3. Gender is a concept that can be broken
down into three categories:
• gender identity,
• gender expression,
• and physical sex.
Gender is not fixed and can change over
time.
4. Gender identity
Gender identity is how a person
sees themselves – their own
internal sense and personal
experience of gender. Only the
individual can determine their own
gender identity. Gender identity is
different from sexual orientation.
5. Sexual orientation is who a
person is attracted to on the
basis of gender. Some of the
words used to describe
sexual orientation include
gay, bisexual, lesbian,
heterosexual
6. Gender binary is the problematic
assumption that there are only
two genders (man/male,
woman/female), and that they are
distinct and unchanging
People who do not identify as a man
or a woman may identify as both
genders, neither gender, between
genders, or not gendered at all over
time.
7. Gender does not always match a
person’s assigned sex at birth,
and gender can change.
8. Some people whose biological sex
does not match their gender identity
may make physical and social
changes to express their identified
gender. This may involve using a
different name, pronouns, clothing,
hair or makeup style. It may also
involve medical changes, such as
taking hormones or getting gender-
affirming surgery. This process is
called transition.
9. Gender expression
Gender expression is how a person
outwardly shows their gender
identity. It includes physical
expressions such as person’s clothing,
hairstyle, makeup, and social
expressions such as name and
pronoun choice. Some examples of
gender expression are masculine,
feminine, and androgynous.
10. Some people have the same gender
expression all the time, while others
may change their expression over time
or based on circumstances. Some play
with gender expression for theatrical
purposes, or ‘drag’, and people can
choose to express their gender identity
in different ways at different times. It
can be psychological distressing for
some people who do not feel safe or
comfortable expressing their gender
11. Physical Sex
Physical sex is how a person’s body
develops and changes over their
lifespan. It can be affected by sex
chromosomes, hormones,
reproductive organs, secondary sex
characteristics, and related medical
care.