GS.5: Deep Dive – Gender Vocabulary

Approximate reading time: 3 minutes

• Agender: when someone does not identify with a gender.
• Cisgender: when a person’s gender identity matches their assigned sex at birth.
• FtM: when a person is assigned a female sex at birth but whose gender identity is boy/man.
• Gender dysphoria: when a person is unhappy or dissatisfied with their gender. It can occur in relation to any dimension of gender.
• Gender expansive: when people view their gender identity as going beyond the traditional definitions of female or male. They may express or experience their gender in a variety of ways that do not conform to conventional gender norms.
• Gender expression: the way a person dresses, behaves, or presents themselves in order to be seen as a particular gender.
• Gender fluid: when a person’s gender changes over time (e.g., a day, week, month, year or decades); they view gender as dynamic and changing.
• Gender role: all the activities, functions and behaviours that are expected of females and males in a gender binary society.
• Genderqueer: someone who may not identify with conventional gender identities, roles, expectations or expressions.
• MtF: when a person is assigned a male sex at birth but whose gender identity is girl/woman.
• Non–binary: when a person’s gender identity is not exclusively feminine or masculine.
• Transgender: when a person’s gender identity differs from their assigned sex at birth.
• Two-spirit: a term used by some Indigenous nations to describe a person who embodies characteristics of both female and male genders, or who has a unique gender role in their community. This term, “Two-Spirit”, is specific to Indigenous cultures and represents a mix of gender identity, social role, and spiritual identity. Two-Spirit individuals also may hold special spiritual or shamanic duties in their community.

To learn more about gender, visit Gender Spectrum.

Gender Equality refers to the absence of discrimination based on a person’s sex. This concept embodies the belief that, regardless of whether a person is male or female, they should have equal opportunities in life, including equal chances to access resources, services and benefits. For example, both men and women should have the same opportunities for education and employment.

Gender Equity, on the other hand, is about fairness and justice in how benefits and responsibilities are shared between men and women. It recognizes that men and women might have different needs and aims to address these differences fairly. For instance, in workplaces, gender equity might involve providing parental leave for both mothers and fathers, acknowledging their distinct roles in childcare.