Adolescent Male Homophobia," and "Sexual Orientation and Sex in Women's Lives: Conceptual and Methodological Issues" (Rosenblum and Travis, p. 269-292)

"Identities are complex. We don't have just one and in the course of our lives we alter....If an identity...is considered the core, it will help shape an individual's decisions about friends, residence, social activities, and employment" (Rosenblum and Travis, p.269)

"Homophobia is indeed a central mechanism in the making of contemporary American adolescent masculinity" (Rosenblum and Travis, p. 277)

"Sexual behavior is still defined in genital ways that may not accurately reflect the totality of women's sexual experiences" (Rosenblum and Travis, p.291)

As the three quotes seen above point out, identities are ever-changing, are affected by those around us and how society's social constructs have been modeled to us while information/research concerning identity is still lacking (Rosenblum and Travis, 2012).

We do not go through life with only one identity. We may have more than one at a time, and some of those identities may stick with use, become our primary identity while others fade out of our lives or become more secondary identities (Rosenblum and Travis, 2012). As a child, you may consider yourself a student, a daughter, a flute player, and an avid reader. As you grow older, the identity of student and musician fade, while the daughter remains and mother, gardener, and businesswoman join.

In adolescence, society in the U.S. emphasizes that boys should begin to partake in opportunities to show their masculinity. This time of life is often confusing and potentially a difficult transition for boys to make, from boyhood to manhood. At the expense of others, some boys may engage in activities that increase others' perception of their masculinity, such as name calling, physical altercations, etc. Homophobia is a maladaptive manner in which some may attempt to display their entrance into adulthood. This practice is disgusting and as a society, we need to teach that boys do not need to engage in such acts to prove themselves masculine. In fact, they shouldn't have to prove anything at all (Rosenblum and Travis, 2012).

Relationships between two people are often categorized into heterosexual, homosexual, bisexual, etc; however, some think that these do not encompass an individual's experience with relationships, and how relationships may actually look. It is unknown how we all get our needs met through various people in our lives. We may have a sexual partner, a best friend we talk to, etc. (Rosenblum and Travis, 2012).

Going forward, our nation needs to promote individuality even more and decrease the need for people to prove their masculinity or their sexual orientation. There should be no need for categorizing at all, as this only limits people. Since our identities evolve over time, our society needs to realize that reality, and reinforce the idea that is ok while teaching people how to co-exist without hatred for differences in identity.

Rosenblum, K. E., & Travis, T. C. (2012). The Meaning of Difference: American Constructions of Race, Sex and Gender, Social Class, Sexual Orientation, and Disability (ed.). New York, NY: McGraw Hill.