What’s the difference between sex & gender?

February 13, 2025

The difference between sex and gender

From medical forms to online surveys, we’re so used to automatically checking a box to describe our sex — or is it gender? — that it may seem like these words are interchangeable.

But in truth, they’re quite different.

In simplest terms:

Your sex refers to your body’s anatomy — in particular, your reproductive system. It can be determined by a medical exam.
Your gender refers to your personal thoughts and feelings about who you are. It can only be determined by you.

Sex: Your anatomy and reproductive system

Male, female, intersex

Your sex is determined by a number of physical and biological traits, which were coded into your DNA even before birth.

Sexual traits include:

Genitals, ex. penis, vagina
Sex chromosomes, ex. XY, XX
Hormones, ex. testosterone, estrogen
Other reproductive organs, ex. uterus, ovaries, prostate, testicles

Some of these traits, like a person’s genitals, are obvious with a simple physical exam. But many require special medical tests to confirm.

Your sex type may be:

Male: All of your sexual traits are male
Female: All of your sexual traits are female
Intersex: You have both male and female sexual traits, and/or some ambiguous traits

Many of us grew up thinking there were just two possibilities for a person’s sex type: male or female. But in fact, because of the many ways that genetic codes can vary, there’s a third possibility: intersex. Every day, thousands of babies are born whose sex is intersex.

When a person is intersex, their sexual anatomy doesn’t fit into just one category of “male” or “female.” They may have both male and female traits, and/or some traits that aren’t typical for either category.

For instance, someone who is intersex may have:

Female genitals on the outside and male reproductive organs on the inside
Male genitals on the outside and female reproductive organs on the inside
Genitals and/or other sexual traits that aren’t typically male or female
Many other possibilities

Around the world, about 2 out of 100 people are intersex.¹

Some babies seem to be typically male or female at birth, and only develop intersex traits later in life — for example, with the onset of puberty and new hormones that don’t match their assigned sex.
Because so much of our reproductive anatomy isn’t visible externally, many people don’t know they’re intersex until a medical test happens to reveal it later in life — for instance, if they’re trying to have a child and they go through fertility testing.

A note about gender: Just like everyone else, people who are intersex may have a gender identity that is female, male, nonbinary or something else. Some consider their gender to be intersex. (For the difference between sex and gender, keep reading.)

Gender: How you feel and express yourself to others

Male, female, nonbinary, other

Every one of us has a gender identity, whether or not we’ve spent a lot of time thinking about it. It’s your personal, individual sense of who you are, and how you relate — or don’t — to concepts like “male” and “female.”

Keep in mind: Your gender identity does not necessarily equal the pronouns you use. For example, you may use she/her pronouns even if you don’t identify as a woman.

Your gender identity may be:

Male: You identify as a man. You might use the pronouns he, him, his , or other pronouns of your choosing.
Female: You identify as a woman. You might use the pronouns she, her, hers, or other pronouns of your choosing.
Nonbinary: You identify as something other than male or female. Rather, you may consider yourself genderqueer, gender-nonconforming, pangender or something else. You may use the gender-neutral pronouns they, them, their, or other pronouns of your choosing.
Other: Your gender identity is not reflected in any of the categories above. For example, you may consider yourself agender, genderfluid or something else. As always, you may use any pronouns of your choosing.

Your gender identity is determined by:

How you feel: Do you know and think of yourself as female, male, both or neither, or something else? You’re the expert. (Remember: Many people’s gender identity does not match the sex they were born with. That is okay!)
How you choose to express those feelings: This or may not include your decisions about your appearance, like how you style your hair or the clothing you wear; how you behave; your preferred social roles; and any other self-expression.

Gender identity is a personal experience, so it looks and feels different to everyone.

Wondering how to respectfully ask a person’s gender identity?

Try asking about pronouns, starting with your own: “My pronouns are she/her. What about you?”

A person’s feelings towards their gender expression can begin as early as 2 or 3 years of age.² (Some research has even found that infants may be aware of their own gender identity by 2 years of age.³) But for many people, this is a lifelong journey. All of these processes are equally valid.

Like other aspects of identity, your gender identity can change and evolve as you age. It can also be shaped by the culture, society and social norms that surround you — which may also change over time!

Other useful terms: How your gender identity relates to your sex assigned at birth

Cis versus trans

In addition to whether they identify as a man, woman or nonbinary person, many people find it helpful to use the label “cisgender” or “transgender” to explain how their gender identity relates to their sex assigned at birth.

Cisgender, or “cis” for short

Your gender identity is the same as the sex that was assigned to you at birth.
In a sentence: Cis man, cis woman, cis person

Transgender, or “trans” for short

Your gender identity is different from the sex that was assumed for you at birth.
Your gender identity is male or female.
In a sentence: Trans man, trans woman, trans person

It can save the lives of those around us.

When we understand the difference between sex and gender, it’s easier to know which words to use for the many possible experiences that a person may be living. And words are powerful: They’re a way to appreciate and affirm another person’s identity.

For transgender and gender-diverse youth, who are at an extraordinarily high risk of suicide, this is crucial.

A 2024 survey by the Trevor Project found 20% of transgender youth who had a suicide attempt reported not having a household respectful of their pronouns, compared to the 11% of transgender and non-binary youth having all members of their household respect their pronouns.4

In short, using a person’s correct pronouns can save their life. By learning about the difference between sex and gender, and helping to share this knowledge with others, you can make a bigger impact than you may realize.

Resources:

Amnesty International. (2022, November 28). Its Intersex Awareness Day – here are 5 myths we need to shatter. https://www.amnesty.org/en/latest/news/2018/10/its-intersex-awareness-day-here-are-5-myths-we-need-to-shatter/
Sex and Gender Identity. (n.d.). Planned Parenthood. https://www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/gender-identity/sex-gender-identity
Bussey, K. (2011). Gender Identity Development. In Springer eBooks (pp. 603–628). https://doi.org/10.1007/978-1-4419-7988-9_25
The Trevor Project. (n.d.). 2024 U.S. National Survey on the Mental Health of LGBTQ+ Young People. https://www.thetrevorproject.org/survey-2024/

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