Gender Identity
Gender identity is our innermost concept of ourselves as male, female, both or neither, and how we perceive ourselves and what we call ourselves. It can be the same or different from the sex we were assigned at birth. Gender identity is our own personal experience with our own gender. It is very important to note that sexual orientation – who we are romantically or sexually attracted to – and gender identity are distinct different parts of our overall identity.
Society dictates norms in relation to gender. Some of us might experience these attitudes and expectations directly conflict with how we feel about ourselves.
We may feel extremely isolated, alone, confused and often experience not just external struggles, but internal conflicts, when we are expected to conform and behave in a certain way. We may even lose our sense of belonging.
The pressure to conform to these societal norms can have a detrimental effect on your psyche and emotional well-being.
If you find you are struggling with gender identity issues, please speak to either your GP or contact a trained counsellor or psychotherapist for help.
Useful Articles
Here's a list of articles we've found on the internet that you might find helpful.
Gender identity and the big questions that have yet to be answered
Why a person feels male when biologically female, or vice versa, is still unclear. But scientists are working to solve the puzzle.
Child gender identity referrals show huge rise in six years
The number of children referred to the NHS with gender identity issues has increased significantly in recent years, according to figures obtained by the BBC.
Why I Won't Accept the Politics of Gender Identity
Women are not oppressed based on our identities, we are oppressed on the basis of our female biology – a fact that is being erased by transgender politics, writes JENNIFER DUNCAN
TED Talk: iO Tillett Wright: Fifty Shades of Gay
iO Tillett Wright has photographed 2,000 people who consider themselves somewhere on the LGBTQ spectrum — and asked many of them: Can you assign a percentage to how gay or straight you are? Most people, it turns out, consider themselves to exist in the gray areas of sexuality, not 100% gay or straight. Which presents a real problem when it comes to discrimination: Where do you draw the line?
Poems and Quotes to Inspire You
Dare we hope? We dare.
Can we hope? We can.
Should we hope? We must, because to do otherwise is to waste the most precious of gifts given so freely by God to all of us. So when we do die, it will be with hope and it will be easy and our hearts will not be broken.
Andy Ripley – England and Lions rugby legend, often described as one of the most colourful personalities in the history of English rugby
Helpful articles often written by our fabulous practitioners.