A fact which many people, including scholars and politicians, struggle to come to terms with is that the binary distinction of 'male and female' is far too restricting to encompass the vast diversity of the human experiences of gender.
- In this explanation, we will introduce the concept of 'gender identity'.
- We'll begin with the definition of 'gender identity', followed by a deep dive into the important distinction between 'sex' and 'gender'.
- We'll also take a look at a (non-exhaustive) list of gender identities and their corresponding definitions, as well as the importance and use of gender pronouns.
- Finally, we'll wrap up with some recommendations for fiction and non-fiction texts which we can use to improve our understanding of the concept and experience of gender identity.
Happy Pride! Let's dive in.
What is the definition of ‘gender identity’?
Words - especially labels - hold a lot of power. That’s why, for definitions of these key terms, it’s crucial that we turn to trusted, unbiased sources that can inform us of the social and academic implications of the words we use. Let’s take a look at the keywords and concepts we need to know to understand the concept of ‘gender identity’.
Sex versus gender
The very first and most important distinction that we must make in the discussion of gender identity is the distinction between sex and gender.
The word sex refers to the label (either ‘male’, ‘female’ or ‘intersex’) which most of us are assigned at birth based on our chromosomes and reproductive organs. This is a biological label.
On the other hand, the word gender refers to the standard of socio-cultural characteristics and behaviours which people tend to associate with each of the sexes.
The term intersex describes someone whose internal and/or external reproductive anatomy doesn’t fit the typical ‘male’ or ‘female’ boxes. In many parts of the world, it’s standard practice for doctors to do surgeries on intersex babies to make their anatomy fit into the male/female binary. There is a lot of debate as to whether this type of intervention is ethical or medically necessary. Just as is the case with male or female-assigned babies, being ‘intersex’ does not relate to the gender identity that they will grow into.
We owe our awareness of this distinction between sex and gender, in large part, to the second wave of feminism in the 1970s. A major contention point of second-wave feminists was to reject essentialist explanations of sexual difference. In other words, activists wanted people to understand that the differences between ‘males’ and ‘females’ are not biologically determined, but socially constructed.
“Gender, it became accepted, was the articulation of social expectations about how a person of a particular biological sex should behave, but that performance of gender could differ significantly across time and space” (Evans, 2006, p. 228).
While there are various types and complex experiences of gender identity, the definition of the term itself is generally widely agreed upon.
The term gender identity is defined as one’s personal, innermost sense of their own gender.
Let's now take a look at the many gender identities that exist!
What are the various types of gender identity?
There is a large variety of gender identities which are uniquely experienced, which means it can be tough to assign gender identities to particular categories.
Someone's gender identity isn't always as it 'appears' to us, in line with traditional expressions. As such, it's always best to just ask! Pexels.comIt might seem straightforward enough to say that some gender identities fall under the gender binary, whereas some do not. While that is technically correct, it leaves out a whole long list of identities that cannot be lumped under one umbrella.
Is there a list of gender identities?
If you’re looking for a single, all-encompassing list of gender identities, it’s going to be pretty much impossible to find. Although it may not seem like it - this is actually a good thing!
It means that our sense of gender, the various ways in which we ascribe to (or reject) gender norms, and how we perceive the gender expressions of others are all constantly evolving. We are always learning and adapting our knowledge to include experiences that are unfamiliar (but usually more common than we think).
We can look to a variety of sources from trusted informants, such as non-profit organisations, gender specialists and - above all - the words of our gender-diverse friends. In all, the goal is not to memorise every single term associated with the coverage of gender, but rather to be open to listening and accepting the experiences of others.
That said, we can now take a look at the gender identities that are common across some of the most trusted sources on the web.
Agender
Agender-identifying people either tend to see themselves as gender-neutral or as not having any gender at all. In either case, they do not identify with any gender.
Androgyne
Someone who is androgynous encompasses both masculinity and femininity in different ways.
Bigender
Bigender-identifying people tend to have two genders (often, these are the traditional genders of masculinity and femininity).
Gender-expansive
An umbrella term for those who broaden their surrounding community’s cultural standards of gender expression, roles and identities.
Gender fluid (or ‘genderfluid’)
Genderfluid people experience gender in a dynamic way, such that their gender (or genders) may change from time to time.
Cisgender (or ‘cis’)
The term ‘cisgender’ refers to those whose gender identity is the same as the sex they were assigned at birth.
Genderqueer
This is an umbrella term which encompasses those who don’t identify or align with traditional notions of gender (including aspects like expression and identification).
Non-binary gender identity
Another umbrella term, which describes those who do not identify exclusively with masculinity or femininity.
Questioning
A person in questioning is someone who is exploring and figuring out their gender identity.
Transgender (or ‘trans’) identity
The term ‘transgender’ tends to be used by those whose assigned sex at birth is not aligned with their gender identity. Sometimes, a transgender person may experience gender in a binary way, such that their assigned sex is the “opposite” of their gender identity.
FtM: someone who was assigned female at birth, but whose gender identity is boy or man.
MtF: someone who was assigned male at birth, but whose gender identity is girl or woman.
What are gender identity pronouns?
A pronoun is a linguistic feature which acts as a placeholder for a noun or noun phrase. At least in English, the most common type of pronoun is the personal pronoun.
Gender Identity is expressed in many unique ways. pexels.com
According to Merriam-Webster, personal pronouns “refer to the person or people speaking or writing (first person), the person or people being spoken to (second person), or other people or things (third person)”.
Most of the languages of the world are gendered, often in terms of both living and inanimate references. As such, these languages also have gendered pronouns, which are used to refer to both living beings and inanimate objects.
Gender pronouns
Following what we know about pronouns in general, we can discern that gender pronouns are used to refer to oneself or somebody else in terms of their gender identity.
The traditional gender pronouns are:
However, as we also well know, there is more to the gender identity spectrum than just the traditional binary of masculinity and femininity. Unfortunately, not all languages reflect the diversity of these experiences, which is why people have opted to create their own!
A list of gender pronouns
Just as we were careful to flag that our gender identity list was not exhaustive, the same must be said for gender pronouns! Remember: we are always learning and adapting our knowledge to include experiences that are unfamiliar, but usually more common than we think.
Some of the most commonly used gender pronouns include:
SHE/HER - you’re already familiar with this one!
HE/HIM - you’re already familiar with this one, too!
THEY/THEM - this is used as a singular pronoun, often as an indicator of gender-neutrality.
ZE/ZIR - also often used as a gender-neutral pronoun.
ZE/HIR - also often used as a gender-neutral pronoun.
SHE/THEY - can often be used interchangeably for those who identify as such.
HE/THEY - can often be used interchangeably for those who identify as such.
How to use gender pronouns
Not sure which pronoun to use? Just ask!
Asking someone their preferred name and pronouns is a way of affirming their gender identity and showing respect. It’s best not to assume!
What are some good books about gender identity?
As we have understood through this explanation, it's important for us to keep learning and updating our arsenal of knowledge when it comes to gender diversity.
The concept of gender identity has been extensively explored both historically and in contemporary research. Pexels.com
There are both foundational texts which we can refer to and more modern works that tell us about the gendered experience.
Non-Fiction/Academic Texts
Simone de Beauvoir | The Second Sex (1949 [trans. 1972])
Widely considered an ingenious and disruptive take on female liberation, The Second Sex is a book that every feminist (which, ideally, is everybody) should pick up. De Beauvoir's main premise through this seminal work is that "one is not born, but rather becomes, woman". Here, she means to say that gender is learned, as are the traditional expressions of sex and the subordination of women.
Judith Butler | Gender Trouble: Feminism and the Subversion of Identity (1990, 1999)
Butler's Gender Trouble is a legendary contemporary work to be sure and, as is the case with most sociological works, is also not without its controversies. Similarly to De Beauvoir, Butler rejects the essentialism of gender by suggesting that gender is a performance rather than an expression of reality.
Judith Halberstam | In a Queer Time & Place: Transgender Bodies, Subcultural Lives (2005)
Notably, In a Queer Time and Place is considered to be the first comprehensive study of transgender representations in popular culture (including books, art, film and music). It is a collection of essays which explores both the present and future of transgenderism in the context of social construction.
Sarah McBride | Tomorrow Will Be Different: Love, Loss and the Fight for Trans Equality (2018)
Sarah McBride is the first openly transgender state senator in the USA, and also the first transgender person to speak at a major US political convention. In her memoir, McBride recounts her own experiences as a transgender woman alongside her fight for gender-diverse legislation during her time in office.
Akwaeke Emezi | Dear Senthuran: A Black Spirit Memoir (2021)
Emezi's memoir is structured as a compilation of letters to people they have met, and also to those that they haven't met - but all of whom have shaped their life and identity in some particular way. The author recounts their experience of sexual and physical violence, as well as poverty, growing up in the city of Aba, Nigeria.
Fiction Texts
Gender diversity has also been explored through works of fiction, which can tell us just as much as academic texts.
Virginia Woolf | Orlando: A Biography (1928)
Woolf wrote Orlando, based on the life of the poet and author, Vita Sackville-West. The novel is written as a form of satire, in which a poet changes sexes and meets key literary figures throughout their centuries-long life. Orlando is considered a key feminist work and has been examined in transgender studies.
James Baldwin | Giovanni’s Room (1956)
Giovanni's Room is a novel which follows the life of an American, bisexual man living in Paris. This book has been praised for dealing with the themes of sexual identity crises, gender roles and social isolation.
Sarah Waters | Tipping the Velvet (1998)
Tipping the Velvet is a coming-of-age historical novel, set in the 1890s, in England. It follows the story of a young woman who falls in love with a male impersonator. The main character shifts between masculinity and femininity, so that readers can experience a changing perspective of British society from a gendered lens.
Alex Gino | George (2015)
George is a children's novel which follows the life and coming out of a young transgender girl. While everyone sees George, this fourth-grader struggles to show her true self as Melissa. To help explain her identity to her mother, she opts to play the role of Charlotte in the school play of Charlotte's Web, by swapping roles with her friend.
Jordy Rosenberg | Confessions of the Fox (2018)
Confessions of the Fox is often branded as a historical-fiction novel. Rosenberg reimagines the life of the famous 18th-century jailbreaker and thief Jack Sheppard as a transgender man.
Gender Identity - Key takeaways
- An important distinction that we must make in the discussion of gender identity is the distinction between sex (a biological concept) and gender (a socio-cultural construction).
- The term gender identity is defined as one’s personal, innermost sense of their own gender.
- Our sense of gender, the various ways in which we ascribe to (or reject) gender norms, and how we perceive the gender expressions of others are all constantly evolving. Therefore, there is no all-encompassing list of gender identities!
- Gender pronouns are used to refer to oneself or somebody else in terms of their gender identity.
- Works of non-fiction and fiction can teach us a lot about the existence and experiences of gender diversity.
References
- Evans, M. (2006). Gender. In B. S. Turner (Ed.), Cambridge Dictionary of Sociology (pp.228-232). Cambridge University Press.
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