Gender refers to the set of traits that define and distinguish femininity and masculinity. These traits may include biological sex, sex-based social structures (i.e., gender roles), or gender identity, depending on the situation. Most researchers believe that gender is an important aspect of social structure. Most societies have two genders (boys/ men and girls/ women); individuals who reside outside of these groupings are referred to be non-binary or genderqueer. Some civilizations, such as the hijras of South Asia, have particular genders in addition to “man” and “woman”; they are commonly referred to as third genders. Before we move on to know what are the genders, we must first understand the difference between gender and gender identity. In this article, we have explained all these in detail.
Table of Contents
What are the Genders?
There is far more to being male, female, or any other gender than the sex given at birth. Your biological or given sex does not always provide the whole picture. People frequently mix up sex, gender, and gender identity. However, they are all distinct entities.
- Sex is a designation — male or female — that is assigned to you by a doctor at birth based on your genitals and chromosomes. It is recorded on your birth certificate.
- Gender is far more complex: it is a social and legal position, as well as a set of societal expectations regarding actions, traits, and beliefs. Each culture has its own set of expectations about how men and women should act based on their gender. This might also be masculine or female. But it’s not about bodily parts; it’s about how you’re expected to act because of your gender.
- Gender identification refers to how you feel on the inside and how you express yourself via clothes, conduct, and personal appearance. It’s a sensation that develops early in life.
Let us now see the list of gender identities
Agender
A person who is agender does not identify with any one gender and may have no gender at all.
Other terms for this may include:
- neutral gender
- null-gender
- genderless
- neutrons
Androgyne
A person who identifies as androgyne has a gender that is either both masculine and feminine or somewhere between the two.
Bigender
A bigender person is a person who identifies as having two genders. Bigender people frequently exhibit cultural masculine and feminine roles.
Butch
Women, particularly lesbians, frequently use this word to describe how they exhibit masculinity or what society considers masculine.
Cisgender
A cisgender person identifies with the sex assigned to them at birth.
Gender expansive
Gender expansive is defined as an “umbrella word used for persons who extend their own culture’s generally held conceptions of gender, including expectations for its expression, identities, roles, and/or other perceived gender norms” by the LGBTQIA Resource Center. Individuals who are gender-expansive include transgender those and people whose gender expands the idea of gender in the surrounding society.
Genderfluid
A genderfluid individual has a gender identity and presentation that fluctuates between or outside of society’s standards of gender.
Gender outlaw
A person who identifies as a gender outlaw refuses to be defined by society’s concept of “male” or “female.”
Genderqueer
Genderqueer people have a gender identity or expression that differs from society’s expectations for their assigned sex or assumed gender. Genderqueer may also refer to someone who identifies in ways other than how society defines gender or someone who identifies with several genders.
Masculine of center
A person who utilizes this phrase is generally a lesbian or a trans person who prefers masculine gender acts and experiences.
Nonbinary
A person who identifies as nonbinary does not experience gender in the traditional sense. Nonbinary people may also experience overlap with other gender expressions, such as being gender non-conforming.
Omnigender
A person who identifies as an omnigender has all genders and experiences all of them.
Pangender and polygender
People who identify as polygender or pangender have and exhibit characteristics of many genders.
Transgender
This is an umbrella word that covers all persons who experience and identify with a gender other than their given sex at birth. Although most people associate transgender persons with trans men and trans women, this term also includes those who identify as a gender other than man or woman, such as nonbinary and genderfluid individuals.
Trans
According to the LGBTQIA Resource Center, trans is a more inclusive word that includes individuals who identify as nonbinary and genderless.
What is LGBTQIA+
When we think of gender and gender identities, apart from male and female we now think of LGBTQIA as well. LGBTQIA+ is an abbreviation that is always expanding and evolving. It is a broad word that includes persons of various genders and sexual orientations, including lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, questioning, queer, intersex, asexual, pansexual, and allies. Because this isn’t just one group, but numerous, it’s necessary to look at what each letter represents.
Lesbian
A word for women who are sexually and lovingly attracted to other women. However, non-binary people, particularly those who are attracted to women or feel linked to womanhood, can use the word.
Gay
A homosexual person or those who are attracted to others of the same gender
Bisexual
Bisexuals are individuals who are sexually and romantically attracted to both men and women.
Trans
A word that encompasses transgender, gender nonconforming, and non-binary people.
Transsexual
A person who undergoes a surgical or medical transition from one sex to another. This word, however, has gone out of favor for trans or transgender people.
Transgender
A person who identifies as a different gender from the one allocated to them on their birth certificate.
Questioning
When a person is investigating their sexuality, gender identity, and gender expression, they are said to be questioning.
Queer
This phrase can have several meanings, however, it can be seen as an inclusive term or as a distinct celebration of not conforming to societal standards.
Intersex
This term can refer to persons who do not fit into certain gender standards of woman or man; it can also refer to those who have reproductive anatomy that is not usual.
Asexual
Used to describe people who do not feel sexual attraction to either sex or romantic attraction in the traditional sense.
Ally
A word for those who support and rally for a cause even if they do not identify with the community.
Pansexual/ Omnisexual
Akin to bisexuals, this term refers to those who have a desire for both genders and sexes.
Androgynous
Refers to those who have both masculine and feminine characteristics.
Genderqueer
A word used to describe people who have no, both, or a combination of genders.
Two-spirit
A term commonly used by Native Americans to denote a third gender demisexual – refers to someone who requires an emotional relationship in order to establish a sexual desire.
Polyamorous
A term to describe people who are open to several consenting romantic or sexual relationships at the same time.
56 Gender Identities
You must have heard that there are 56 gender identities and more. The ones we have mentioned above are all the gender identities you need to know. But if you are looking for a wider aspect, then here are 56 gender identities.
- Agender
- Androgyne
- Androgynous
- Bigender
- Cis
- Cisgender
- Cis Female
- Cis Male
- Cis Man
- Cis Woman
- Cisgender Female
- Cisgender Male
- Cisgender Man
- Cisgender Woman
- Female to Male
- FTM
- Gender Fluid
- Gender Nonconforming
- Gender Questioning
- Gender Variant
- Genderqueer
- Intersex
- Male to Female
- MTF
- Neither
- Neutrois
- Non-binary
- Other
- Pangender
- Trans
- Trans*
- Trans Female
- Trans* Female
- Trans Male
- Trans* Male
- Trans Man
- Trans* Man
- Trans Person
- Trans* Person
- Trans Woman
- Trans* Woman
- Transfeminine
- Transgender
- Transgender Female
- Transgender Male
- Transgender Man
- Transgender Person
- Transgender Woman
- Transmasculine
- Transsexual
- Transsexual Female
- Transsexual Male
- Transsexual Man
- Transsexual Person
- Transsexual Woman
- Two-Spirit
Conclusion
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