Sex

*This article focuses specifically on human sex.*

**Sex** is defined in various ways. Broadly, it refers to the physical characteristics that are categorized as being either male or female. People may be born with these characteristics, develop them naturally, or undergo medical transition to acquire them, depending on the characteristics in question. In other words, sex characteristics may be either inherited via one's genetics, or acquired from external factors. Sex characteristics are typically sorted into being either primary or secondary. In simple terms, primary sex characteristics are features present at birth. Secondary sex characteristics, on the other hand, are developed later in life, during the phases of puberty.

Sex is also sometimes defined specifically as the biological trait that determines the gametes produced by the individual, and/or the gonads which the individual possesses, which are categorized as being either male or female. It can also refer to which genitalia a person possesses, and the category associated with those genitals.

Secondary sex characteristics

It is important to recognize that, while sex characteristics are physical, sex categories are socially constructed and often oversimplified. Contrary to popular belief, sex is neither binary nor static. It is estimated that at least 1.7% of the population is intersex, as opposed to being dyadic (male or female). This is roughly the same percentage as people born with red hair. It is also possible to intentionally remove or change most sex characteristics, which may or may not place the person in a new sex category, depending on the definition of "sex" being used. Some people who medically transition may identify as transsex, transsexual, and/or altersex. There are also additional, more specific terms under those umbrellas, such as Salmacian (transitioning to have ambiguous genitalia).[*source?*]

## Distinction

### Gender

***Main article:*** *Gender*

Gender is a socially constructed phenomenon. The word "gender" on its own often refers specifically to gender identity. However, it is also a general term for the different aspects of gender. This includes gender identity, but also includes gender expression, presentation, modality, alignment, and roles, among other things. Gender and sex are often related, and many people (both cisgender and transgender) alter their sex characteristics to affirm their gender. Additionally, perceptions of sex often go hand-in-hand with perceptions of gender. However, they are not the same; sex is more concerned with assigning language to different physical characteristics, whereas gender is more concerned with expressing one's individual identity socially and internally, such as through clothing, name, pronouns, and activities.

### Birth assignment

***Main article:*** *Birth assignment*

Birth assignment refers to the gender marker which is assigned to a person at birth, typically based on genitals alone. Birth assignment often correlates with a person's sex, but is not the same. For example, this assignment doesn't take into account many aspects of a person's sex, and often results in intersex erasure or medical mistreatment. Most intersex people are assigned male or female at birth, sometimes coercively. There are also people who are not assigned a gender at all.

## Notes

1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 Some sources also classify any chromosome set including a Y as "male", and anyone without one as "female"; for example, XXY and XO would be categorized as male and female, respectively. However, this oversimplifies sex, and contributes to intersex erasure and medical mistreatment of intersex people.
2. ↑ Prepubescent children experience generally similar sex hormone levels, regardless of sex. However, some sources list hormone levels as a primary sex characteristic, despite being largely dependent on the person's developmental stage. Thus, it is listed in the "Primary sex characteristics" table here.
3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 3.2 3.3 Androgen, estrogen, and gestagen levels can be lowered or increased, but never fully removed. All humans have these hormones, and need these hormones in their bodies to survive, regardless of sex.
4. ↑ Uterus transplants are available for AFAB people. However, this surgery has not yet been developed/approved for AMAB people. Generally speaking, uterus transplants are fairly experimental, and are still in need of improvement.
5. ↑ Secondary sex characteristics tend to vary heavily from person to person, significantly more than primary sex characteristics do. These are generalizations, and do not take into account anyone's individual genetics.
6. ↑ Most secondary sex characteristics can be changed via hormone replacement therapy, surgery, and/or voice training.

## References

1. ↑ Primary sex character | Description & Characteristics. Britannica.
2. ↑ Stevenson A, Waite M. *Concise Oxford English Dictionary: Book & CD-ROM Set*. OUP Oxford, 2011. ISBN 978-0-19-960110-3.
3. ↑ Lockhart, Jeffrey (2022-01-30). sex as a social construct. WordPress.
4. ↑ 4.0 4.1 4.2 GrowingUpTransgender (2018-11-08). Biological Sex is a social construct. WordPress.
5. ↑ Marston, Cicely (2020-03-16). Sex is biological and gender is social – right?. WordPress.
6. ↑ Dreger, Alice (2017-06-14). The Social Construction of Sex. Grist.
7. ↑ Median, Caroline; Mahowald, Lindsay (2021-10-26). Key Issues Facing People With Intersex Traits. Center for American Progress.
8. ↑ Admin (2013-09-28). Intersex population figures. Intersex Human Rights Australia.
9. ↑ INTERSEX 101. InterAct.
10. ↑ Transgender Hormone Therapy. Rector and Visitors of the University of Virginia.
11. ↑ Gender Affirmation (Confirmation) or Sex Reassignment Surgery. Cleveland Clinic.
12. ↑ Understanding Gender Identities. The Trevor Project (2021-08-23). Archived from the original on November 21, 2021.
13. ↑ Gender Definition & Meaning. Merriam-Webster.
14. ↑ Gender (English). The Trans Language Primer. Archived from the original on November 2, 2021.
15. ↑ Gender Definition & Meaning. Merriam-Webster.
16. ↑ Gender (English). The Trans Language Primer. Archived from the original on November 2, 2021.
17. ↑ Gender (English). The Trans Language Primer. Archived from the original on November 2, 2021.
18. ↑ Understanding Gender Identities. The Trevor Project (2021-08-23). Archived from the original on November 21, 2021.
19. ↑ Transgender People. GLAAD. Archived from the original on October 22, 2021.
20. ↑ Transgender (Trans) (English). The Trans Language Primer. Archived from the original on February 10, 2022.
21. ↑ 21.0 21.1 Birth Assignment. The Trans Language Primer.
22. ↑ AGAB / DGAB / IS. The Trans Language Primer.
23. ↑ CAGAB. The Trans Language Primer.
24. ↑ AGAB / DGAB / IS. The Trans Language Primer.
25. ↑ Tapp, Fiona (2023-03-14). What Happens When You Choose 'Gender Neutral' On Your Child's Legal Documents?. Parents.
26. ↑ Davis, Heath Fogg (2017-05-31). Let’s delete sex-identity from birth certificates.