GENDER
What it is:
Gender is a social construct that exists on a spectrum, and may or may not be the same as one’s assigned sex at birth. Gender is one’s true and internal sense of self. As described by TSER (Trans Student Educational Resources), gender is a “set of cultural constructs describing characteristics that may historically be related to femininity, masculinity, women, men, nonbinary people, or social norms.” According to this encyclopedia definition, “gender, which represents ways of talking, describing, or perceiving men and women, is also a socially constructed entity. Generally distinguished from sex (which is biological), notions of gender represent attempts by society, through the socialization process, to construct masculine or feminine identities and corresponding masculine or feminine gender roles for a child based on physical appearance and genitalia.” As described by “Understanding Gender,” gender identity is “our internal experience and naming of our own gender.” The Gender Unicorn describes gender identity as “one’s internal sense of being male, female, neither of these, both, or another gender(s).” Gender expression is how we choose to show our gender to the world around us. TSER defines gender expression as “the physical manifestation of one’s gender identity through clothing, hairstyle, voice, body shape, etc (typically referred to as masculine or feminine). Many transgender people seek to make their gender expression (how they look) match their gender identity (who they are), rather than their assigned sex at birth. Someone with a gender nonconforming gender expression may or may not be transgender.” |
Remember:
Gender is NOT the same as other terms such as sex or sexual orientation. Gender is not a biological construct, though one’s gender identity and expression can be influenced by biological traits. |
Examples of Personal Modifiers:
- Transgender: When a person’s gender identity is not the same as the person’s assigned sex at birth.
- Cisgender: When a person’s gender identity is the same as the person’s assigned sex at birth.
- Agender: “an umbrella term encompassing many different genders of people who commonly do not have a gender and/or have a gender that they describe as neutral. Many agender people are trans. As a new and quickly-evolving term, it is best you ask how someone defines agender for themselves” (as defined by TSER).
- Nonbinary: An adjective to describe a person whose gender is not simply male or female.
- Queer: An adjective to describe a person who is not cisgender and/or not heterosexual; this term has a complicated history and is a reclaimed slur (see below).
FAQs
What are some examples of gender pronouns?
Is it grammatical to use “they” as a singular pronoun?
What does trans woman mean? What does trans man mean?
In regard to gender, what terms should people use? What terms should people avoid?
What is sex? (Note that sex and gender are NOT the same.)
How common are intersex individuals?
Are intersex and hermaphrodite synonyms?
What is the difference between being transgender and having an intersex condition?