The Gender Unicorn

Gender Identity

Gender

Expression

Sex Assigned at Birth

Attraction

Gender Identity

female/women/girl

male/man/boy

other gender(s)

Gender identity is your perception of one's gender. Gender identity can or may differ from the assigned sex at birth.

Gender Expression

feminine

masculine

other

Gender Expression is the behaviour, mannerisms, interests, and appearance of a person associated with gender in a 

particular social context. 

Sex Assinged at Birth

female

male

intersex/other

Intersex is a general term used for a range of circumstances where a person was born with reproductive or sexual anatomy that does not fit the standard interpretations of females or males.

Physically Attracted to

women

men

other gender(s)/nobody

Physical attraction is the extent to which an individual's physical characteristics are deemed visually pleasing or beautiful. The term often implies sexual attractiveness or desirability, but it can also be separate from the other.

Emotionally Attracted to

women

men

other gender(s)/nobody

Emotional attraction is when an individual is attracted to the heart, mind and spirit of someone.   

Gender Identites

Below are three important terms you should know when discussing gender identities. They are NOT the ONLY gender identities; there are a variety of different gender identities out there.

Cisgender: A person is considered to be cisgender if they identify with the sex they were assigned at birth 

Transgender: Transgender individuals are people who don’t identify with the sex they were assigned at birth and instead choose to express different gender identities.

Non-binary: The umbrella term covering all gender identities and expressions outside the gender binary (male and female)

Sexualities

Here are just some of the different sexualities that exist today; these are not all of the other sexualities out there, but just the most common ones.

Heterosexual: This term is used when you are attracted to the opposite sex. Ex, a male is attracted to a female or vice versa. 

Gay/Lesbian: These terms refer to individuals who are emotionally, romantically, or sexually attracted to someone of the same gender. Gay is the term used for men, and lesbian is the term used for women.

Bisexual: Bisexuality is defined as attraction to people of the same gender and people of a gender other than your own. So that can mean any two or more genders.

Pansexual: Those who identify as pansexual are sexually, romantically and/or emotionally attracted to people regardless of their sex or gender identity

Asexual: People who identify as asexual are not sexually attracted to either sex, though the spectrum of experiences varies from person to person.

A few more sexualities you should know...