This concise guide is a great starting point for getting to grips with gender identity.
Let's look at the basics
- Sex
- biological attributes assigned at birth based on external anatomy, eg male, female or intersex
- Gender
- socially constructed roles, norms and behaviours that vary depending on culture, often categorised as male, female or nonbinary
- Gender Identity
- the internal sense of self and gender, not outwardly visible. For most people, their gender identity aligns with their sex however for transgender people their identity varies from assigned
- Gender Expression
- the outward expression of self and gender, for example, clothing, voice, behaviour
- Gender Dysphoria
- psychological trauma experienced as a result of a discrepancy between someone's assigned sex and gender identity
- Sexual Orientation
- the romantic, emotional and/or physical attraction to members of the same and/or other genders. Sexual orientation is different from gender identity, eg transgender people can be straight, gay, lesbian, queer etc
Get a Grip on Genders
- Cisgender
- a term used to describe when someone's gender identity aligns with their assigned sex, eg assigned female at birth and identifying as female. Also known as cis
- Transgender
- a term used to describe someone when someone's gender identity differs from their assigned sex, eg assigned male at birth but identifies as female. Also known as trans
- Nonbinary
- a term used for someone who does not describe themselves or their gender as in line with the categories of 'man' or 'woman'. Also known as genderqueer
- Agender
- a term used for someone who doesn't identify as any gender
- Gender-expansive
- a term used for someone with a flexible gender identity
- Gender Transition
- the process of someone aligning themselves and/or their body with their gender identity
Be aware that this brief guide is Western-centric - gender identity varies across cultures and societies, and is not a static thing (it can change over time). For more information on gender identity, check out the useful links below:
Amnesty International
Gender Spectrum
The Trevor Project
It's important to respect someone's gender identity and pronouns to create a welcoming and inclusive environment, no matter what the setting whether it's at work, school, the pub - anywhere.