Most cultures of the world have strict gender identities, making a clear distinction between males and females. These identities are widely perceived as natural since such distinction is also evident in animals and birds. The application of strict gender identities to people, on the other hand, means that both women and men are expected to conform to society’s expectations associated with their gender. Women are expected to show femininity, and men are expected to be masculine. Although the definitions of femininity and masculinity vary from one culture to another, the construction of gender is always linked to heterosexuality. In other words, there may be different attributes of gender identities imposed by various societies, but the relationship between a man and a woman is always perceived as a societal norm.
One’s engagement in the heterosexual relationship thus serves as proof of their conformation with the society’s understanding of gender. Ferber argues that “the production of gender occurs through the performance of heterosexuality […] those who do not partake in the heterosexual performance are seen as not properly gendered.” In this context, members of the LGB community are viewed as neither male nor female and are seen as abnormal or even less than human by those who adhere to traditional societal constructs. Hence, violence against them is viewed can be considered as the reinforcement of traditional gender identities. This is particularly true in cases of violence against gay men perpetrated by heterosexual men. Gay men are often viewed as emasculated due to their sexuality, and violence against them is used as a display of traditional masculinity. Based on this notion, the only way to prevent violence against the LGB community is to amend the construct of gender identities, either making them more flexible and independent of sexual orientation or rejecting them altogether. In both cases, the relationship between gender identity and heterosexuality will weaken, thus avoiding the alienation of gay and bisexual men and women.