Title: Introduction to Gender and Sexuality | Boundless Psychology
Headings: Introduction to Gender and Sexuality
Introduction to Gender and Sexuality
Defining Sex, Gender, and Sexuality
Learning Objectives
Key Takeaways
Key Points
Key Terms
Sex
Gender
Cultural Variations of Gender
Sexuality
The Standard Model of the Terms

Content: Gender identity is a person’s sense of self as a member of a particular gender. Individuals who identify with a role that corresponds to the sex assigned to them at birth (for example, they were born with male sex characteristics, were assigned as a boy, and identify today as a boy or man) are cisgender. Those who identify with a role that is different from their biological sex (for example, they were born with male sex characteristics, were assigned as a boy, but identify today as a girl, woman, or some other gender altogether) are often referred to as transgender. The term “transgender” encompasses a wide range of possible identities, including agender, genderfluid, genderqueer, two-spirit (for many indigenous people), androgynous, and many others. The continuum of sex and gender: Those who identify with a gender that is different from their biological sex are called transgender. Cultural Variations of Gender
Since the term “sex” refers to biological or physical distinctions, characteristics of sex will not vary significantly between different human societies. For example, persons of the female sex, in general, regardless of culture, will eventually menstruate and develop breasts that can lactate. Characteristics of gender, on the other hand, may vary greatly between different societies. For example, in American culture, it is considered feminine (or a trait of the female gender) to wear a dress or skirt.