Understanding gender

Gender is about a person’s social and personal identity as a woman, girl, man, boy, or another gender that may be non-binary. Some people do not identify with any gender. Everyone’s experience of gender is personal and is not determined by their body or who they are attracted to. For most people, their gender matches the sex they were assigned at birth. This is often referred to as cisgender. Some people have a gender that is different from their sex assigned at birth. This includes people who are transgender, non-binary, or gender diverse.

Gender diversity recognises that people can have a range of genders. This can include:

• Binary genders – people whose gender is woman, girl, man or boy.
• Non-binary genders – people whose gender is not exclusively woman/girl or man/boy. They may use the term non-binary or another term to describe their gender.
• Gender identities present in non-western cultures, such as takatāpui, tangata ira tāne and whakawahine (Māori), fa’afafine (Samoa) and fakaleitī (Tonga). These identities have their own cultural meanings and histories. 
• Transgender and gender diverse people can have a gender that is binary or non-binary.

The terms ‘transgender’ or ‘gender diverse’ cover a wide variety of genders. For this content, we have used these terms for brevity, however we recognise that there are many more terms that people use.

Some other words that people might use, including Māori and Pacific terms include: 

• aikāne
• akava’ine
• fa’afafine
• fa’atama
• fakafifine
• gender diverse
• genderqueer
• māhū
• non-binary
• palopa
• takatāpui
• tangata ira tāne
• trans
• transsexual
• vakasalewalewa
• whakawahine.

Other people may have another gender not included in this list. This may be another term in English, te reo Māori, or may be specific to another language or culture. 

People express their gender in different ways. Gender expression is how someone shows their gender in everyday life. This can look different for each person and may change over time.

Gender expression may be expressed through: 

• clothing – the styles or items a person chooses to wear
• hairstyles – how someone styles or wears their hair
• activities and interests – hobbies, sports, toys, games, or work
• creative expression – art, performance, or play
• roles and responsibilities – at home, school, work, or within cultural and community settings. 

The ways people express themselves may or may not conform with societal or cultural expectations or norms. Culture, family and whānau, community, and personal preference can all shape how people express themselves.

For more information on gender affirming healthcare and related support options, see:

Healthcare and support options