What to Know About Gender Identity

Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsWhat Is Gender Identity?List of Gender IdentitiesHistory of Gender IdentityGender Identity and Mental HealthResources and Support

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

What Is Gender Identity?

List of Gender Identities

History of Gender Identity

Gender Identity and Mental Health

Resources and Support

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Gender is separate from sex. Although genetic factors usually define a person’s biological sex, people determine their own gender identity.

Explore what gender identity is and find out the definitions of several unique gender identities. Discover where individuals can find support if they experience gender dysphoria.

Because a person’s sex and gender identity are separate, it’s essential to know the difference between them.

Sex

A person’s sex is often based on biological factors, such as their sex chromosomes, reproductive organs, and hormones.

Sex is typically assigned at birth depending on the appearance of external genitalia. However, it isn’t always black and white, and the sex assigned at birth may need to be changed.

Someone can have the XX or XY chromosomes that people associate with typical males and females, but their reproductive organs, genitals, or both can look and function differently.

Others do not have the standard XX or XY, and can be missing an X or have an extra X or extra Y. All of these are known as “differences of sex development (DSD).” People may also refer to this asintersex, ambiguous sex, or hermaphrodite.

Typically, people will identify with the terms “male,” “female,” or “intersex” regarding a person’s sex.

Gender

The World Health Organization (WHO) perceives gender as a social construct that people typically describe as femininity and masculinity.This includes stereotypical gender norms, behaviors, roles, and expectations.

In many Western cultures, people havebinarycategories for gender and associate femininity with women and masculinity with men, but this social construct varies from society to society.

What Is Toxic Masculinity?

Gender Identity

Gender identity is someone’s internal experience of gender and how they choose to express themselves externally. We cannot assume someone’s gender identity based on their chromosomes, genitalia, clothing, roles, or otherwise. Gender identity may evolve and change over time.

There are two overarching categories of gender identity:

Gender expressionhas two overarching categories as well:

People can use different pronouns, and modify their name, their appearance, clothing style, and behaviors in accordance to the gender(s) they identify with, and with the ways they choose to express their gender.

For those who have an incongruent experience between their sex assigned at birth and their experience of gender, there are many different gender identities that may resonate better, including gender neutral, non-binary, agender, pangender, genderqueer, two-spirit, third gender, and all, none, or a combination of these.

The following list explains a few of them:

Glossary of Must-Know Gender Identity Terms

Gender identity and sexual orientation are not the same things, but there can be some overlap. Lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, intersex, and asexual identities have been present in various ways throughout history.All cultures have included, with different degrees of acceptance, those who practice same-sex relations and those whose gender identity, and gender expression test current norms.

People who are gender diverse or those who don’t identify with the gender they were assigned at birth may have a variety of stressful experiences that contribute to an increased risk of mental health issues, such as:

Society’s Perception of Various Genders

Some everyday experiences that can increase someone’s vulnerability to developing mental health difficulties are:

These pressures can be very stressful, especially when combined with other issues in your life, such as managing school, finding a job, forming relationships, and making sense of who you are and your place in the world.

If you’re struggling to come to terms with your gender identity or are being bullied or feeling isolated or depressed, there are many resources available that can provide the support and care that you deserve:

Mental Health Resources to Support the LGBTQIA+ Community

A Word From Verywell

Not everyone accepts people with diverse gender identities, which can harm a person’s mental health. However, there are multiple organizations that people can turn to for support. No matter your gender, you are deserving of love, equality, support, and care.

The Best Online Therapy ProgramsWe’ve tried, tested and written unbiased reviews of the best online therapy programs including Talkspace, Betterhelp, and Regain.

3 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.Gender.LGBTQIA Resource Center.LGBTQIA Resource Center Glossary.American Psychological Association.History of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender social movements.

3 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.World Health Organization.Gender.LGBTQIA Resource Center.LGBTQIA Resource Center Glossary.American Psychological Association.History of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender social movements.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

World Health Organization.Gender.LGBTQIA Resource Center.LGBTQIA Resource Center Glossary.American Psychological Association.History of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender social movements.

World Health Organization.Gender.

LGBTQIA Resource Center.LGBTQIA Resource Center Glossary.

American Psychological Association.History of lesbian, gay, bisexual and transgender social movements.

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