Diversity Thursday: Gender and gender identity

Why are there different terms when it comes to gender?

According to current gender research, the concept of gender encompasses not only biological characteristics, but also social, identity-forming and legal aspects. Gender research says that a purely biological definition of gender fails to recognise the diversity of gender identities.

Source: echte-vielfalt.de

Biological gender

Biological gender ("sex") is assigned on the basis of visible and measurable aspects such as external and internal sexual organs, chromosomes and hormones. The basis is a biological understanding of people as either "female" or "male" based on their reproductive capacity. It is assigned to people at birth. However, it is possible for people's biological sex to be ambiguous: for example, they then have sex organs and chromosomes that can be assigned to both the male and female sex. These people are referred to as inter*, intersexual or intergender.

Source: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, echte-vielfalt.de

Social gender

Social gender describes people in society and culture, as distinct from their biological sex. It is strongly characterised by traditional gender roles in society. This refers to expectations of how men and women should behave in certain social contexts such as family or work. "Gender roles are what others expect of us because we are, or should be, male or female." (genderdings.de) "However, gender roles are by no means rigid, but are constantly changing and are also dependent on individual and cultural values and norms." (Friedrich Ebert Stiftung) A person who was assigned the biological sex "female" at birth can identify as a woman, even if they reject the traditional role models for women.

Many people identify with their biological sex assigned at birth as either "female" or "male". However, there are also people who do not identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. For example, a person who was assigned the sex "female" at birth cannot identify as a woman, but identifies as a man. This person's gender (social gender) is therefore male, even though their biological sex is female.

Source: Friedrich Ebert Stiftung, echte-vielfalt.de, genderdings.de

Gender identity

Gender identity describes one's own gender self-experience or understanding of gender: "Gender identity is the inner knowledge of what gender I am. [...] Gender identity is what we ourselves know about our gender, regardless of what others tell us."

For example, a person has the gender identity "trans" if they were assigned the biological sex "male" at birth but identify as a woman according to their social gender.

Source: genderdings.de

What gender identities are there?

Trans:

The adjective "trans" describes people whose actual gender does not match or only partially matches the gender assigned to them at birth.

A person who was assigned the male gender at birth but identifies as a woman is referred to as a "trans woman". A trans man, on the other hand, identifies as a man even though he was assigned the female gender at birth.

Cis:

Cisgender, cisgender or "cis" for short describes people who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth. For example, if "female" was entered on the birth certificate and the person feels this attribution is appropriate, they are a cis woman.

Inter:

Intersexuality refers to the deviation of a person's physical characteristics from the strict norms for "female" or "male" gender, for example in terms of chromosomes, hormones or external sexual organs. It is important to note that an intersex person can be male, female or non-binary, depending on their gender identity. 

Non-binary:

Non-binary is an umbrella term for different gender identities that exist on the gender spectrum. Non-binary people position themselves either between the binary gender categories of "male" and "female" or outside of these categories. For some people, their gender identity is changeable over time, i.e. "fluid". The term "non-binary" emphasises that gender identity can be experienced in more than just two forms.

Agender:

People reject a gender identity and locate themselves beyond "man" or "woman" rson can be male, female or non-binary, depending on their gender identity. 

Source: Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte e.V., Fachstelle Gender und Diversität NRW, LSVD-Verein für europäische Kooperation e.V.

To summarise 3 examples:

A trans woman has been assigned the biological sex male at birth. She identifies with the social gender female. Her gender identity is trans.

A cis man has been assigned the biological sex male. He also identifies with his social gender as male. His gender identity is cis.

A non-binary person has been assigned the biological sex male. They identify socially with another gender outside of male or female. Their gender identity is non-binary.

H-BRS activities in the context of gender diversity

Students have the opportunity to have their name and gender identity changed on their student documents upon presentation of the supplementary ID card of the German Society for Transidentity and Intersexuality (dgti e.V.) in conjunction with a valid ID document. Further information can be found here: Name change by additional certificate

In 2024, the H-BRS published a guideline "Gender-conscious language". The guide can be viewed on the following website: Guideline "Gender conscious lanaguage" for H-BRS

In addition, with the  Peer Space Queer, we want to create a safe space for queer students and employees of H-BRS to share and discuss their experiences. The focus is on exchange and mutual support between peers. Information about the Peer Space Queer can be found here: Peer Spaces

Furthermore, a unisex toilet facility is available for use by all members of the university on the Sankt Augustin campus (room C011 - opposite Equal Opportunities and the AStA). The new toilet facility has seven completely enclosed cubicles that reach from floor to ceiling. This ensures privacy and comfort for all users.

The event "3 questions to... a trans person" organised by the Viva Diversity format of the Respekt! initiative offered insights into the lives of trans and non-binary students at H-BRS. A recording of the event can be found on the H-BRS YouTube channel (in German): Respekt! Viva Diversity: 3 questions to... a trans person"

Where can I find support if I experience or witness discrimination based on gender identity?  

• Contact points for discrimination at the H-BRS
• Overview Anti-discrimination counselling in the region
• Counselling Search NRW (ADA NRW)
•  Counselling Search of the Federal Anti-Discrimination Office 
• Victim Protection Organizations (Ministerium der Justiz NRW)
• Victim Protection Portal (Land NRW)
• LSBTIQ* Counselling NRW

Further information (in German):

• Sex vs. Gender: Biologisches & Soziales Geschlecht - Deutsches Institut für Sozialwirtschaft (DISW) e.V. (echte Vielfalt)
• Gender Glossar – Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung e.V.
• Wie viele Geschlechter gibt es? 5 wichtige Punkte zum Thema Geschlechtsidentität - Dissens – Institut für Bildung und Forschung e.V.
• Dossier: Geschlechtliche Vielfalt - trans*– Bundeszentrale für politische Bildung
• Jenseits von männlich und weiblich – Antidiskriminierungsstelle des Bundes
• Glossar: Queere Begriffe leicht erklärt – 100% Mensch
• Fachstelle Gender und Diversität NRW
• FAQ Geschlechtseintrag – Gesellschaft für Freiheitsrechte e.V.
• Fragen und Antworten zu nicht-binären Menschen – LSVD-Verein für europäische Kooperation e.V.