FAQs
What is gender and how is it different from sex?
Gender is how societies view men and women, how they are distinguished, and the roles assigned to them. People are generally expected to identify with a particular gender, that has been assigned (gender assignment) to them, and act in ways deemed appropriate for this gender. While gender roles are based on expectations that a culture has of behavior appropriate for male or female, gender identity is an individual’s sense of belonging to the category of men or women or neither of the two. We attribute a gender (gender attribution) to someone.
Sex (male and female) describes a (usually) either/or categorization of humans based on their biology, whereas gender (men and women) describes the social dimension of these two categories. Gender is how societies view, and distinguish between, men and women not through their biology but through assigning gender norms (assigned masculine and feminine roles to thoughts, behaviors, dress codes, politics etc…). While gender roles are based on expectations that a culture has of behavior appropriate for men or women, gender identity is an individual’s sense of belonging to the category of men or women or neither of the two (gender queer, transgender, genderless…). People are generally expected to identify with a particular gender (either man or woman), which has been assigned (gender assignment) to them at birth based on a complex set of cues, which vary from culture to culture. These cues can range from the way a person looks dresses and behaves to the context in which they do so and also on their relationship with and use of power.
What is the difference between transsexual, transgender, and intersex persons?
Transgender persons: Individuals who does not identify with the gender assigned to them at birth and want to change through changing their behavior and/or appearance to suit their preferred gender expression. The term transsexual may be used when someone undergoes surgery, hormonal medication or other procedures to make these changes. They may or may not identify as homosexual, bisexual or heterosexual; do not mistake gender identity and sexual orientation to be the same or necesaarily linked to one another.
Intersex person: An individual born with the physical characteristics of both males and female, have external sex organs that are not easily distinguishable as female or male, or have sex chromosomes that are different from the usual xx — female — or xy — male. These differences in chromosomes may not appear on the body and so they may live their whole lives and never know. These individuals may or may not identify as men or women.
Sometimes I feel like I am a woman, other times I feel like a man. And oftentimes, I feel like I can’t identity with either. What does that mean?
Not finding yourself in one gender identity, or not feeling like you belong to either, is very normal and common. Some people choose the identity of being gender non-conforming, others choose that of being non-binary, and that doesn’t necessary mean that you are confused or not picky. Gender, even though it is a social construct, is also very deep and personal. Finding a term that works for you, and an identification that represents that part of you can be a source of comfort.
I always thought that I am a transman, but the problem is, I do feel attracted to men, and that confuses me.
Your gender identity does not have that kind of relationship to sexuality. They’re both intersectional but represent two realities. So you can be trans* and gay, or non-binary and straight, and so on. One does not set the other in stone.