Guide to Gender Diversity Terms & Concepts for Student Affairs Professionals
May 03, 2022
What is Gender Diversity?
Gender diversity is a fairly new term that might be unfamiliar at first. It’s often been used to describe the proportion of women to men in the workforce, schools, or politics. Increasingly, it’s used to describe representations of all genders, including nonbinary or agender individuals. Within higher education, that would look like a proportional representation of students, faculty, and staff of all genders. And when a person is referred to as “gender diverse” it means that they identify or present themselves outside of the gender binary (man or woman). If this sounds complicated - no worries! This post will explore some of the terms and phrases floating around college campuses for you to use as part of your language to affirm a gender inclusive environment.
What are some terms I should know?
Terminology is important when communicating with your students. Here are some terms on gender diversity and gender identity to know and incorporate into your office's services and language.
- Gender: The socially-constructed expressions, roles, and behaviors of people according to their identity as women, men, nonbinary, and/or gender diverse. [Source: Canadian Institutes of Health Research]
- Gender Identity: An individual’s personal understanding of their identity as male, female, both, neither, or a blend of both or neither. [Source: Human Rights Council]
- Gender diverse (gender diversity): An expression of gender identity that goes beyond or exists outside of the socially-expected norms of the gender binary (the binary division between man and woman). This is often an umbrella term that can include a variety of different identities. [Sources: APA, American Academy of Pediatrics]
- Gender equality: The idea that people of all genders should have equal rights, responsibilities, and opportunities. [Source: Victoria Australia Government]
- Equity vs. equality: Equality is equal outcomes for all. But equity recognizes everyone has different circumstances and will need different resources and opportunities allocated to them to achieve equal outcomes. If equality is the end goal we’re trying to reach, we can use equity to get there. [Source: George Washington University, Pipeline Equity]
Gender spectrum
- Agender: Those who identify as not having a gender. [Source: University of Massachusetts]
- Cisgender: Those who identify with their gender assigned at birth. In other words, someone who feels like the label they were given as a baby fits who they are.
- Nonbinary: Any individual who identifies as being outside of the male/female gender binary. This is often used as an umbrella term to describe a variety of experiences. [Source: University of Massachusetts]
- Gender nonconforming: Those who don’t conform to the traditional societal expectations for their gender identity. Not everyone who calls themself gender nonconforming sees this as a gender identity - it can simply be a way to describe someone’s expression. [Source: University of Massachusetts]
- Transgender: Someone who’s gender identity does not align with the sex they were assigned at birth. This can be an umbrella term for multiple identities but also commonly refers to someone who chooses to transition genders. [Source: Human Rights Council]
- Two-Spirit: This is a gender identity used by some North American indigenous communities to describe someone who has both feminine and masculine spirit within them. Note that “two-spirit” is an English term for a concept that is referred to differently in different indigenous languages. [Source: Indian Country Today]
- AGAB, AMAB, AFAB: These are acronyms that stand for “Assigned Gender At Birth” and are usually used to mean “Assigned Male At Birth” or “Assigned Female At Birth.”
- Pronouns: She/her, He/him, They/them, etc. In the context of gender equity, pronouns are an individual’s way of expressing and identifying their gender. Using someone’s correct pronouns is an easy way to show respect and acceptance.
Gender Identity vs. Gender Expression
- Identity: Identity is different from expression. Identity usually describes someone’s core feeling or understanding of their gender.
- Expression: Expression is used to describe how someone presents their gender - through clothes, behavior, pronouns, names, etc. [Source: APA]
How do I put this into use?
The easiest step you can take towards creating a welcoming environment is to ask for and allow space for self-identification. When you’re leading an event or even just introducing yourself in a new environment, try opening with your preferred pronouns as a part of the standard “Hi, my name is” format. Pronouns are also becoming a norm in email signatures and it can be a subtle way to signal students and staff that you’re open to hearing theirs. With this comes the important consideration that stating “my pronouns are” should always be optional. Everyone’s relationship and comfort level with their gender is different and nobody should feel pressured into giving an answer. But if you start to offer your pronouns and extend an open invitation to others to provide theirs, it can create a safe and welcoming space for people to share in the future.
The harder step towards gender equity is being an advocate in your institution for gender-inclusive language and policy changes. These changes can be anywhere from small to large - supporting more gender selection options on institutional forms or advocating for more gender neutral restrooms or working to improve your organization’s language and advertising. Uplifting student advocates can go hand-in-hand with student support work. Student advocates pushing their institutions for change might benefit from your ally ship and support, whether that’s signing petitions or organizing events that amplify student voice. And support from staff and faculty can give a student cause legitimacy in the eyes of administration.
For simple strategies you can pair with your new vocabulary, check out our post on How Student Support Professionals Can Affirm a Gender Inclusive Campus!