Definition of Terms

• “Assigned sex at birth” means the sex designation, usually “male” or “female,” assigned to a person when the person is born.
• “Gender” means a set of social, psychological, and emotional traits, influenced by a society’s expectations that classify an individual as feminine, masculine, or other.
• “Gender expression” means the manner in which a person represents or expresses gender to others, often through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, activities, voice, or mannerisms.
• “Gender identity” means a person’s internal, deeply-felt sense of being male, female, or other, whether or not that gender-related identity is different from the person’s physiology or assigned sex at birth. Everyone has a gender identity.
• “Gender nonconforming” means displaying a gender or gender expression that differs from those typically associated with one’s assigned sex at birth. A person’s gender expression may differ from stereotypical expectations about how females and males are “supposed to” look or act. Gender nonconforming is not synonymous with transgender; not all gender nonconforming students identify as transgender.
• “Sex” means the chromosomal, hormonal, and anatomical characteristics that are used to classify an individual as male or female.
• “Transgender” means a person whose gender identity differs from their assigned sex at birth. “Transgender” is not the same as “gay”.
• “Transition” means the process by which a transgender person starts living as the gender the person identifies as and often includes a change in style of dress, selection of a new name, a request that people use the correct pronoun, and possibly hormone therapy and surgery.

• “Sexual orientation” is defined in the MHRA to mean a person’s actual or perceived heterosexuality, bisexuality, homosexuality or gender identity or expression. The terms heterosexuality, bisexuality, and homosexuality should not be considered exclusive, however, and the statute should be interpreted to cover all orientations (including, for example, those who identify as asexual).
• “Gender identity” means an individual’s sincerely held core belief regarding their gender, whether that individual identifies as male, female, a blend of both, neither, or in some other way (such as, for example, students who identify as “queer”, “genderqueer”, “bi-gender”, “intersex” or “gender fluid”).
• “Gender expression” means an individual’s external expression of their gender identity, through such means as clothing, hair styling, jewelry, voice, and behavior.
• “Transgender” is used as an umbrella term for people whose gender identity and/or expression is different from cultural expectations based on the sex/gender they were assigned at birth. Being transgender does not imply any specific sexual orientation.

Discussion regarding the needs of transgender and gender non-conforming students is best held when there is mutual understanding of key concepts and a shared vocabulary. The key concepts and vocabulary used in this document include:

• Sex - the genetic and anatomical characteristics with which people are born, typically labeled male or female.
• Gender – the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a given culture associates with a person’s biological sex.
• Gender Identity- A person’s deeply held internalized sense or psychological knowledge of their gender regardless of the biological sex they were assigned at birth.
• Cisgender- Students whose sex assigned at birth correspond to their gender identity
• Transgender- Students whose internalized knowledge and sense of who they are as either male or female does not match their sex assigned at birth.
• Gender Expression - The manner in which a student represents or expresses gender to others, often through manner of speech and word choices, manner of dress and hairstyle, the wearing (or not wearing) of cosmetics, and other distinctive cultural markers of gender.
• Gender Non-Conforming- An umbrella term for students whose gender expression differs from stereotypical expectations of the sex they were assigned at birth. Students who do not identify with either traditional gender categories or identify as both genders are often called gender non-conforming, gender diverse, or gender expansive.
• Transition- The process through which transgender people begin to live as the gender with which they identify, rather than the one typically associated with their sex assigned at birth. Transitions may include any combination of physical social and medical processes.
• Social transition may include changing names, pronouns, hairstyle, and clothing.
• Medical transition may include medical components like hormone therapy and gender affirming surgeries. Not all transgender individuals seek medical care as part of their transition, especially minors.

Understanding the terminology associated with gender identity is important to providing a safe and supportive school environment for students whose rights are protected under the law. The following terms appear in this document and are defined to assist in understanding the guidance presented. Although these are the most commonly used terms, students may prefer other terms to describe their gender identity, appearance, or behavior. The term “gender identity” is specifically defined in the Mass. General Laws, as amended by An Act Relative to Gender Identity (the gender identity law).

• Gender expression: the manner in which a person represents or expresses gender to others, often through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, activities, voice, or mannerisms.
• Gender identity: as defined in part at G.L. c. 4, § 7, is “a person’s gender-related identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that gender-related identity, appearance or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s physiology or assigned sex at birth...”
• Gender nonconforming: a term used to describe people whose gender expression differs from stereotypic expectations. The terms “gender variant” or “gender atypical” are also used.
• Transgender: an umbrella term used to describe a person whose gender identity or gender expression is different from that traditionally associated with the assigned sex at birth.

A number of terms are used in this document that may not be commonly known. A short list of definitions is included in the endnotes to facilitate a shared understanding. It is not an all inclusive list.

• Biological sex assigned at birth—a person’s biological sex is a combination of bodily characteristics, including chromosomes, hormones, internal and external genitalia, and secondary sex characteristics. At birth, infants are assigned a sex, usually male or female, based solely on the appearance of their external anatomy.
• Gender identity—a person’s deeply-held internal sense or psychological knowledge of their own gender, regardless of the biological sex they were assigned at birth. Safe and Supportive Learning Environments for LGBTQ Students
• Gender expression—the manner in which a person represents or expresses gender to others, often through one’s name, pronouns, behavior, clothing, haircut, activities, voice, mannerisms, and other distinctive cultural markers of gender.
• Transgender—an adjective describing a person whose gender identity or expression is different from their biological sex assigned at birth.
• Gender nonconforming (GNC)—an umbrella term for people whose gender expression differs from stereotypical expectations of the biological sex they were assigned at birth. GNC people may identify as girls, boys, neither girls nor boys, or some other gender.
• Gender transition—the process in which transgender people begin asserting the sex that corresponds to their gender identity instead of the sex they were assigned at birth. During gender transition, people begin to live and identify as the sex consistent with their gender identity and may dress differently, adopt a new name, and use pronouns consistent with their gender identity. Transition may or may not also include medical and legal aspects, including taking hormones, having surgery, or changing identity documents (e.g. driver’s license, social security record) to reflect one’s gender identity. Gender transition can happen swiftly or over a long duration of time. Not all transgender or GNC people transition or desire to transition in the same way.
• Sexual orientation—a person’s emotional, romantic, and/or sexual attraction to other people. Sexual orientation is not the same as gender identity.
• Questioning—a person’s process of exploring and discovering their own sexual orientation and/or gender identity.

Gender identity, assigned sex and sexual orientation are separate identity characteristics according to the American Psychological Association and National Association of School Psychologists. Any student, including transgender and gender nonconforming students, may be heterosexual, gay, lesbian or bisexual. Gender identity does not correlate with sexual orientation. Understanding the terminology associated with gender identity is important to providing a safe and supportive school environment for students. The following terms and definitions are included in this toolkit to assist school leaders and staff in understanding the information presented in this resource:

• Gender identity – an individual’s innate sense of one’s own gender; a deeply held sense of psychological knowledge of one’s own gender, regardless of the gender assigned at birth.
• Gender expression – the external appearance, characteristics or behaviors typically associated with a specific gender.
• Gender nonconforming – people whose gender expression differs from stereotypical expectations, such as “feminine” boys, “masculine” girls, and those who are perceived as androgynous or gender nonbinary.
• Sexual orientation – refers to the sex of those to whom one is sexually and romantically attracted. Categories of sexual orientation typically have included attraction to members of one's own sex, attraction to members of the other sex (heterosexual) and attraction to members of both sexes (bisexual).
• Transgender – an umbrella term for people whose gender identity, gender expression or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth.

Understanding the common terminology associated with gender identity is important to providing a safe and supportive school environment for students. The following terms appear in this document and we present the following definitions used by research, advocacy and governmental organizations to assist in understanding the guidance presented. Although these are the most commonly used terms, students may prefer other terms to describe their gender identity, appearance, or behavior. Terminology and language describing transgender and GNC individuals can differ based on region, language, race or ethnicity, age, culture, and many other factors. Generally speaking, we recommend that school staff and educators inquire which terms students prefer; a good general guideline is to employ those terms which the students use to describe themselves.

• Assigned Sex at Birth: the sex designation, usually “male” or “female,” assigned to a person when they are born.
• Cisgender: an adjective describing a person whose gender identity corresponds to their assigned sex at birth.
• Gender expression: the manner in which a person represents or expresses gender to others, often through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, activities, voice, or mannerisms.
• Gender identity: a person’s gender-related identity, appearance or behavior, whether or not that gender-related identity, appearance or behavior is different from that traditionally associated with the person’s physiology or assigned sex at birth. Everyone has a gender identity.
• Gender nonconforming (GNC): a term used to describe people whose gender expression differs from stereotypic expectations. The terms “gender variant” or “gender atypical” are also used. Gender nonconforming individuals may identify as male, female, some combination of both, or neither.
• Sexual Orientation: a person’s emotional and sexual attraction to other people based on the gender of the other person. Sexual orientation is not the same as gender identity. Not all transgender youth identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, and not all gay, lesbian and bisexual youth display gender-nonconforming characteristics.
• Transgender: an adjective describing a person whose gender identity does not correspond to their assigned sex at birth.
• Transition: the process by which a person socially and/or physically aligns their gender expression more closely to their actual gender identity and away from that associated with their assigned sex at birth.

Understanding the common terminology associated with gender identity is important to providing a safe and supportive school environment for students. The following definitions used by research, advocacy and governmental organizations are provided to assist in understanding the guidance presented. Although these are the most commonly used terms, students may use other terms to describe their gender identity, appearance, or expression. Terminology and language describing transgender and gender nonconforming individuals can differ based on region, language, race or ethnicity, age, culture, and many other factors. It is recommended that school staff and educators inquire about which terms a student uses to describe themselves and their experience. A good general guideline is to employ those terms which the student uses to describe themselves.

• Assigned sex – Sex recorded at birth, usually on the basis of external genitalia.
• Cisgender- A term used to describe people who, for the most part, identify with the sex they were assigned at birth.
• Gender binary – The assumption that there are only two genders (male and female), rather than more than two genders or gender fluidity.
• Gender expression - How people express their gender externally based on mannerisms, dress, etc. A person's gender expression/presentation may not always match their gender identity.
• Gender identity - A person's internal sense of being male, female or some other gender, regardless of whether the individual's appearance, expression or behavior differs from that traditionally associated with the individual's sex assigned at birth. Gender identity is distinct from and often unrelated to an individual’s sexual orientation.
• Gender role - The socially determined sets of behaviors assigned to people based on their biological sex.
• Gender sensitive - Materials and instruction strategies that is sensitive to individual’s similarities and differences regarding gender role, gender identity and/or sexual orientation.
• Genderqueer – A person whose gender identity cannot be categorized as solely male or female. The term is not a synonym for transgender and should only be used if someone self-identifies as genderqueer.
• Intersex – An umbrella term used for people born with reproductive or sexual anatomy and/or chromosome pattern that does not seem to fit the typical definition of male or female. Intersex may also be known as Difference of Sex Development and may not always be known at birth, but may be revealed at any stage of a person’s life.
• Sexual orientation – Means a person’s physical, romantic, emotional, aesthetic, or other form of attraction to others. Sexual orientation and gender identity are not the same. Although, the Oregon Legislature adopted a broader definition of “sexual orientation” for purposes of all Oregon statutes to “mean an individual’s actual or perceived heterosexuality, homosexuality, bisexuality or gender identity, regardless of whether the individual’s gender identity, appearance, expression or behavior differs from that traditionally associated with the individual’s sex at birth.”
• Transgender – An umbrella term for persons whose gender identity, gender expression, or behavior does not conform to that typically associated with the sex to which they were assigned at birth. Persons who identify as transgender may or may not pursue medical transition.
• Transgender female -This is a person whose assigned sex at birth is male but identifies and lives as a female.
• Transgender male - This is a person whose assigned sex at birth is female but identifies and lives as a male.
• Transition - The time when a person begins living as the gender with which they identify rather than the gender they were assigned at birth, which often includes changing one’s first name and dressing and grooming differently. Transition may or may not also include medical and legal aspects, including taking hormones, having surgery, or changing identity documents (e.g. driver’s license, Social Security record) to reflect one’s gender identity.
• Transsexual – An outmoded term that refers to a person who has permanently changed - or seeks to change - their bodies through medical interventions (including but not limited to hormones and/or surgeries). Unlike transgender, transsexual is not an umbrella or popular term. Many transgender people do not identify as transsexual and prefer the word transgender. It is best to use transgender instead unless the individual uses this term to describe themselves.

The following terms appear in this document and are defined to assist in understanding the guidance presented.

• Assigned Sex at Birth: the assignment and classification of people as male, female or intersex or another sex assigned at birth based on physical anatomy at birth and or karyotyping.
• Biological Sex: the biological state of having: 1) female or male genitalia; 2) female or male chromosomes and 3) female or male hormones. It is estimated that one in 2,000 babies is born with the biological characteristics of both sexes or of neither sex entirely.
• Bullying: means the use by one or more students of a written, verbal or electronic expression, or a physical act or gesture or any combination thereof directed at a student that causes physical or emotional harm to the student or damage to the student's property; places the student in reasonable fear of harm to himself/herself or of damage to his/her property; creates an intimidating, threatening, hostile, or abusive educational environment for the student; infringes on the rights of the student to participate in school activities; or materially and substantially disrupts the education process or the orderly operation of a school.
• Gender: social and cultural expression of sex, not biological sex
• Gender Expression: the manner in which a person represents or expresses gender to others, often through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, activities, voice, or mannerisms.
• Gender Identity: a person’s deeply held sense or psychological knowledge of his or her own gender. One’s gender identity can be the same or different than the gender assigned at birth. Most people have a gender identity that matches their assigned gender at birth. For some, however, their gender identity is different from their assigned gender. All people have a gender identity, not just transgender people. Gender identity is an innate, largely inflexible characteristic of each individual’s personality that is generally established at a very early age, although the age at which individuals come to understand and express their gender identity may vary.
• Gender Non-conforming: a term used to describe people whose gender expression differs from stereotypic expectations. This includes people who identify outside traditional gender categories or identify as both genders. Other terms that can have similar meanings include gender variant, gender expansive, or gender atypical.
• Sexual Orientation: A person’s romantic or sexual attraction to people of the same or opposite sex or multiple sexes. Some common sexual orientations are straight, gay, lesbian, bisexual, pansexual, queer, etc. A transgender or gender non-conforming person can have any sexual orientation.
• Transgender: an umbrella term used to describe a person whose gender identity or gender expression is different from that traditionally associated with their assigned sex at birth.
• Transition: The process in which a person goes from living and identifying as one gender to living and identifying as another. Transition is a process that is different for everyone, and it may or may not involve social, legal or physical changes. There is no one step or set of steps that an individual must undergo in order to have their gender identity affirmed and respected.

•  “Cisgender” refers to a person whose gender identity corresponds to their assigned sex at birth.
• “Gender Identity” means an individual’s actual or perceived gender identity, or genderrelated characteristics intrinsically related to an individual’s gender or gender-identity, regardless of the individual’s assigned sex at birth.
• “Gender expression” refers to the way a person expresses gender to others in ways that are socially defined as either masculine or feminine, such as through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, activities, voice, mannerisms or body characteristics.
• “Gender nonconforming” or “gender creative” people are those whose gender-related identity and/or gender expression do not conform to the social expectations or norms for a person of that sex assigned at birth. Other terms that can have similar meanings include gender variant, gender expansive, gender fluid, or gender atypical.
• “Gender stereotypes” refers to stereotypical notions of masculinity and femininity, including expectations of how boys or girls represent or communicate one’s gender to others, such as behavior, clothing, hairstyles, activities, voice, mannerisms, or body characteristics.
• “Transgender” is a term which describes an individual whose gender identity or gender expression is different from the individual’s assigned sex at birth.
• “Gender transition” refers to the experience by which a transgender person goes from living and identifying as one’s assigned sex to living and identifying as the sex consistent with one’s gender identity. A gender transition often includes a “social transition,” during which an individual begins to live and identify as the sex consistent with the individual’s gender identity, with or without medical treatments or procedures. [“Transition” refers to the process by which a person socially and/or physically aligns their gender expression more closely to their gender identity and away from that associated with their assigned sex at birth.]
•  “Sexual Orientation” refers to a person’s emotional and sexual attraction to other people based on the gender of the other person. Sexual orientation is not the same as gender identity. Not all transgender students identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual, and not all gay, lesbian and bisexual students display gender nonconforming characteristics.5

People use many different words to describe their gendered experiences. Terminology can differ based on region, language, age, culture, and other factors. Here are some commonly used terms:

• Gender Expression describes the ways in which a person expresses their gender. Behavior, emotions, mannerisms, dress, grooming habits, interests, and activities are some of the ways people express gender.
• Gender Identity refers to a deeply felt internal sense of being female, or male, or both, or neither—regardless of their gender assigned at birth.
• Gender Non-conforming describes a person whose gender expression differs from stereotypical expectations about how they should look or act based on the gender they were assigned at birth. People who identify outside traditional gender categories or identify as both genders or as gender neutral are examples of gender non-conforming.
• Biological Sex/Sex refers to a person’s internal and external anatomy, chromosomes, and hormones.
• Transgender is a general term often used to describe a person whose gender identity or expression, or both, are different from those traditionally associated with their gender assigned at birth.
• Transitioning refers to the process in which a person goes from living and identifying as one gender to living and identifying as another.

These definitions are intended to assist in understanding this policy guidance and the legal obligations of DCPS staff. Students may or may not use these terms to describe themselves. Additional definitions can be found in Appendix II.

• Cisgender: Refers to people whose sex assignment at birth corresponds to their gender identity and expression (Cis-­‐ from Latin meaning "on the same side [as]" or "on this side [of]").
• Gender Expression: The manner in which a person represents or expresses gender to others, often through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, activities, voice or mannerisms.
• Gender Identity: A person’s deeply held internal sense or psychological knowledge of their own gender, regardless of the biological sex they were assigned at birth. Everyone has a gender identity.
• Gender-­‐nonconforming: An umbrella term that will be used throughout this guidance for people whose gender expression differs from stereotypical expectations of the sex they were assigned at birth
• LGBTQ: An acronym for the Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer, and Questioning community.
• Queer: Deemed an offensive term historically and still by some people today, queer has been reclaimed by many members of the LGBT community as a term of empowerment. The term can have different meanings to different people, but in this context it generally refers to a member of the lesbian, gay, bisexual, or transgender community. This term may be used by a member of the LGBT community, who may not identify themselves by any of the other letters in that acronym. Since this term has a negative history, it should only be used to describe those individuals who identify themselves as queer and give permission for others to use that term to describe them.
• Transgender: An umbrella term describing a person whose gender identity or expression is different from that traditionally associated with their assigned sex at birth.
• Preferred Gender Pronouns: The pronoun a person prefers to have used when referred to in conversation (i.e., a person with a traditionally male gender identity likely prefers he, him, and his). Please note that young people may choose to go by they, ze, or no pronouns.
• Transition: The process in which a person goes from living and identifying as one gender to living and identifying as another. Transitions are not linear and may include any combination of physical, social and medical processes. Not all transgender or gender-­‐nonconforming people transition or desire to transition in the same way. And most importantly, transitions are private and personal information about a transition should not be discussed unless conversation is initiated and led by the transgender or gender-­‐nonconforming student.