Gender Labels

Gender is a multidimensional construct that is inclusive of assigned gender/sex, gender identity, gender expression, and gender roles/expectations. Gender labels may refer to a single dimension of gender or may be used to refer to gender as a broad overarching concept. Gender labels can also specifically reference the relation between one dimension (e.g., assigned gender/sex) and another (e.g., gender identity). For example, cisgender or cis is a gender label used to refer to individuals whose gender identity is coincident with their assigned gender/sex, while trans is used as a label for individuals whose gender identity and assigned sex do not correspond. It is important to note that these different dimensions of gender are not always “aligned” with one another, nor should they be expected to ...