UC Professor Calls for Abolishing 'Gay' and 'Lesbian' Identities

Gender studies professor claims sexual identities can 'harm trans people'

Published on Mar. 9, 2026

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University of California, Riverside associate professor Brandon Robinson, who uses they/them pronouns, argued that sexual identity labels like 'gay' or 'lesbian' can reinforce gender stereotypes and harm transgender people. Robinson suggested abolishing these identities altogether to move beyond 'gender essentialism' and allow for a more 'complex' and 'biologically accurate' understanding of gender and sexuality.

Why it matters

This perspective challenges traditional LGBTQ+ identities and communities, raising questions about the role of identity labels in gender and sexual expression. It comes amid ongoing debates around transgender rights, including a recent Supreme Court ruling blocking a California law that would have prohibited schools from notifying parents if their child is changing their gender identity.

The details

In promoting their new book 'Trans Pleasure: On Gender Liberation and Sexual Freedom,' Robinson explained that labels like 'gay' or 'lesbian' assume 'man' and 'woman' are 'stable, inherent categories,' when gender definitions are constantly evolving. They argued this 'gender essentialism' can 'harm trans people' by reinforcing binary boundaries. Robinson wants to move beyond privileging 'gender and genitals above all other attributes' in understanding desire and sexuality.

  • On March 3, 2026, the Supreme Court granted an emergency appeal to block a California law prohibiting schools from notifying parents if their child is changing their gender identity.

The players

Brandon Robinson

An associate professor in the Gender & Sexuality Studies Department at the University of California, Riverside who uses they/them pronouns and has written a book called 'Trans Pleasure: On Gender Liberation and Sexual Freedom.'

University of California, Riverside

The public research university where Robinson is a professor.

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What they’re saying

“If being 'gay' means being a man attracted to men, it assumes 'man' is a stable, inherent category, when history shows the definition of manhood is constantly changing. Gender essentialism also harms trans people, who often complicate those binary boundaries.”

— Brandon Robinson, Associate Professor (UC Riverside)

“I think the risk is worth it. While those communities are important, moving beyond those labels allows us to see people more accurately. It leads to a more complex — and more biologically accurate — understanding of ourselves as human beings. It allows us to explore our desires beyond labels that often confine and constrain us. And it allows us to explore our desires beyond shame that often comes with many labels as well.”

— Brandon Robinson, Associate Professor (UC Riverside)

What’s next

The University of California, Riverside has not yet responded to a request for comment on Robinson's perspective.

The takeaway

This proposal to abolish traditional LGBTQ+ identity labels like 'gay' and 'lesbian' reflects an ongoing debate around the role of identity in gender and sexual expression. While some see these labels as outdated or limiting, others view them as central to LGBTQ+ communities and rights. The discussion highlights the evolving understanding of gender and sexuality, and the tensions between individual identity and collective identity politics.