gender identity

American  

noun

1. a person's inner sense of being male, female, or another gender, usually developed during early childhood as a result of parental rearing practices and societal influences and strengthened during puberty by hormonal changes.

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Sensitive Note

One's gender identity may continue to evolve over time and may diverge from the male/female gender division. See the usage note at gender ¹ .

Example Sentences

But I’m not talking about my gender identity.

From Los Angeles Times • May 22, 2026

Under the country's Sex Discrimination Act, it is illegal for providers of goods or services to discriminate against another person on the ground of a person's gender identity.

From BBC • May 15, 2026

They worked to exclude religious schools anyway by forbidding participants from discriminating based on religion, sexual orientation or gender identity.

From The Wall Street Journal • Apr. 30, 2026

But on behalf of all survivors everywhere, of any gender, identity or age, let me give you some blanket answers to “Why now?”

From Los Angeles Times • Apr. 14, 2026

This was the thirty-five-second segment that, Luce insisted, proved out his theory that gender identity is established early on in life.

From "Middlesex: A Novel" by Jeffrey Eugenides