California Academic Proposes Eliminating Sexual Identity Labels
An associate professor from the University of California has presented a compelling argument for discarding traditional sexual identifiers, claiming that terms such as gay and lesbian actively harm transgender people. Brandon Andrew Robinson, who uses they/them pronouns, made these remarks during a discussion with UC Riverside while promoting their recently published book, Trans Pleasure: On Gender Liberation and Sexual Freedom.
The Limitations of Identity Labels
Robinson contends that identities inherently limit individuals, pointing to the continuous creation of new, hyper-specific identities like gynosexual, sapiosexual, asexual, or pansexual as evidence that such labels fail to capture the full complexities of gender, sexualities, and desire. They elaborated on this multifaceted argument in their conversation with the university.
First, I want people to question why we privilege gender and genitals above all other attributes—like height or race—when we conceptualize our sexual identity, Robinson stated. They further explained that the term gay, which describes a man attracted to another man, assumes a man is a stable, inherent category, despite historical evidence showing that definitions of manhood are constantly evolving.
Harm to Transgender Individuals
Robinson emphasized that gender essentialism—the belief that men and women possess fixed, biologically determined traits—harms trans people, who often complicate those binary boundaries. By removing gendered identifiers, society could shift toward a more biological understanding of humanity, moving beyond current gender roles that influence sexuality.
It allows us to explore our desires beyond labels that often confine and constrain us, Robinson noted. And it allows us to explore our desires beyond shame that often comes with many labels as well.
Community Concerns and Research Basis
When challenged that eliminating identifying terms might dismantle communities formed around those labels, Robinson responded, I think the risk is worth it. While those communities are important, moving beyond those labels allows us to see people more accurately.
Robinson's book is grounded in extensive research, including analysis of Reddit discussions and approximately 48 Zoom interviews with transgender women or individuals identifying with a feminine gender expression. I wanted to see how people were talking about their desires for trans people, and how trans people were talking about their own desires around dating, they explained.
The response was overwhelming, with over 100 replies received in less than 12 hours. Robinson attributed this enthusiasm to many trans women never having been asked about this aspect of their lives before.
Academic Background and Publication
Published on February 24 by the University of California Press, Trans Pleasure adds to Robinson's body of work. They serve as an associate professor of gender and sexuality studies and chair of the department at UC Riverside, with previous publications including Coming Out To the Streets and the co-authored Race and Sexuality.
The Daily Mail has reached out to Robinson for additional comment on their provocative stance regarding sexual identifiers and their impact on the transgender community.
