GLAAD Media Reference Guide - Transgender Glossary of Terms
GLAAD's Media Reference Guide: A Resource for Journalists,
Updated May 2010 Sex The classification of people as male or
female. At birth, infants are assigned a sex based on a
combination of bodily characteristics including: chromosomes,
hormones, internal reproductive organs, and genitals. Gender
Identity One's internal, personal sense of being a man or a
woman (or a boy or a girl). For transgender people, their birth-
assigned sex and their own internal sense of gender identity do
not match. Gender Expression External manifestation of one's
gender identity, usually expressed through "masculine,"
"feminine" or gender-variant behavior, clothing, haircut, voice
or body characteristics. Typically, transgender people seek to
make their gender expression match their gender identity, rather
than their birth-assigned sex. Sexual Orientation Describes an
individual's enduring physical, romantic and/or emotional
attraction to another person. Gender identity a