Variations may involve genital ambiguity, and combinations of chromosomal genotype and sexual phentype other than the normal xy for males and xx for females.
In biological terms, sex may be determined by a number of factors present at birth, including:
•the number and type of sex chromosomes:
•the type of gonads —ovaries or testicles;
•the number, type and relative quantities of sex hormones;
•the internal reproductive anatomy (such as the uterous in females); and
•the external genitalia.
People whose characteristics are not either all typically male or all typically female at birth are categorised as intersex (the term hermaphrodite is no longer used because it is considered medically inaccurate, and because it was long associated with stigma).
But the differences might not be physical. They may be cognitive. Scientists have discovered that there is such a thing as brain gender - gender-linked differences in how the brain percieves and thinks. These differences appear to be so innate and intrinsic as to be physical in origin.
In some cases, how a person is treated by their family-of-origin can affect their sense of identity. I know of a man who was severely mistreated by his uncle from six till the year he ran away from home as a young teenager. I can't say how because of the TIS, but it was sexual and you can imagine what that means. He grew up identifying as a female, and yet as a male he was heterosexual. He was extremely bright, got a brilliant education and became finacially very seccessful. He did many years of psychtherapy and eventually decided to make the transition to becoming a woman via hormones and gender reassignment surgery. After surgery, he remained preferring women, and stayed in his longtterm relationship with is de-facto partner. Living together as lesbians, they are very happy.
This case is one of a small proportion of exceptions.
By and large, how a person is treated by their family has nothing to do with either gender identity or gender orientation.
The following terms broadly cover the major variations, but it needs to be remembered that the distinctions have many variations of degree within them. It about how the person identifies their own gender and has nothing to do with gender preference, i.e., nothing to do with being gay, straight or bi.
1. Cisgender - this is the norm. It means how a person identifies in terms of gender matches the body he or she was born with. Many people do not clarify whether they identify as cisgender, either because they are unaware that not everyone is born normal, or because they simply assume normality just as most others around them do. But because 1.7% of people are not born normal, gender should not be assumed.
2. Intersex is the term used for a variety of medical conditions in which a person is born with chromosomes, genitalia, and/or secondary sexual characteristics that are inconsistent with the typical definition of a male or female body. Individuals are not always aware that they have this condition, but it is an identity that some choose to share.
3. Agender is a person without a gender. An agender individual’s body does not necessarily correspond with their lack of gender identity. Often they are not concerned with their physical sex, but may seek to look androgynous. An androgyne is a person who identifies and/or physically appears as neither man nor woman.
4. A genderfluid individual does not see themselves as male or female, but may identify as one or the other depending on the day. They are fluid with their gender expression, which is different than one’s gender identity. Gender expression is a person’s physical characteristics, behaviors, and presentation that are linked to either masculinity or femininity. Genderfluid individuals may express one gender through clothing or interests one day and then identify as another the next.
5. Genderqueer or non binary is a variety. They often are fluid in their gender expression. This type of person may identify as male or female, between or beyond genders, or a combination of genders. They often challenge gender stereotypes and the gender binary system of male and female. Genderqueer is considered a term that gives respect to sexual orientation. It has nothing to do with gender preference (or orientation); they may not identify as either hetero- or homosexual.
6. Gender Non-conforming is a person who either by nature or by choice does not conform to gender-based expectations of society. This identity goes along with a lot of the ones above.
Basically, think of all the gender stereotypes out there, like pink for girls or guys having muscles. This person chooses to not conform to these, or may identify as the opposite sex, such as transgender individuals.
7. Transgender is an umbrella term for those individuals whose gender identity does not match with the one assigned for their physical sex. It helps to cover all the different phases for a person, from identity, through transformation, to the end form of the change. It includes, among others, transmen, transwomen, genderqueer people, some type of crossdressers (those who do it for identity reasons, not for erotic, creative or jokey reasons), and drag queens/kings. Generally, it refers to anyone whose behavior or identity falls outside of stereotypical expectations of gender.
Transgender people may identify as straight, gay, bisexual, or some other sexual orientation. It is sometimes shortened as trans.
Not everyone may identify as transgender, but rather just the gender they identify with, and it should never be assumed.
Gender is not your genitalia (https://40.media.tumblr.com)
This is a hard concept for older people, religious people and conservatives to wrap their heads around.
And it's full of complex issues.
