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Let's start with the basics. This popular infographic helps us understand that gender is made up of several different parts: our internal sense of self (identity), how we express it to the world (expression), and our physical body (biological sex). Take a moment to look at the different components and how they're separate but related.

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What does it mean to be non-binary? This touching TEDx talk gives a personal answer. In it, a mother and her child read parts of letters they wrote to each other. These letters tell the story of their journey together after the child shared that they identify as non-binary. Their messages give a heartfelt and understanding view of what it feels like to explore and define a non-binary identity.

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Understanding Non-Binary: Excerpts from a Correspondence | Robbin Derry and Saga Darnell | TEDxULeth

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Think about how often we see gender stereotypes in everyday life, from marketing to social expectations. This humorous meme helps to highlight how arbitrary and restrictive those rigid gender roles can be. Let's remember to have fun and question these norms.

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This article from Yale Medicine explains the important differences between sex and gender in a clear and simple way. It helps us understand how these words are used in medicine, science, and everyday life. "Sex" refers to the biological differences, like male or female, while "gender" relates to how people identify and express themselves in society.

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At Women's Health Research at Yale, we are committed to advancing the health of a diverse society. We do this in large measure by studying the health of women and the similarities and differences in health outcomes between and among women and men. As we pursue our work, it is particularly important to use language that captures the different concepts of sex and gender so that our science and our findings can be more precise and better serve everyone.

What do we mean by sex and gender? Aren't these terms interchangeable? Perhaps at some point in time they were used as synonyms, but this is no longer true in science.

In 2001, a committee convened by the Institute of Medicine (IOM), a nonprofit think tank that took on issues of importance to the national health, addressed the question of whether it mattered to study the biology of women as well as men.

The IOM, now embedded within the National Academies of Science, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM), concluded there was more than sufficient evidence that, beyond reproductive biology, there were major differences in the biology of women and men that greatly affected their health and influenced treatment and prevention strategies.

Importantly, the committee emphasized that neither the health of women nor men is simply a product of biology but is also influenced by sociocultural and psychological experience. To differentiate between these broad areas of investigation, the members created working definitions of "sex" - when referring to biology - and "gender" - when referring to self-representation influenced by social, cultural, and personal experience.

The committee advised that scientists use these definitions in the following ways:

In the study of human subjects, the term sex should be used as a classification, generally as male or female, according to the reproductive organs and functions that derive from the chromosomal complement [generally XX for female and XY for male].

In the study of human subjects, the term gender should be used to refer to a person's self-representation as male or female, or how that person is responded to by social institutions on the basis of the individual's gender presentation.

In most studies of nonhuman animals, the term sex should be used.

These working definitions were a good start in recognizing the value of studying sex and gender and their interactions, yet they were always meant to evolve. Now, we are learning more about ourselves and so must adapt our terminology to be inclusive, respectful, and more accurate.

For example, while most people are born biologically female or male, rare biological syndromes can result in genital ambiguity. Or a resistance to a sex hormone can result in traits typical of the opposite biological sex.

Moreover, while an individual's internal sense of gender can be female or male, some people identify as nonbinary - neither female nor male. Other individuals can identify as a gender that is the same as (cisgender) or different from (transgender) the one assigned at birth. These terms are separate from an individual's sexual orientation, which describes a person's emotional, romantic and/or physical attachments (such as straight, lesbian, gay, asexual, bisexual, and more).

In science, as our understanding grows, so must the precision of our language in communicating what we know.

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At Women's Health Research at Yale, we are committed to advancing the health of a diverse society. We do this in large measure by studying the health of women and the similarities and differences in health outcomes between and among women and men.

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Learning about pronouns can be fun with some well-known characters! This comic strip, made with Cartoon Network, uses popular figures like Stevonnie and Craig to show why it's important to use and respect everyone's pronouns. It’s a simple visual guide that makes this idea easy to understand and important for everyone.

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Gender diversity has long been recognized. Before colonization, many Indigenous cultures honored "Two-Spirit" individuals, who held important roles as healers, teachers, and visionaries in their communities. This article talks about the deep history of Two-Spirit people, how colonization hurt their status, and their strong efforts to regain their rightful place in today's society.

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Introduction:

With June being Pride Month as well as Indigenous History Month, it is imperative to discuss and bring attention to the history of Two-Spirit (2S) folks. Many individuals are unaware of the term Two-Spirit, where the term originated and the power it carries.

The concept of Two-Spirit folks existed well before the arrival of European settlers on Turtle Island. Indigenous individuals who identified as Two-Spirit folks were seen as gifted and honoured in their community because they carried two spirits with them, both male and female. 2S folks were often the healers, medicine people, and visionaries within their given community and they were foundational members of their culture. Much of this can be attributed to the "double vision" 2S people are gifted with, being able to see both through the masculine and feminine lens.

Impacts of Colonization

Two-Spirit people, as well as all Indigenous peoples on Turtle Island, were deeply impacted and harmed by the effects of colonization. One major impact on 2S folks was the introduction of residential schools which forced extremely heteronormative roles onto Indigenous children. Colonization resulted in Two-Spirit folks losing their way of life and culture, and the effects of that are still very real today and should be brought to light.

Throughout the process of colonization and the devastating effects that came along with it, the respect and honour Two-Spirit folks had was lost and their roles diminished in society. The homophobic attitudes and ideas that are present in society have eroded the ways in which 2S folks are treated. However, many 2S folks have worked to regain their power and place in the community and culture, through education and healing. Through these acts of healing and the restoration of identity, Two-Spirit folks are being reclaimed as Sacred.

Although the concept of Two-Spirit individuals has been around for a long time, the term was proposed only in 1990. During the Third Annual Intertribal Native American, First Nations, Gay and Lesbian American Conference which was held in Winnipeg, Elder Myra Laramee put forth the term. The term Two-Spirit is a translation of the Anishnaabemowin term, niizh manidoowag, which actually translates to "two spirits".

It is important to remember that notions, ideas, and identities should not be generalized to all Indigenous peoples and cultures. Due to the diverse and culturally specific nature of these traditions and understandings, it is crucial to recognize that the concept of 2S folks is not universal to all Indigenous worldviews. Additionally, when discussing the concept of Two-Spirit individuals, it is necessary to remember that it is not an identity that non-Indigenous people can adopt or claim.

Most importantly, always center, listen to and amplify the voices of 2S folks, not only during Pride and Indigenous History Month but every single day.

Resources:
https://lgbtqhealth.ca/community/two-spirit.php https://rainbowresourcecentre.org/files/16-08-Two-Spirit.pdf https://www.becomingeducation.ca/why2slgbtq https://www.ihs.gov/lgbt/health/twospirit/ https://oacas.libguides.com/sogie/two-spirit https://waniskahk.ca/2-spirited/history https://www.kqed.org/arts/13845330/5-two-spirit-heroes

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The History of Two-Spirit Folks - The Indigenous Foundation

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Content Warning: Mentions of Residential Schools and Effects of Colonizations Introduction: With June being Pride Month as well as Indigenous History Month , it is imperative to discuss and bring attention to the history of Two-Spirit (2S) folks. Many individuals are unaware of the t

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This beautiful and affirming quote from activist Maybe Burke is a celebration of self-determination and validates every individual's personal journey. It's a reminder that your truth is your own and that you are always enough.

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"Born This Way" is a popular song that people really love! It celebrates being yourself, accepting different identities, and loving who you are. The song encourages everyone to be proud of themselves and to stand strong in who they are, making it a great choice for anyone learning about gender and identity.

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Lady Gaga - Born This Way (Official Music Video)

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Navigating new terminology can be intimidating. This post offers a helpful glossary of key terms like cisgender, transgender, non-binary, and more. This is a great reference to have so you can join conversations with confidence and be a better ally.

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Last updated: 5/31/2023

Many Americans refrain from talking about sexual orientation and gender identity or expression because it feels taboo, or because they're afraid of saying the wrong thing. This glossary was written to help give people the words and meanings to help make conversations easier and more comfortable. LGBTQ+ people use a variety of terms to identify themselves, not all of which are included in this glossary. Always listen for and respect a person's self identified terminology.

Ally | A term used to describe someone who is actively supportive of LGBTQ+ people. It encompasses straight and cisgender allies, as well as those within the LGBTQ+ community who support each other (e.g., a lesbian who is an ally to the bisexual community).

Asexual | Often called "ace" for short, asexual refers to a complete or partial lack of sexual attraction or lack of interest in sexual activity with others. Asexuality exists on a spectrum, and asexual people may experience no, little or conditional sexual attraction.

Biphobia | The fear and hatred of, or discomfort with, people who love and are sexually attracted to more than one gender.

Bisexual | A person emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to more than one gender, though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the same degree. Sometimes used interchangeably with pansexual.

Gay | A person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to members of the same gender. Men, women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves.

Genderqueer | Genderqueer people typically reject notions of static categories of gender and embrace a fluidity of gender identity and often, though not always, sexual orientation. People who identify as "genderqueer" may see themselves as being both male and female, neither male nor female or as falling completely outside these categories.

Gender binary | A system in which gender is constructed into two strict categories of male or female. Gender identity is expected to align with the sex assigned at birth and gender expressions and roles fit traditional expectations.

Gender dysphoria | Clinically significant distress caused when a person's assigned birth gender is not the same as the one with which they identify.

Gender-expansive | A person with a wider, more flexible range of gender identity and/or expression than typically associated with the binary gender system. Often used as an umbrella term when referring to young people still exploring the possibilities of their gender expression and/or gender identity.

Gender expression | External appearance of one's gender identity, usually expressed through behavior, clothing, body characteristics or voice, and which may or may not conform to socially defined behaviors and characteristics typically associated with being either masculine or feminine.

Gender-fluid | A person who does not identify with a single fixed gender or has a fluid or unfixed gender identity.

Homophobia | The fear and hatred of or discomfort with people who are attracted to members of the same sex.

Intersex | Intersex people are born with a variety of differences in their sex traits and reproductive anatomy. There is a wide variety of difference among intersex variations, including differences in genitalia, chromosomes, gonads, internal sex organs, hormone production, hormone response, and/or secondary sex traits.

Lesbian | A woman who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to other women. Women and non-binary people may use this term to describe themselves.

LGBTQ+ | An acronym for "lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender and queer" with a "+" sign to recognize the limitless sexual orientations and gender identities used by members of our community.

Non-binary | An adjective describing a person who does not identify exclusively as a man or a woman. Non-binary people may identify as being both a man and a woman, somewhere in between, or as falling completely outside these categories. While many also identify as transgender, not all non-binary people do. Non-binary can also be used as an umbrella term encompassing identities such as agender, bigender, genderqueer or gender-fluid.

Outing | Exposing someone's lesbian, gay, bisexual transgender or gender non-binary identity to others without their permission. Outing someone can have serious repercussions on employment, economic stability, personal safety or religious or family situations.

Pansexual | Describes someone who has the potential for emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to people of any gender though not necessarily simultaneously, in the same way or to the same degree. Sometimes used interchangeably with bisexual.

Queer | A term people often use to express a spectrum of identities and orientations that are counter to the mainstream. Queer is often used as a catch-all to include many people, including those who do not identify as exclusively straight and/or folks who have non-binary or gender-expansive identities. This term was previously used as a slur, but has been reclaimed by many parts of the LGBTQ+ movement.

Questioning | A term used to describe people who are in the process of exploring their sexual orientation or gender identity.

Same-gender loving | A term some prefer to use instead of lesbian, gay or bisexual to express attraction to and love of people of the same gender.

Sex assigned at birth | The sex, male, female or intersex, that a doctor or midwife uses to describe a child at birth based on their external anatomy.

Sexual orientation | An inherent or immutable enduring emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to other people. Note: an individual's sexual orientation is independent of their gender identity.

Transgender | An umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex they were assigned at birth. Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation. Therefore, transgender people may identify as straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, etc.

Transitioning | A series of processes that some transgender people may undergo in order to live more fully as their true gender. This typically includes social transition, such as changing name and pronouns, medical transition, which may include hormone therapy or gender affirming surgeries, and legal transition, which may include changing legal name and sex on government identity documents. Transgender people may choose to undergo some, all or none of these processes.

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This glossary was written to help give people the words and meanings to make conversations about sexual orientation and gender expression easier.

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You don't have to be an expert to be a good ally! This post provides concrete, actionable steps you can take to support your transgender and non-binary friends, family, and community. Learn how to listen, use correct pronouns, and speak up against stereotypes.

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2024 Guide to Being an Ally to Trans and Nonbinary Young People

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The first step to becoming an ally to transgender and nonbinary people is to learn more; thank you for taking that step with us!

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When a celebrity like Megan from KATSEYE comes out publicly, it's a powerful moment of visibility and representation for the community. This post highlights the bravery of sharing one's personal journey and shows how media can be a platform for self-acceptance and inspiration.

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KATSEYE’S MEGAN COMES OUT AS BISEXUAL

Megan recently came out as bisexual in one of her live broadcasts on the South Korean mobile app and web platform, Weverse, with co-member Lara on June 6....