What is gender identity?

Besides male and female, there are 72 genders. On 72gender.com we provide information about the gender identity and meaning of each of the 72 known genders. The term gender identity means how a person identifies themselves concerning their gender. It may be regardless of their anatomy or genetics.

How It Works

Gender identity

The term ‘gender identity’ (also called ‘psychic identity’) refers to the inner gender experience of feeling man/boy, woman/girl, alternately or (neither) both. Gender identities are usually divided into two large groups: cisgender and transgender. 

Gender expression is an important aspect of gender identity that refers to the ways in which individuals present themselves to the world through clothing, hairstyles, and behavior. It is not necessarily linked to a person’s sex assigned at birth and may include a range of masculine, feminine, or non-binary expressions. By embracing and celebrating diverse gender expressions, we can create a more inclusive and accepting world for everyone. If you’re looking to explore your own gender expression, consider trying out different styles and experimenting with your presentation to find what feels authentic to you. Remember to seek support from trusted friends and professionals, and don’t be afraid to embrace your true self!

Gender identity in cisgender persons

In cisgender persons, the gender identity and the assigned birth sex correspond. For example, you are born with female sex characteristics and you also feel like a girl/woman; or you are born with male sex characteristics and you also feel like a boy/man.

Being cisgender is the prevailing norm and creates a false assumption that everyone’s gender identity corresponds to their assigned birth sex. The cisgender norm (also called ‘cisnormativity’) assumes that there are only two gender identities: on the one hand, men, on the other hand, women. This is called ‘a dual or gender-binary view’ and is at odds with the existence of gender diversity. After all, there is a great variety of gender identities and the way in which people identify themselves.

Gender identity in transgender people

It is also possible that the gender identity and the assigned birth gender are more or less in conflict with each other, or simply do not (completely) coincide. A wide diversity is possible in the gender experience of being a boy or/or girl, man or/or woman. However, it is important to know that this is not an abnormality or disease, but a normal variation of being human.

The term “transgender” therefore covers a diverse population consisting of people with a binary gender identity, including trans men and trans women, as well as people with a non-binary gender identity, including non-binary people.

Expression

Gender expression refers to the way you express your gender experience: what roles do you take on in daily life? What clothes do you wear? How do you behave towards others? Gender expression is what the outside world sees of you, as opposed to gender identity which is invisible and takes place inside.

Identity

Gender is a social construction and refers to the cultural, social and psychological interpretation of femininity and masculinity within a society. It includes all expectations, values and norms that we associate with a particular gender. This interpretation is highly context- and time-dependent.

attraction

Being romantically and/or sexually attracted to other people is called sexual/romantic preference or sexual/romantic orientation. A distinction is often made between LGB (gay, lesbian, bi) and straight, but there are many more expressions of a person's sexual orientation. Think of pansexuality, asexuality, and so on.

Sex

The sex is determined at birth. It is often based solely on what doctors observe visually at birth, and is recorded as such on the birth certificate. Doctors use standards about what a body should look like in order to register a newborn as a boy or girl. Usually people think that there are only two options: a male or female birth gender – and this is legally registered as well.

Variations in Sex Characteristics

Scientific research shows that gender has many more variations. Sex is after all not only determined by external sexual characteristics (the so-called ‘phenotypic’ sex). The gonadal sex (the sex based on the gonads present) is also important, as is the genetic sex (presence of X and/or Y chromosomes).

These aspects are possible in various combinations. These variations on the known binary classification (M/F) are referred to as “variations in sex characteristics” (“variations in sex characterisitics”). One speaks of variations in sex characteristics when a person’s physical sex characteristics do not fully fit within the norms set by the medical world and/or within the prevailing socio-cultural view of gender.

How common are variations in sex characteristics?

Prevalence is difficult to determine because not all variations are (immediately) visible, and because there is little international consensus about which variations should be counted.

According to the Intersex Society of North America (ISNA), in 1 in 1,500 to 1 in 2,000 births, an expert on gender differences is consulted because the external genitalia are unclear. But there are many more people who are born with more subtle forms of gender variations, some of which are not even apparent until much later in life. In the groundbreaking article “How Sexually Dimorphic Are We? Review and Synthesis” by Blackless et al. (2000) provides an overview of the estimated numbers.

Because not all variations in sex characteristics present the same physical challenges or are even identified, the estimated figure even rises to 1.7% of the population. The chance of a variation in sexual characteristics would then be about as frequent as the chance of having red hair. In short, the exact number of intersex people is not known, but estimates range from 57,000 Belgians and 85,000 Dutch to slightly more than double.

Discover your gender

Identity, expression, attraction and sex

Gender is something everyone thinks they understand, but for most it's complicated. Gender is not binary, it is not either/or. Often it is and/and. A little bit of this and a little bit of that.

People are often hesitant to ask questions about sexuality and gender in surveys. What if I say the wrong thing or use the wrong terminology? What if I offend someone? These are understandable concerns.

Have you ever questioned your gender identity?

As gender diversity becomes more visible, individuals have room to explore their gender experience. Cissexism and biases often challenge our preconceived notions. Realizing things can be different can be overwhelming, yet liberating. Gender exploration has no right or wrong feelings. We can question and rediscover gender at any age. It's a lifelong process of self-discovery. Gender is fluid and changes over time. There's no definitive guide or solution. Deliberate self-reflection reveals formative experiences and biases. Thinking allows space for discovery.