We see it everywhere on questionnaires or forms when you go to the “sex” part of a form, and you’ve presented the option of “man” or “woman”. Society has mixed up to two for far too long. Sexuality and gender are two different but important ways of defining your sense of self. Sexual orientation is an inherent or immutable emotional, romantic, or sexual attraction to others independent of gender identity. Gender identity is how an individual perceives themself based on the concept of gender which can be the same or different than one’s assigned or assumed sex at birth. Gender is a social construct that includes societal norms, behaviors and roles that are associated with being a woman, man, boy, or girl. Sex is the various biological and physiological characteristics of males, females and intersex persons, such as sexual anatomy, hormones or reproductive organs. Sexuality and gender are both very broad terms.

Starting with Sexuality

Asexual - an umbrella term that exists on a spectrum, refers to a complete or partial lack of sexual attraction or lack of interest in sexual activity with others.

Aromantic - a person who experiences little to no romantic attraction regardless of sex or gender.

Bisexual - a person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to more than one sex, gender, or gender identity.

Demisexual - a person who only feels sexual attraction to someone after they’ve formed a strong emotional connection with them; rarely feel sexual attraction.

Gay - a person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to member of the same gender, included men, women and non-binary people

Heterosexual -a person who experiences sexual, romantic or emotional attraction to people of the “opposite” gender.

Lesbian - a person who is emotionally, romantically or sexually attracted to other women, including women and non-binary people

Pansexual - a person with emotional, romantic or sexual attraction to people of any gender

Queer - an umbrella term that describes people who aren’t exclusively heterosexual.

Exploring Gender

Agender - a person who identifies by not subscribing to any gender identity

Cisgender - a person whose gender identity aligns with those associated with the sex assigned to them at birth

Demigender - a person who feels a connection and/or an internal leaning towards a particular gender

Gender fluid - a person who doesn’t identify with a single fixed gender or a fluid/unfixed gender identityGender neutral - a person who expresses themself in way where they are not perceived as any one gender

Gender nonconforming - a person whose gender expression is different from cultural stereotypes associated with their perceived gender or assigned/assumed sex at birth

Intergender - a person who mixes both masculine and feminine identities

Non-binary - a person who doesn’t identify exclusively with man or woman but can identify as both, neither or somewhere in between, nonbinary is also an umbrella term for identities such as agender, bigender, genderqueer or gender fluid

Transgender - an umbrella term for people whose gender identity and or expression is different from cultural expectation based on the sex a person was assigned/assumed at birth

Two Spirit - an umbrella term used in indigenous and Canadian First Nations communities for a person who identifies with both masculine and feminine identities as a distinct gender identity with unique roles associated.

When you get down to it these lists don’t even encompass the full spectrums of sexuality or gender. It’s okay to be unsure, overwhelmed or even change your sexual or gender identity with time. As you change and grow as a person, so will the ways you choose to express yourself. Use these terms as roadmaps for exploring your own sexuality and gender, even just expanding your language and knowledge can provide allyship, validation, and self discovery.