Gender
Gender is more than just boy or girl. Learn about gender identity and expression, and how gender is evolving around the world.
Dee
Who is Dee?
Hi! I’m here to help you learn more about gender. This topic involves the core elements of gender identity (our sense of self) and gender expression (how we show up in the world). For some of us, it’s as easy as male or female, man or woman. But for many others, it’s far more complex. Our gender can involve a mix of masculine and feminine, or be something altogether different — what people refer to as non-binary. Let’s explore…
The Basics
Learn about the broad spectrum of gender identities and expressions.
Gender expression
Gender expression is a big part of how we show up to the world.
Gender identity
Gender identity is distinct from biological sex even though for most people the two correspond.
Beyond masculine and feminine
There are countless ways for people to identify through gender.
Understanding pronouns
Not everyone is a ‘he’ or a ‘she’. Now our language is catching up.
The spectrum goes mainstream
Gender used to be thought of as an either/or proposition: man or woman. But a growing number of people do not identify with those two choices, and America has noticed.
A third option
Non-binary identities are transforming how we fill in the blanks.
Pronouns: A Surprising History
Learn about the history of gender-neutral pronouns and how change is a constant when it comes to language.
Real people
There’s a lot of diversity in gender identities. But life isn’t easy for people who identify “beyond he or she.”
The space between
Not everyone identifies as a man or woman. Watch this CBS News video to hear from people who identify "beyond he or she."
An Olympic First
Timothy LeDuc is the first openly nonbinary athlete to have competed at the Winter Olympics.
"I remember these awkward silences"
Listen as Kiyan Williams, who identifies as gender non-conforming, talks about what it was like coming of age feeling different from everyone else.
"You taught me how to love"
Listen as Sissy and Vickie talk about their life together and the challenges Sissy faced as a cross-dressing man.
A gender journey
Ari Agha's journey to identifying as gender nonbinary was decades long with many twists and turns along the way.
We'wha
We'wha, a Two-Spirit person of the Zuni tribe, was one of the most famous Native Americans of the 19th Century.
Meet Elijah/Esther
Read how Elijah/Esther feels and identifies as a woman some days, a man other days, and some days as neither.
"The differences are massive"
Find out what Paula Stone Williams is learning about being a woman after 60 years of living as a man.
The social construction of gender
Learn about gender as a social construction and how it changes over time.
Lessons in gender
Learn about the different ways we teach and reinforce gender in our world today.
Change over time
Our approach to gender has changed over time and is still changing with our culture.
The battle over gender in youth organizations
Growing legions of girls are joining Scouts BSA, formerly known as Boy Scouts of America. Find out what's happening on the fast-changing landscape of scouting in the U.S.
A unique perspective
Transgender men have a unique perspective on gender bias in the workplace.
Around the world
Worldwide, the variety of gender identity and expression is nearly boundless. Many cultures have long recognized not just two genders, but 3, 4, 5, or even more.
Gender-diverse cultures
Check out some of the gender-diverse cultures that have existed throughout the world.
Two-Spirit People
Learn about the Two-Spirit People who have been part of Indigenous communities for countless generations.
Across time and place
There's nothing new about gender identities beyond male and female--they've been around since ancient times.
A Culture of Acceptance
Learn about a culture of acceptance between masculine and feminine.
India's third gender
How did India accept a third gender? It was there all along.
Gender diversity in ancient Rome
Ancient priests known as Galli are a case study of gender diversity in history.
The meaning of Mahu
Embodiments of masculine and feminine: meet the Mahu of Hawaii.
The evolution of drag
Did you know that the term "drag" has its origin in Shakespeare's plays and that the history of drag stretches back even further? Learn about the evolution of drag as art and self-expression.
Refashioning gender
Why did women adopt masculine attire in the early 1900s? Turns out, there were a lot of reasons.