Learn An Identity: Gender Queer

An important question we should all ask ourselves is how did we learn our gender? Gender is different from our sex. Sex is biological. We are born male or female through our chromosomes, hormones, and sex organs. Do not be fooled: our biological sex does not define our gender or how we identify in the world. Gender is social constructed through roles, behaviors, and activities that society considers appropriate for males and females. These roles define what is masculine and what is feminine. Through these roles and expectations we begin to gender-type individuals to fit into these gender roles according to their sex. Surprisingly, gender identity can span beyond the binary of being male or female. Gender identity stands up and resists against the binary when we identify as gender variant, genderqueer, or gender non-conforming. Gender non-conforming individuals declare that society’s views of masculinity and femininity do not fit them and how they want to express themselves.  Gender nonconformity punctuates ambiguity and fluidity in gender identity. Self-expression according to biological sex does not fit.  Identifying pronouns are important for gender nonconforming persons because some identify with the pronouns of their biological sex or they continue to resist the gender binary by using neutral pronouns. Gender identity and self-expression can be the core of who we are as a person, making it essential that we allow anyone and everyone to be who they are even if it goes against the norms we have set in society.

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Allison Bozovsky

Allison Bozovsky (she/her/hers) has an MS in Marriage and Family Therapy and is interested in queer feminist theory. She identifies as gender queer and serves as our Chief Financial Officer.