By: Jason Rafferty MD, MPH, EdM, FAAP
What's the difference between gender and sex?
Being a boy or a girl, for most children, is something that feels very natural. At birth, babies are assigned male or female based on physical characteristics. This refers to the "sex" or "assigned gender" of the child.
Meanwhile, "gender identity" refers to an internal sense people have of who they are that comes from an interaction of biological traits, developmental influences and environmental conditions. This may be male, female, somewhere in between, a combination of both or neither.
Self-recognition of gender identity develops over time, much the same way a child's physical body does. Most children's asserted gender identity aligns with their assigned gender (sex). However, for some children, the match between their assigned gender and gender identity is not so clear.
How does gender identity develop in children?
Gender identity typically develops in stages:
Around age two: Children become conscious of the physical differences between boys and girls.
Before their third birthday: Most children can easily label themselves as either a boy or a girl.
By age four: Most children have a stable sense of their gender identity.
During this same time of life, children learn gender role behavior—that is, doing "things that boys do" or "things that girls do." However, cross-gender preferences and play are a normal part of gender development and exploration regardless of their future gender identity
The point is that all children tend to develop a clearer view of themselves and their gender over time. At any point, research suggests that children who assert a gender-diverse identity know their gender as clearly and consistently as their developmentally matched peers and benefit from the same level of support, love and social acceptance.
Source: https://www.healthychildren.org/English/ages-stages/gradeschool/Pages/Gender-Identity-and-Gender-Confusion-In-Children.aspx#:~:
text=Around%20age%20two%3A%20Children%20become,sense%20of%20their%20gender%20identity.
Ally | A term used to describe someone who is actively supportive of LGBTQ+ people. It encompasses straight and cisgender allies, as well as those within the LGBTQ+ community who support each other (e.g., a lesbian who is an ally to the bisexual community).
Androgynous | Identifying and/or presenting as neither distinguishably masculine nor feminine.
Asexual | Often called “ace” for short, asexual refers to a complete or partial lack of sexual attraction or lack of interest in sexual activity with others. Asexuality exists on a spectrum, and asexual people may experience no, little or conditional sexual attraction.
Biphobia | The fear and hatred of, or discomfort with, people who love and are sexually attracted to more than one gender.
Bisexual | A person emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to more than one sex, gender or gender identity though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the same degree. Sometimes used interchangeably with pansexual.
Cisgender | A term used to describe a person whose gender identity aligns with those typically associated with the sex assigned to them at birth.
Closeted | Describes an LGBTQIA+ person who has not disclosed their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Coming out | The process in which a person first acknowledges, accepts and appreciates their sexual orientation or gender identity and begins to share that with others.
Gay | A person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to members of the same gender. Men, women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves.
Gender binary | A system in which gender is constructed into two strict categories of male or female. Gender identity is expected to align with the sex assigned at birth and gender expressions and roles fit traditional expectations.
Gender dysphoria | Clinically significant distress caused when a person's assigned birth gender is not the same as the one with which they identify.
Gender-expansive | A person with a wider, more flexible range of gender identity and/or expression than typically associated with the binary gender system. Often used as an umbrella term when referring to young people still exploring the possibilities of their gender expression and/or gender identity.
Gender expression | External appearance of one's gender identity, usually expressed through behavior, clothing, body characteristics or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically associated with being either masculine or feminine.
Gender-fluid | A person who does not identify with a single fixed gender or has a fluid or unfixed gender identity.
Gender identity | One’s innermost concept of self as male, female, a blend of both or neither – how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves. One's gender identity can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth.
Gender non-conforming | A broad term referring to people who do not behave in a way that conforms to the traditional expectations of their gender, or whose gender expression does not fit neatly into a category. While many also identify as transgender, not all gender non-conforming people do.
Genderqueer | Genderqueer people typically reject notions of static categories of gender and embrace a fluidity of gender identity and often, though not always, sexual orientation. People who identify as "genderqueer" may see themselves as being both male and female, neither male nor female or as falling completely outside these categories.
Gender transition | The process by which some people strive to more closely align their internal knowledge of gender with its outward appearance. Some people socially transition, whereby they might begin dressing, using names and pronouns and/or be socially recognized as another gender. Others undergo physical transitions in which they modify their bodies through medical interventions.
Homophobia | The fear and hatred of or discomfort with people who are attracted to members of the same sex.
Intersex | Intersex people are born with a variety of differences in their sex traits and reproductive anatomy. There is a wide variety of difference among intersex variations, including differences in genitalia, chromosomes, gonads, internal sex organs, hormone production, hormone response, and/or secondary sex traits.
Lesbian | A woman who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to other women. Women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves.
LGBTQ+ | An acronym for “lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer” with a "+" sign to recognize the limitless sexual orientations and gender identities used by members of our community.
Living openly | A state in which LGBTQ people are comfortably out about their sexual orientation or gender identity – where and when it feels appropriate to them.
Non-binary | An adjective describing a person who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman, somewhere in between, or as falling completely outside these categories. While many also identify as transgender, not all non-binary people do. Non-binary can also be used as an umbrella term encompassing identities such as agender, bigender, genderqueer or gender-fluid.
Outing | Exposing someone’s lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender or gender non-binary identity to others without their permission. Outing someone can have serious repercussions on employment, economic stability, personal safety or religious or family situations.
Pansexual | Describes someone who has the potential for emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to people of any gender though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the same degree. Sometimes used interchangeably with bisexual.
Queer | A term people often use to express a spectrum of identities and orientations that are counter to the mainstream. Queer is often used as a catch-all to include many people, including those who do not identify as exclusively straight and/or folks who have non-binary or gender-expansive identities. This term was previously used as a slur, but has been reclaimed by many parts of the LGBTQ+ movement.
Questioning | A term used to describe people who are in the process of exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.
Same-gender loving | A term some prefer to use instead of lesbian, gay or bisexual to express attraction to and love of people of the same gender.
Sex assigned at birth | The sex, male, female or intersex, that a doctor or midwife uses to describe a child at birth based on their external anatomy.
Sexual orientation | An inherent or immutable enduring emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to other people. Note: an individual’s sexual orientation is independent of their gender identity.
Transgender | An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation. Therefore, transgender people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc.
Transitioning | A series of processes that some transgender people may undergo in order to live more fully as their true gender. This typically includes social transition, such as changing name and pronouns, medical transition, which may include hormone therapy or gender affirming surgeries, and legal transition, which may include changing legal name and sex on government identity documents. Transgender people may choose to undergo some, all or none of these processes.
Transphobia | The fear and hatred of, or discomfort with, transgender people.
Source: Southern Illinois University (https://libguides.siue.edu/c.php?g=1089488&p=7994517)
Founded in 2006 through an Equal Justice Works Fellowship, AIC is the first, and only, organization in the U.S. to undertake a coordinated strategy of legal advocacy for the rights of children with intersex conditions or DSDs (differences of sex development).
The Intersex Society of North America (ISNA) is devoted to systemic change to end shame, secrecy, and unwanted genital surgeries for people born with an anatomy that someone decided is not standard for male or female.
The Gay & Lesbian Alliance Against Defamation
Parents, Families, & Friends of Lesbians and Gays
America's LGBT Economy. National LGBT Chamber of Commerce External
The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce has released the first ever snapshot demonstrating the economic and social impact of America’s leading LGBT business owners and entrepreneurs. The new report explores the types and sizes of LGBT-owned businesses currently certified by the NGLCC, the number of jobs they create, their geography, and the personal narratives of successful LGBT business owners who reflect the very best about America’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.
How Many Americans are Gay? by Katy Steinmetz Time May 18, 2016. External
This Time magazine article discusses the need for a full accounting of the nation’s LGBT population and how they live for legal, economic and health reasons.
LGBT Demographics | Gary Gates External
Dr. Gary J. Gates is a recognized expert on the geography and demography of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) population. His site includes research and statistics on demographic and economic characteristics of the LGBT population.
LGBT Pride Month: June 2022 (U.S. Census Bureau)
This page provides links to Census statistics and data products including working papers, reports and data tables.
LGBT Stats (Williams Institute) External
Facts and figures about the LGBT community from Williams Institute policy analysts and social scientists.
Pew Research Center is a nonpartisan fact tank that informs the public about the issues, attitudes and trends shaping the world. They conduct public opinion polling, demographic research, content analysis and other data-driven social science research. Searching the site for LGBT will return numerous data products. Includes A Survey of LGBT Americans. External.
Same-Sex Couples (U.S. Census Bureau)
Provides data tables, working papers and other publication on same-sex couple households.
This online statistical database offers a broad range of statistics, studies and reports on the LGBTQ community including demographic, consumer, economic data. Some of the content is freely available, but full access requires subscription. Available to the Library of Congress onsite patrons.
LGBTQ+ Resources in Business and the Workplace | Library of Congress Research Guide
Advancing LGBT Workplace Rights (2014). U.S. Department of Labor
This Department of Labor report in 2014 details the progress made up to that point in time and the work in progress to advance LGBT workplace equality and to ensure LGBT workers and their families can share in the benefits of a growing economy.
America's LGBT Economy. National LGBT Chamber of Commerce External
The National LGBT Chamber of Commerce has released the first ever snapshot demonstrating the economic and social impact of America’s leading LGBT business owners and entrepreneurs. The new report explores the types and sizes of LGBT-owned businesses currently certified by the NGLCC, the number of jobs they create, their geography, and the personal narratives of successful LGBT business owners who reflect the very best about America’s innovative and entrepreneurial spirit.
Corporate Equality Index External
Human Rights Campaign Foundation’s 2019 Corporate Equality Index is the national benchmarking tool on corporate policies and practices pertinent to lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer employees. In the 2019 CEI report, 571 major businesses — spanning nearly every industry and geography — earned a top score of 100 percent and the distinction of “Best Places to Work for LGBTQ Equality.”
LGBT Diversity: Show Me The Business Case Report External
Published by Out Now, this report presents a measurement of the financial impacts LGBT diversity policies make in the average workplace. The full report can be downloaded with registration.
LGBT Economic Security External
LGBT Economic Security is one of the policy issue areas Movement Advancement Project (MAP) works on. This page offers resources that provide an overview of the economic challenges LGBT people face simply because they are LGBT, including the “Paying An Unfair Price” report series released in partnership with economic security and LGBT organizations.
Open For Business Reports External
Open For Business reports represent comprehensive evidence base for the economic and business case for LGBT+ inclusion. The reports synthesize hundreds of academic studies, business reports, data set, and expert perspectives into a clear and convincing case that shows LGBT+ inclusion is good for business and good for economic growth.
Source: https://libguides.siue.edu/c.php?g=1089488&p=7994529