Understanding gender identity — educational resource from Inspire Recovery.

Gender identity refers to how you experience and define gender in your own mind—and whether it aligns with the gender that is traditionally associated with your sex assigned at birth (SAAB).

Mainstream society relies on the gender binary, a strict social construct that only recognizes two genders: boys/men and girls/women. These labels are usually based purely on the external genitalia seen on an infant immediately after birth—a baby with a penis is a male/boy and a baby with a vulva is a female/girl. This ideology also assumes that anyone assigned female/girl at birth should express their gender with strictly feminine markers, while someone assigned male/boy at birth should express their gender with strictly masculine markers.

In reality, sex and gender have always existed outside of any pre-determined constraints or categories. Many indigenous cultures, for example, continue to support and celebrate the transgender and non-binary genders that have existed among their people since before the “discovery” of America. In fact, it was the violent invasion of “The New World” and its Native American populations that introduced the gender binary and its various oppressive roles to our society; gender scholars suggest that European colonizers enforced the gender binary as a means of patriarchal control and European nationalism.

Understanding the intricacies of gender identity and the various societal marginalizations that come with trans and non-binary experiences is the first step to offering authentic, empathy-driven validation to trans folks. Read on to learn more about gender identities and the affirming language you can use to support gender-diverse folks!

Anatomical sex refers to the label given to people at birth and is based on the combination of biological sex markers (external genitalia, internal reproductive organs, chromosomal makeup, etc.) seen in an infant. Our mainstream, cisgender-centered society traditionally assigns only “female” or “male” based on external genitalia—this binary minimizes the complex spectrum of sex markers and identities.

At least 1 in 100 people born in America are intersex—they have a combination of sex markers and reproductive anatomy that is not exclusively “female” or “male.” And at least 1 in 2000 babies are born with genitalia that is noticeably “different,” sometimes leading to unnecessary and harmful surgery to “correct” the genitalia so that it’s closer to a “standard” penis or vulva. These surgeries (which are always performed without the infant’s consent and sometimes without the parents’) can worsen gender dysphoria in intersex folks as they grow older.

Cisgender folks identify as the gender traditionally associated with their SAAB—women who were assigned “female” at birth and men who were assigned “male” at birth, for example. Sometimes shortened to “cis” (“cis man” or “cis woman”).

Transgender folks do not identify with the gender that is traditionally associated with their SAAB. Some trans folks exist on the gender binary as women or men, but that doesn’t necessarily mean that they express their gender with traditional gender roles. For some trans folks, the inclusion of “trans” before “woman” or “man” implies that they are different from “real women” or “real men.” Sometimes shortened to “trans” or “trans*” (the asterisk highlights the variety of trans experiences).

Non-binary is a popular umbrella term for those who do not exist within the gender binary; they do not identify as either a female/male or woman/man. Some trans folks identify as non-binary, but not all non-binary folks identify as trans. Other identities that fall under the non-binary umbrella are genderqueer, gender fluid, agender, gender non-conforming, and two-spirit.

It’s important to remember that cisgender, transgender, non-binary, etc. are adjectives and not identifying nouns, like “woman” or “man.” Consider using non-gendered terms for someone until they offer the information themselves—then you can mirror their language!

Pronouns are words that we use to refer to others in place of their names; popular pronouns are “they/them/theirs,” “she/her/hers,” and “he/him/his.” Most people automatically use pronouns for someone based on how they perceive their gender from the outside—but since what they see is their own unique perception of someone else’s external image, not their gender identity, choosing a pronoun based on appearance is simply wrong. It’s always best to use gender-neutral pronouns with someone who hasn’t willingly and explicitly offered their own yet so that you don’t misgender them!

Gender expression is how you use external behaviors, pronouns, clothing, hairstyles, and voice to represent your gender. Femininity and masculinity are social constructs—there is no “right” way to express your gender. And the way you express it can change over time!

Sexual orientation refers to which gender(s) you experience romantic, sexual, physical, emotional, spiritual, and intellectual attraction with—and in what ways you experience these different types of attraction with others. Everyone has a sexuality and the way you define it can change over time! You also don’t have to define it at all.

Sex, gender identity, gender expression, and sexuality exist in unique ways within everyone. See below for a more complete list of terms, including examples of different gender identities.

Glossary of Gender Identity Terms

AFAB & AMAB
Acronyms that stand for “assigned female/male at birth.” These terms allow trans folks to reference their SAAB in a more affirming way, one that recognizes the passive and nonconsensual assignment of sex (and the gender binary) at birth.

Agender
Refers to someone with no gender or neutral gender. Agender folks might feel like neither man nor woman, feel like they have an unknown or undefinable gender, not know or care about gender as an internal identity and/or external label, or choose not to label their gender. Some folks prefer the term genderless, gender-neutral, gendervoid, ungendered, or null gender.

Bigender
Refers to someone who identifies as two or more genders (not to be confused with “Two-Spirit,” which is exclusive to Native American and indigenous cultures).

Cisgender
Refers to someone who identifies as the gender that is traditionally associated with their SAAB. Sometimes shortened to “cis.”

Femme
An identity and/or gender expression that embodies and celebrates femininity while not necessarily equating it with womanhood. While this term was once exclusive to feminine-presenting lesbians and queer women, it is often used today by other LGBTQ+ folks in similar ways.

Gender Binary
A social construct that only recognizes two strictly separate and unique genders—boys/men and girls/women. This binary extends to sex, gender expression, and sexuality.

Gender Dysphoria
Psychological distress, anxiety, and/or discomfort because someone’s sex assigned at birth doesn’t align with their gender identity. While this term can be used informally to describe someone’s experience, it is also a diagnosis in the American Psychological Association’s DSM-5.

Gender-Expansive
Refers to someone whose gender identity and/or expression extends beyond the gender binary in a fluid or flexible way.

Gender Expression
How you use external behaviors, pronouns, clothing, hairstyles, and voice to express or “do” gender. There is no “right” way to express your gender, and the way you express it can change over time!

Gender-Fluid
Refers to someone with an unfixed, fluid, flexible, and/or changing gender identity.

Gender Identity
A social construct that refers to how you experience and define gender in your own mind—and whether it aligns with the gender that is traditionally associated with your sex assigned at birth (SAAB).

Gender Transition
The process of changing and/or forming one’s gender expression so that it better matches their gender identity. These changes might be physical, social, or legal: coming out to friends and family, changing pronouns or names informally, making official name changes on legal documents, starting hormone therapy, or undergoing a surgical procedure. There is no “right” way to transition—you are the only expert on what your gender looks and feels like!

Genderqueer
A broad term that refers to someone who does not exist within the gender binary.

Intersex
Describes folks with a combination of sex markers and reproductive anatomy that is not exclusively “female” or “male.”

Non-Binary
A popular umbrella term for those who do not exist within the gender binary. Some trans folks identify as non-binary, but not all non-binary folks identify as trans. Other identities that fall under the non-binary umbrella are genderqueer, gender fluid, agender, gender non-conforming, and two-spirit.

Pronouns
Words that we use to refer to others in place of their names. It’s always best to use gender-neutral pronouns with someone who hasn’t willingly and explicitly offered their own yet so that you don’t misgender them!

Queer
Once a purely hateful slur but now reclaimed by much of the LGBTQ+ community, this broad term refers to gender and sexual minorities. Since many LGBTQ+ folks are still offended by the term, it’s especially important to only use it when you know someone finds it supportive.

Sex Assigned At Birth (SAAB)
Refers to the label given to people at birth and is based on the combination of anatomical sex markers (external genitalia, internal reproductive organs, chromosomal makeup, etc.) seen in an infant.

Sexual Orientation
Refers to which gender(s) you experience romantic, sexual, physical, emotional, spiritual, and/or intellectual attraction with (and in what ways you experience them).

Transgender
Describes folks who do not identify with the gender that is traditionally associated with their SAAB. Some trans folks make changes to their gender expression so that it better matches their identity, but not all do!

Two-Spirit
An umbrella term that is exclusive to indigenous communities and describes the traditional third-genders and gender-variant identities that often play important social, spiritual, and/or leadership roles.

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