Sex, Gender, and Pronouns

Sex refers to the biological attributes and is associated with physical and physiological features including chromosomes, hormones, and sexual anatomy. Depending on how these physical and physiological aspects interact there is a wide variety of sexual identities that can be formed. Depending on the characteristics sex has a range of appearances and those can be altered through hormone replacement and surgeries.

Gender refers to socially constructed roles, behaviors, expressions, and identities. It influences how individuals view themselves and interact with others. Gender is fluid and is not restricted to the binary forms that many mistakenly believe. Gender can change over time without need of any physical changes to be made and is incredibly diverse in how an individual may chose to express their gender. Gender will affect experiences and the roles individuals may take on as well as the expectations that society places on their gender. Gender Identity is how a person views themselves and is their personal sense and experience of their own gender. Gender expression is how the induvial communicates their gender to others.

Pronouns used in discussion express the gender identity and go far beyond he/him and she/her. When talking about an individual in English there are no gender neutral or third gender pronouns and over time those have been created, one of the more common gender inclusive pronouns are they/them which has been and is continued to be used for an individual as well as when discussing a group. Below is a list of Gender inclusive pronouns that are becoming increasing more common.


Government of Canada, C. (2020, April 28). What is gender? What is sex? Retrieved April 19, 2021, from

University of wisconsin-milwaukee. (2021). Gender Pronouns. Retrieved April 19, 2021, from

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