Gender Identity
Gender identity refers to an individual’s personal sense of their own gender. It is how a person internally understands and experiences their gender, which may or may not align with the sex assigned to them at birth.
Historically Marginalized Gender Identities
Historically marginalized gender identities encompass groups that have faced systematic oppression and discrimination throughout history. This includes transgender women, cisgender women, transgender men, non-binary individuals, and any other gender identities that have been historically marginalized, particularly in political and social contexts.
Sex/Gender/Gender Binary
The gender binary is a classification system that pairs sex—based on reproductive anatomy—with gender, which consists of socially constructed ideas and expectations associated with that sex. It divides gender into two distinct categories: males who identify as men and females who identify as women, reflecting a rigid dichotomy of “opposite” genders.
Non-Binary
Non-binary refers to any gender identity that falls outside the traditional gender binary of male and female. This can include individuals who identify as agender, genderfluid, two-spirit, and other gender identities that do not fit within the conventional categories of man or woman.
Transgender
Transgender (or trans) describes individuals whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth. This term encompasses a range of identities and experiences that do not conform to traditional gender norms.
Marginalized Communities
Marginalized communities are groups of people who have been pushed to the fringes of society due to factors such as race, class, ethnicity, gender, immigration status, or other identity-based reasons. Marginalization involves denying these individuals access to rights, opportunities, and resources that are readily available to the dominant, non-marginalized population. People may belong to multiple marginalized groups and experience compounded disadvantages due to intersecting identities.
Woman
The term “woman” is used to describe individuals who identify as female, including those who are cisgender, transgender, or otherwise identify with the female gender.
Young
The term “young” refers to individuals under the age of 30.