Why are we afraid of giving “girl toys” to little boys? Why don’t we have those same fears about giving little girls “boy toys?” Delene van Dyke, a sexuality and gender diversity educator from South Africa, explains how all of that has to do with the way we tend to put everything into binary categories. This or that. Either this or that. Black or white. Boy or girl.  Gay or straight.

And what about the labels of “gay or straight?” Are those categories even as simple a label as they seem? For example, particular sexual behaviors, like receiving anal stimulation during sex have been identified as quintessential marks of male homosexuality. But many men who identify as straight also enjoy varying degrees of anal stimulation. Does that mean that they are secretly gay, or that human sexuality is more nuanced and complex than we’ve been led to believe? The problem, as she brilliantly has shown, is that we’ve conflated what really should be separate phenomena – gender, sexual identity, body parts, and sexual behavior.

This episode may help you understand more of the “whys” behind some of our society’s biggest social issues right now. And, as Delene says on the show, once you know the why, the how–particularly how to effect positive change–will often take care of itself. It’s usually when people step outside of their binary boxes that the magic happens.

Practical and Tactical Tips

1. When you wake up tomorrow morning start looking at how society makes differentiations between men and women. Just observe. Don’t try to make it a big thing—you will feel overwhelmed if you try to change into this person you’re not ready to be yet. But, if you begin to look for it, you will see it. Then when you’re ready, start to ask, what is the impact? What does it mean?
2. Start building more awareness around what you think and feel. Is it real? Is it true?
3. Find someone of the opposite gender who you are comfortable with. Start having heart-to-heart conversations with them about their experiences in the world. Listen without judgment or defenses, with a goal of understanding.

About Our Guest

Delene van Dyke is a nurse therapist and nurse educator by profession, with more than 20 years’ experience in the field of mental health, sexual health and education.She runs her own consultancy, 2nd Sight Consultants, focusing on training, development and mentorship of individuals and groups, to understand human sexuality, specifically sexual and gender diversity, better and integrating it with Sexual and Reproductive Health and Rights work. Her work includes the prevention of HIV and Gender-Based Violence, and consultation to various governments, NGOs and private institutions in Africa and internationally. At the World Association of Sexual Health Congress in Singapore, July 2015, the training modality, Binaries & Boxes (or Not!) was acknowledged as groundbreaking in understanding gender and sexual identity, diversity and fluidity. She also works as part of the multidisciplinary team in specialized sex-positive sexual health private practice, facilitating in increased understanding of sexual and gender diversity for clients and colleagues.

Mentioned in This Episode

Teen Vogue

Everyday Feminism

Rob Weiss

The Water

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