Gender

Gender is defined by behavioral, cultural, or psychological traits. Gender is a complex combination of elements that are assigned certain meanings by society, such as an individual's identity, expression, and presentation, as well as the roles and norms associated with those genders. Definitions of gender vary among different cultures and among individuals. Gender is a complex and highly personal experience for all people, and there is no "correct" way to experience gender.

• Gender identity: How a person thinks of their own gender within themselves. In nearly all circumstances, this is what is meant when discussing gender. Gender identity is a personal choice and cannot be dictated by others.
• Gender expression/presentation: The way a person chooses to present themselves to others in order to communicate their gender. Gender expression does not have to reflect one's gender identity.
• Sex: The way the person's physical body reflects characteristics associated with gender or identity. Sex and gender identity are often conflated, but are separate in that sex is physical whereas gender is psychological.
• Gender modality: The relation between one's gender identity and one's assigned gender or sex. It includes transgender and cisgender, as well as isogender and many others.
• Relationship to gender roles: The way a person views the roles that society expects them to play based on their gender.
• Dysphoria: Discomfort when regarding gender roles, one's sex, one's gender expression, one's gender identity, or a desire to change any aspects of one's gender. (transition).

Gender is not related or the same as sexual orientation, except in that societal gender roles might include the expectation of sexual attraction to a particular gender.

As humans are a sexually dimorphic species, societies tend to be largely influenced by a gender binary, which assumes that all people can be categorized via their sexual characteristics as either male or female. However, there are many people who do not identify with their assigned sex, or consider their gender to be outside of the binary.

Because gender is a personal experience which cannot be shared directly, many find it challenging to imagine that others experience gender differently to the way they do, which often leads to gender-based discrimination.

Gallery

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  Alternate gender flag by Fandom user ~jupitersf0rest~

See also

• Gender spectrum
• Genre