Exploring Sexual Orientation and Gender Identity Development in Young Children

Abstract

Sexual Orientation in Young Children Introduction People don't choose their sexual orientation (heterosexuality, homosexuality, or bisexuality), nor can they decide to be a boy or a girl. For example homosexual people agree that already, very young, they felt different from other children. They weren't quite sure how they were different, but they knew they weren't like everyone else. It was during puberty, at the beginning of adolescence, that they understood a little better: they had preferences for people of the same sex as themselves, while the majority of their comrades had interests for people of the same sex. Just as the way they reach important emotional and physical milestone, for example learning to walk or recognize their parents, young kids also reach important milestone in how they experience, recognize and feel about their bodies and how they develop attachment to others. The attachment they establish in their early years help them set the stage for intimacy and bonding down the line. Body The lactation stage is characterized by the total dependence of the child on their caregivers, requiring them to satisfy their basic needs. If the child's needs are met with little frustration, there will be an affective sense of security. This is manifested through breastfeeding, caresses, voice and looks(Frankowski , 2021). The repetition of this experience generates in the infant an internal representation that his / her caregivers are there to comfort him / her, forming a secure bond with them and, constituting a feeling of basic security. If their needs are not consistently met, the infant has feelings of insecurity, incorporating a mental representation of the world as a hostile place with a greater probability of developing an insecure bond (ambivalent, avoidant, or disorganized).According to Erikson, from birth to 12 to 18 months is the period of basic trust versus mistrust, developing a sense of whether or not it is possible to trust the world. The virtue to be achieved in this period is hope. According to Freud, from birth to 12 to 18 months is the oral stage, in which the main source of pleasure is given by activities carried out with the mouth. Children by the age of 2 and 3 will start to develop a sense of being a female or a male this awareness is known a gender identity. A child at this age will start to understand the difference between girls and boys and can be in a position to identify themselves bad one or the other(Frankowski 2021). Gender identity in this case is combination of both biological factor and child environment factors. At this age a child will start to associate certain behaviors called gender roles, either a male or a female. By preschool most children will have developed a strong sense of being either a girl or a boy and will control to explore more purposely. During this state it is not good to scold them when they touch themselves because this will prompt a sense of shame and guilt. At this stage also kids will also tend to be curious about bodies of others too. Parents during this stage should not overreact but should try to understand it’s just an innocent game. The preschool stage is characterized by large changes at the biological level of a maturational type that allow walking, sphincter control and the appearance of symbolic function and, with it, language (Sexual behaviors in young children ,2021). The child frequently opposes the orders of authority with stubbornness and stubbornness as a way of asserting himself in front of others that is why this stage is also called the “age of obstinacy”. This situation is an indicator that the child is discovering and developing his / her own identity. Play is presented to the child as a way of rehearsing the recently acquired symbolic function. Through the game, he represents roles, scenarios, etc. From an individualistic symbolic game it progressively passes to a collective one where it must play with other children to achieve its objectives. This collective symbolic game imitates behaviors of adults, which favors adaptation to the roles that they will have in relation to their gender. At this point in development, curiosity about sexuality appears. With a progressive exploration of their body, the children begin to get to know each other, and in this way games such as "the father and the mother" and "the doctor" become common. In the exploration of the genitals, pleasant sensations appear which favors the behavior of self-stimulation or infantile masturbation (Sexual behaviors in young children, 2021). These behaviors may be accompanied by feelings of fear or inhibition, which to a great extent will depend on the reaction of adults to them, making dialogue and loving guidance important. It may help to explain the concept of external genitalia as “private” body parts. The thought is egocentric, magical and concrete, which must be taken into account when children ask questions about sexuality. From 18 months to 3 years is the stage of autonomy versus shame or doubt, developing a balance of independence. The virtue to achieve during this stage is desire. From 3 to 6 years old, it is the stage of initiative versus guilt, in which the child develops initiative by trying new things and does not allow him to be overwhelmed by failure. The virtue to be achieved at that stage is the purpose. At the cognitive level, according to Piaget, from 2 to 7 years old, a representational intelligence is passed that is constituted at this stage by pre-operational or symbolic thinking, using words to represent people, places, events, etc. When the child is 2- 3 years he focuses on sphincter control where he experiences retaining and expelling, which gives him more control and the ability to assert your will and, therefore, assert yourself. Also for Freud, between 3 and 6 years is the phallic stage in which the gratification zone is the genital region. At this stage there is the Oedipus complex in boys and the Electra complex in girls. Moral development at this stage is in relation to obedience to avoid punishment or for personal gain. Talking about sexuality in childhood is essential since at this stage interest is awakened in multiple areas, including social activities. Therefore, it is not uncommon to observe self-stimulating behaviors. In addition, children are able to learn to differentiate what is public from what is private. If this does not happen and they are unable to discern the difference, it is advised that it be kindly explained to them, not that they be punished. At 3 or 4 years they begin to have a certain concept about the existence of genital differences and are interested in situations such as positions to urinate, for example. On the other hand, they enjoy hugging their parents, kissing them, and even proposing to them. Over the age of 5, children become more modest due to learning social restrictions, parents' teachings, etc. This ends in sexual play, which is primarily motivated by curiosity. As a result, from the age of 4 or 5, children's sexuality becomes more social. For this reason, they may play games imitating adults (playing doctor), hugging, kissing, showing their genitals or manipulating them. At approximately 5 years of age, they have already formed a general concept of aspects such as marriage or the opposite gender couple, among others, so they play games that involve the participation of various roles (playing father and mother, for example).It is marked above all by the fact that the adolescents are physically prepared to procreate and have children. However, they are not psychologically prepared to do so. Elementary school children (6 to 10) are different and are especially interested in gender roles, birth and pregnancy. At this stage, girls will play with girls and boys with boys. This is also the stage in life where the media and their peer start to have a bigger influence on sexual attitudes. Children at this age are likely to turn to a peer or get information from an older child, information about sexual organ, sex or reproduction. As a parent or guardian it is appropriate to initiate some age- appropriate conversation to the child at this age. Many children at elementary school believe that babies are made when a man and wife kiss, swim or sleep in the same bed. Parents of elementary school kids may face the following issues(Sexual orientation in children, 2020). First is bad language, children will pick up inappropriate slangs and bad language from the media, friends...