Gender (identity), sexual orientation
Glossary entry:
Gender (identity), sexual orientation. Gender identity involves how a person identifies. Gender is socially enforced as a man-woman binary yet in reality gender consists of a broad spectrum. A person may identify at any point within this spectrum or outside of it entirely. People may identify with genders that are different from the gender they are assigned at birth. These gender identities may include transgender, nonbinary, or gender-neutral. There are many other ways in which a person may define their own gender. Gender also exists as social constructs: as gender ‘roles’ or ‘norms’. These are defined as the socially constructed roles, behaviours, and attributes that a society considers appropriate for men and women. Sexual orientation refers to each person’s capacity for profound emotional, affectional and sexual attraction to individuals of a different, same, none, non-defined, or more than one gender.
Petra Van Brabandt & Els Silvrants-Barclay
For Parity and Diversity Commission (PDK) & D-ARCH Dean’s Office