Empowering Gender Affirmation and Exploration
What Is Gender Identity?
Sexual orientation refers to the people one finds attractive and are drawn to on a romantic, emotional, and sexual level. Gender identification refers to who one is — male, female, genderqueer, etc.— rather than who one is attracted to. This means that being gay, lesbian, or bisexual is different from being transgender, which is the feeling that one's assigned sex is different from the gender they identify with. A desired partner is what determines one's sexual orientation.
Identification as a gender is a matter of self. Gender identity can be expressed via behavior, appearance, and clothing; this identity starts to shape sentiments as early as age two or three. Most people believe that they belong in one of two genders, simply male or simply female. However, some people identify as feminine males or masculine females. Some people experience gender fluidity. These individuals might decide to identify with terminology like "genderqueer," "gender variant," or "gender fluid."
What is the Difference Between Gender and Sexual Identity?
Some people's gender identity and assigned sex are the same, or consistent with one another. often referred to as cisgender. Some believe that their assigned sex is the opposite of what their gender identity is. We refer to these individuals as transgender. Not every transgender individual has the same precise identification.