Gender literacy is not about expertise so much as it is about a stance of openness to the complexity of gender and the idea that each person determines for themself their own identity. Gender literacy - the ability to participate knowledgeably in discussions of gender and gender-related topics. The language a person uses to communicate their gender identity can evolve and shift over time, especially as someone gains access to a broader gender vocabulary. Gender identity can correspond to, or differ from the sex we are assigned at birth. ![]() Identity also includes the name we use to convey our gender. Gender identity – our deeply held, internal sense of self as masculine, feminine, a blend of both, neither, or something else. Genderfluid people move between genders, experiencing their gender as something dynamic and changing, rather than static. Genderfluid – People who have a gender or genders that change. Gender expression is also related to gender roles and how society uses those roles to try to enforce conformity to current gender norms. How we present our gender in the world and how society, culture, community, and family perceive, interact with, and try to shape our gender. Gender expression – This is our “public” gender. Gender expansive – An umbrella term used for individuals who broaden their own culture’s commonly held definitions of gender, including expectations for its expression, identities, roles, and/or other perceived gender norms. The labeling of gender dysphoria as a disorder or condition has been controversial, but it is helpful to understand the term’s clinical definition and use if you are considering support from a mental health professional. Keep in mind that “gender dysphoria” is also a clinical term and is found in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (commonly referred to as the DSM, or DSM–5). If a person’s discomfort or distress is negatively affecting their quality of life and relationships, they may want to get support from a trained, affirming gender professional. For example, an individual’s experience of gender dysphoria may lessen as greater congruence is achieved. Feelings of gender dysphoria can, and often do, change over time. Gender dysphoria is related to gender congruence, which is the degree of harmony we feel in each dimension of our gender (see Understanding Genderfor more information on the dimensions of gender). Gender dysphoria, which can occur in relation to any dimension of gender, can encompass a broad range of feelings, from mild discomfort to unbearable distress the intensity, pervasiveness, frequency, and triggers of gender dysphoria vary widely from person to person. This is something many people experience, including feeling a tension between how someone feels about their body compared to how society genders their body, or a conflict between how someone sees themselves in contrast with expected gender roles or expectations. Gender dysphoria – First, let’s look at the word “dysphoria.” According to Merriam-Webster, dysphoria is “a state of feeling very unhappy, uneasy, or dissatisfied.” So, in the broadest sense, gender dysphoria is when someone feels very unhappy, uneasy, or dissatisfied in relation to their gender. ![]() It is important to recognize that both cisgender and Transgender people can have a gender identity that is binary. Gender binary – A system that constructs gender according to two discrete and opposite categories: boy/man and girl/woman. ![]() A person’s comfort in their gender is related to the degree to which these three dimensions feel in congruence.įtM – A person who was assigned a female sex at birth and whose gender identity is boy/man. Each of these dimensions can vary greatly across a range of possibilities. ” In contrast to trans, from the Latin root meaning “across,” “beyond,” or “on the opposite side ”).Ĭongruence - Gender congruence is the feeling of harmony in our gender (see more in " Understanding Gender").ĭimensions of gender – Our body, identity and social gender (how we present our gender in the world and how individuals, society, culture, and community perceive, interact with, and try to shape our gender) are three distinct, but interrelated, components that comprise a person’s experience of gender. ![]() Some agender-identified people see themself as being gender neutral, rather than not having any gender, but in any case do not identify with a gender.Ĭisgender – Refers to people whose Gender identity aligns with their assigned sex at birth (cis- from Latin, meaning, “on this side. Agender – A person who sees themself as not having a gender.
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