Gender identification and expression

As a parent, educating yourself on some common terms for gender identity and expression can help:

  • support your child as they grow and explore who they are
  • increase your understanding of what they are going through
  • bring your bond closer together.

Most children identify themselves as a girl or boy, the gender assigned to them at birth. Some children may identify differently as they navigate life and who they are. As parents, you’re there to support and guide your child through life.

Helpful terms:

Gender diversity

Relating to someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not conform to socially defined male or female gender.

Gender identity

An individual’s sense of self and internal understanding of their gender.

Gender expression

The way in which a person externally expresses their gender. This may include clothing, hairstyle, make-up, body language and mannerisms.

Gender fluid

The term used to describe someone who is in the process of changing gender.

Gender dysphoria

A feeling or discomfort or stress for those whose sex assigned at birth does not match their gender identity.

Cisgender (or cis)

Refers to a person whose gender identity aligns with their gender assignment at birth.

Binary

Refers to the traditional understanding of sex and gender as two binary forms- male and female.

Non-binary

The term used to describe a person outside of the gender identity of male or female.

Transgender

The term used for an individual whose gender is different to the gender assigned at birth.

Pansexual

someone whose attracted to a person regardless of their gender.

Bisexual

Someone who is sexually or romantically attracted to both men and women, or to more than one gender.

LGBTIQ+

The abbreviation of lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, intersex, queer, asexual and other sexually or gender diverse people.

Children and young adults may experiment or express themselves differently throughout their lives without identifying as gender diverse.

Think of gender expression as a spectrum- of feminine expression and masculine expression. Everyone has elements of both masculine and feminine traits, it’s just how comfortable or how much they would like to express certain traits.