Gender identity

Transgender
Androgyny • Bigender • Cross-dressing • Drag king • Drag queen • Genderqueer • Hijira • Intersexuality • Questioning • Third gender • Transsexualism • Transvestism
Attitudes
LGBT history • LGBT social movement • Transphobia • Homosexuality and transgender • Gynephilia and androphilia
Legal issues
Legal aspects of transsexualism
Lists
Transgender-related topics • LGBT films • Transgender people • Category:Transgender

This article about lesbian, gay, bisexual and/or transgender issues Also see the article on Sexual orientation

---

Gender identity (or core gender identity) is a person's own sense of identification as male or female. The term is intended to distinguish this psychological association, from physiological and sociological aspects of gender. Gender identity was originally a medical term used to explain sex reassignment procedures to the public. The term is also found in psychology, often as core gender identity. Sociology, gender studies and feminism are still inclined to refer to gender identity, gender role and erotic preference under the catch-all term gender.

Gender identity is affected by "genetic, prenatal hormonal, postnatal social, and postpubertal hormonal determinants." Biological factors include the influence of testosterone and gene regulation in brain cells. Social factors are primarily based on the family, as gender identity is thought to be formed by the third year of life.

The Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders (302.85) has five criteria that must be met before a diagnosis of gender identity disorder (GID) can be made. "In gender identity disorder, there is discordancy between the natal sex of one's external genitalia and the brain coding of one's gender as masculine or feminine."

Jump to: Main Page • Micropedia • Macropedia • Icons • Time Line • History • Life Lessons • Links • Help
Chat rooms • What links here • Copyright info • Contact information • Category:Root