If you've heard anything about the trans community, you know that there is a difference between sex and gender, and if you've done any research into this there are definitions of each out there.
sex /seks/ noun
either of the two main categories (male and female) into which humans and many other living things are divided on the basis of their reproductive functions.
"adults of both sexes"
The internet equates sex to gender, claiming them to be synonyms. If you happen to be someone that is firm to their beliefs of what the two are, or someone who takes dictionary definitions as the sole meaning of words, you may believe this. However, another search online will pull up a different meaning.
gen·der/ˈjendər/ noun
the state of being male or female (typically used with reference to social and cultural differences rather than biological ones).
"traditional concepts of gender"
While both definitions include "male or female," we can clearly see that gender is not related to biological differences.
To put it simply, sex boils down to what is between your legs. Gender is what you feel in your head. This feeling can exist in children, teens, and adults at any time and it does not make it less real.
The last key-word we will discuss is cisgender.
cis·gen·der/sisˈjendər/ adjective
denoting or relating to a person whose sense of personal identity and gender corresponds with their birth sex.
"this newfound attention to the plight of black trans folks by primarily cisgender allies is timely and necessary"
The simplified definition of this is just someone who is not transgender. There have been myths floating around over the years that cisgender is a derogatory term. When, in reality, if you are assigned male at birth and identify as male, you are cisgender. The same is true for those assigned female at birth who identify as female. The abbreviated form of this word is cis where there is trans for transgender. Throughout this work you will see the shortened versions of these words used often. Just know that cis is equaling cisgender and trans is equaling transgender.
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Gender: A Spectrum
Non-FictionOver 50% of transgender youth will attempt suicide at least once before they turn 20. Transgender youth are more at risk for abuse, violence, unemployment, drug use, and mental illness. So what is it that needs to be done? This book aims at dissecti...
