Gender identity words: a starter guide

Sex assigned at birth is the sex, usually female or male, recorded when a baby is born. Gender is broader: it covers the roles, behaviours and identities a society links with being a woman, a man or something else. Gender identity is a person's own inner sense of their gender, and gender expression is how they show it through clothes, hair, voice or name.

These things are related but separate. Someone can have a feminine style without being a woman, and a person's identity cannot be read from their appearance. Some people are born intersex, with sex characteristics that do not fit typical female or male definitions.

A cisgender person's gender identity matches the sex they were assigned at birth. Transgender is an umbrella term for people whose gender identity differs from it, including trans men and trans women. AFAB and AMAB describe the sex recorded at birth without saying anything about identity.

Non-binary people have a gender identity that is not exclusively woman or man. Related words include genderqueer, genderfluid (a gender that changes over time) and agender (no gender, or a neutral one). Many cultures also have long-standing terms outside the binary, such as two-spirit in some Indigenous North American communities and hijra in South Asia.

Pronouns are the words used for someone in the third person, such as she, he or they. Singular they has been used in English for centuries and is the pronoun many non-binary people use. Some people use neopronouns such as xe or ze.

Using the wrong pronoun or gendered word is called misgendering, and using a trans person's former name is deadnaming. Mistakes happen: a quick correction and moving on is usually the most respectful response. Sharing your own pronouns can make it easier for others to share theirs.

Transition is the personal process of starting to live in line with one's gender identity. It can be social, such as a new name, pronouns or style; medical, such as hormones or surgery under specialist care; legal, such as updating documents; or a mix. There is no single correct path, and not every trans person wants every step.

Gender dysphoria is the distress some people feel about a mismatch between their gender and their body or assigned sex. Gender euphoria is the opposite feeling: the joy and rightness of being recognised as who you are. Gender-affirming care covers the support, from respectful treatment to medical care, that helps people live well.

Cisnormativity is the habit of assuming everyone is cisgender, for example in forms that only offer two boxes. Transphobia is prejudice or hostility towards trans and non-binary people. Small changes, such as asking rather than assuming, make spaces safer for everyone.

Labels are personal and can change. The best guide is always how someone describes themselves, and it is fine to ask politely if you are unsure.