Once upon a time, as all good stories start, one’s sex (your gender) meant you were either male or female. It was that simple.

Not anymore.

The word “sex” to identify someone sexual orientation (gender) – male or female, is now removed by many countries.

Belize is the latest country to change “sex” to “sexual orientation” in its Constitution.

I’m afraid, being out of touch in such legal matters, I had to look up the words “sexual orientation” to discover its actual meaning.

Even after reading a number of sources as to exactly what that is, I am still confused.

This is what Wikipedia states: (the numbers in brackets are the actual references)

Sexual orientation

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Sexual orientation is an enduring pattern of romantic or sexual attraction (or a combination of these) to persons of the opposite sex or gender, the same sex or gender, or to both sexes or more than one gender. These attractions are generally subsumed under heterosexuality, homosexuality, and bisexuality,[1][2] while asexuality (the lack of sexual attraction to others) is sometimes identified as the fourth category.[3][4]

These categories are aspects of the more nuanced nature of sexual identity and terminology.[1] For example, people may use other labels, such as pansexual or polysexual,[5] or none at all.[1] According to the American Psychological Association, sexual orientation “also refers to a person’s sense of identity based on those attractions, related behaviors, and membership in a community of others who share those attractions”.[1][6] Androphilia and gynephilia are terms used in behavioral science to describe sexual orientation as an alternative to a gender binary conceptualization. Androphilia describes sexual attraction to masculinity; gynephilia describes the sexual attraction to femininity.[7] The term sexual preference largely overlaps with sexual orientation, but is generally distinguished in psychological research.[8] A person who identifies as bisexual, for example, may sexually prefer one sex over the other.[9] Sexual preference may also suggest a degree of voluntary choice,[8][10][11] whereas the scientific consensus is that sexual orientation is not a choice.[12][13][14]

Scientists do not know the exact cause of sexual orientation, but they theorize that it is caused by a complex interplay of genetic, hormonal, and environmental influences.[12][14][15] Although no single theory on the cause of sexual orientation has yet gained widespread support, scientists favor biologically-based theories.[12] There is considerably more evidence supporting nonsocial, biological causes of sexual orientation than social ones, especially for males.[16][17][18] There is no substantive evidence which suggests parenting or early childhood experiences play a role with regard to sexual orientation.[19] Research over several decades has demonstrated that sexual orientation ranges along a continuum, from exclusive attraction to the opposite sex to exclusive attraction to the same sex.[1]

Sexual orientation is reported primarily within biology and psychology (including sexology), but it is also a subject area in anthropology, history (including social constructionism), and law,[20] and there are other explanations that relate to sexual orientation and culture.

Go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sexual_orientation

There you can read the whole explanation. I warn you it is very, very, long.

Now take a look at what Wikipedia says about “sex” as it relates to one’s gender.

Sex and gender distinction

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

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The distinction between sex and gender differentiates a person’s biological sex (the anatomy of an individual’s reproductive system, and secondary sex characteristics) from that person’s gender, which can refer to either social roles based on the sex of the person (gender role) or personal identification of one’s own gender based on an internal awareness (gender identity).[1][2] In some circumstances, an individual’s assigned sex and gender do not align, and the person may be transgender.[1] In other cases, an individual may have biological sex characteristics that complicate sex assignment, and the person may be intersex.

In ordinary speech, sex and gender are often used interchangeably.[3][4] Some dictionaries and academic disciplines give them different definitions while others do not. Some languages, such as German or Finnish, have no separate words for sex and gender, and the distinction has to be made through context.

Among scientists, the term sex differences (as compared to gender differences) is typically applied to sexually dimorphic traits that are hypothesized to be evolved consequences of sexual selection.[5][6]

Go to: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sex_and_gender_distinction

Sex wasn’t so complicated back when…… was it?

Please read one of our main stories today: “Regional rejection of Judicial Activism …” at: https://www.ieyenews.com/wordpress/regional-rejection-of-judicial-activism-by-belizean-court-of-appeal-in-changing-sex-to-sexual-orientation/