Lesson 3
Sex and Gender Are Different Things
Key Ideas
- Biological sex is assigned at birth based on what our bodies look like.
- Gender identity is how we feel on the inside: boy, girl, neither, both, or something else.
- When gender identity matches the sex assigned at birth, a person is cisgender.
- When gender identity does not match, a person may be transgender.
- Non-binary describes genders outside of just boy or girl.
- Pronouns (he/him, she/her, they/them) are the words we use for someone, and we should use the ones a person asks for.
- Gender expression is how we show our gender through clothing, hair, and style, and there is no wrong way to express it.
| Term | Definition |
| Biological sex | The label given at birth based on visible body parts. |
| Gender identity | How a person feels on the inside about their gender. |
| Cisgender | When someone's gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. |
| Transgender | When someone's gender identity does not match the sex they were assigned at birth. |
| Non-binary | A gender identity that is not strictly boy or girl. |
| Pronouns | Words used to refer to a person, such as he, she, or they. |
| Gender expression | How a person shows their gender to the world through clothing, hair, and other choices. |
| Misgendering | Calling someone by the wrong pronouns or gender, which can be hurtful. |