Sex Assignment

From gender reveal parties to birth registries and baby showers, presumed sex and sex assigned at birth continue to be cultural phenomena for U.S. families today. Its historical roots in Western cultures are based on arbitrary civil and cultural precedents that use assigned sex to bestow civil and legal rights. As human rights and social opportunities have become more equitable among the sexes and as binary assumptions about “maleness” and “femaleness” increasingly come under question, there are growing discussions about the nature of gender development and identity, with evidence suggesting that an inclusive and affirmative approach is most healthful for individuals and communities.