A person's sense of their own gender.
People identify as a gender based on factors that stretch beyond the sex assigned at birth. Though many societies define people as male or female, there are more than two genders. People may identify their gender as different than their sex based on their self-concept and how they feel. People can be more or less masculine, feminine, neither, or something else. A person’s gender identification is a more accurate representation of their gender than sex. Visual appearance is not always a clear indicator of a person’s gender identification.
The pronouns used to refer to a person (she/her, he/him) often reflect their gender identity, though some people prefer a combination of “they/them” for various reasons, such as a nonbinary person or someone who rejects the attitudes pronouns can reinforce.
Examples of Gender Identity
- Transgender
- Two-Spirit
- Cisgender
- Non-Binary
- Genderqueer
- Gender fluid
- Gender Neutral
Researching Gender Identity
A person’s gender identity is based on how they feel and perceive themselves. Researching gender identity can give designers insights into how a person defines their identity in their own words, despite their sex. Because gender identification can be viewed differently in some cultures—especially those that only espouse binary gender identities—researching gender identity can require special care. Still, empowering a person to define themselves despite social norms gives them personal agency and recognizes their rights to feel like and be who they are.
Questions to Ask
- How does this person define their gender?
- In what ways could this person be marginalized because of who they are?
Look For
- A person shares their gender identification.
- The way a person dresses (be careful; what a person wears is not always a clear indication of their gender identity)
- How a person’s gender identification is a source of belonging or possibly a reason why they are shunned.
Keywords
Sources
Humanities
Fleischman, J. (2020). Sexual Orientation And Gender Identity Issues, And Worldview. Journal of Unification Studies, 21, 111-119.
Law
Chau, P.-L., & Herring, J. (2002). Defining, Assigning And Designing Sex. International Journal of Law, Policy & the Family, 16(3), 327-366.
Frye, P. R. (2000). The international bill of gender rights vs. the cider house rules: transgenders struggle with the courts over what clothing they are allowed to wear on the job, which restroom they are allowed to use on the job, their rights to marry, and the very definition of their sex. William & Mary Journal of Women & the Law, 7(1), 133-216.
Organizations
Planned Parenthood Federation of America Inc. (n.d.). Sex, Gender, and Gender Identity. Retrieved October 28, 2019 from https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/sexual-orientation-gender/gender-gender-identity
R29 Editors. (2018). Gender Nation Glossary. Retrieved from https://www.refinery29.com/en-us/lgbtq-definitions-gender-sexuality-terms
Sexuality Education Resource Centre MB, & Klinic Community Health Education. (n.d.). Teen Talk: Gender Identity. Retrieved September 10, 2019 from http://teentalk.ca/learn-about/gender-identity/
The Human Rights Campaign. (n.d.). Glossary of Terms. Retrieved October 27, 2019 from https://www.hrc.org/resources/glossary-of-terms
Natural Science
Clausen, S., Tajadura-Jiménez, A., Janssen, C. P., & Bianchi-Berthouze, N. (2021). Action sounds informing own body perception influence gender identity and social cognition. Frontiers in Human Neuroscience, 15. https://doi.org/10.3389/fnhum.2021.688170
Thompson, H. M., Kronk, C. A., Feasley, K., Pachwicewicz, P., & Karnik, N. S. (2021). Implementation of Gender Identity and Assigned Sex at Birth Data Collection in Electronic Health Records: Where Are We Now. International journal of environmental research and public health, 18(12). https://doi.org/10.3390/ijerph18126599
Social Science
Abed, E. C., Schudson, Z. C., Gunther, O. D., Beischel, W. J., & van Anders, S. M. (2019). Sexual and gender diversity among sexual and gender/sex majorities: Insights via sexual configurations theory. Archives of Sexual Behavior, 48(5), 1423-1441. doi:10.1007/s10508-018-1340-2
American Psychological Association. (n.d.). Gender Identity, APA dictionary of psychology. Retrieved October 27, 2019 from https://dictionary.apa.org/gender-identity
Carpenter, C. S., Eppink, S. T., & Gonzales, G. (2020). Transgender Status, Gender Identity, and Socioeconomic Outcomes in the United States. ILR Review, 73(3), 573-599.