ARQ2: Question A3 - Gender Identity

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How would you identify your gender identity? female male transsexual transgendered genderqueer two-spirit FTM (female-to-male) MTF (male-to-female) intersex unsure questioning other ____________________ prefer not to answer

Do you have concerns related to your gender identity, or do you ever feel awkward about your gender identity? not at all a little somewhat a lot unsure prefer not to answer

Relevance/intent

This question encourages disclosure of and discussion about gender identity and related concerns. Traditional options for gender, such as “male or female,” do not include people who are transgendered, transsexual, intersex and others. This item invites people to be open about their gender identity.

Gender identity is distinct from sexual orientation. Regardless of gender, a person may identify as heterosexual, gay, bisexual or any other sexual orientation.

If clients are confused about this question, explain that some people’s biological sex does not fit with who they feel they are. For example, some people with male biology may feel themselves to be female.

There can be many genders other than male and female. One way to think about gender identity is as a fluid continuum that ranges from more masculine to more feminine:

Masculine

Androgynous Gender variant Gender non-conforming

Feminine

Transgendered and transsexual people cover the entire range of the continuum, from very “butch” (masculine) to very feminine. For example, a transsexual woman may be as feminine as a biological woman. A transsexual gay male may be less masculine than a butch lesbian.

When people are exploring their gender identity, they may be deciding where they fit along this continuum. Others (e.g., someone who identifies as genderqueer) may reject the continuum and gender categories altogether.

Clinicians are invited to think about their own gender identity to become conscious of feelings and preconceived notions about this issue. A clinician’s own feelings and biases may help or hinder talking about gender identity with clients.

Gender is sometimes expressed differently in different contexts because there may be social roles or experiences that force, pressure or encourage us to experience our genders in more or less fluid ways. For example, people may be expected to express their gender in a certain kind of way within a workplace and may express their gender differently at home.

Sometimes, people from ethnocultural/racial communities may identify their gender identity in other ways. For example, some male-to-female transgendered clients from other cultures may identify as “lady boys” or “she-males.”

Client Perceptions

“Sometimes people have very specific ideas about who is gay and who is straight and what a real transsexual person is supposed to be in terms of their sexual orientation. That’s a huge problem. I remember being told flat out that my being bisexual or queer-identified as a transman was unusual. And I said, ‘Actually, that’s not true. Tons of the guys in the FTM community are bi or queer or gay-identified.’ And unless counsellors have this conversation with you, they won’t find out.”

“Everyone experiences being trans differently. Some people have more intense feelings and more dysphoric feelings, which means they’re really at odds with their gender. Some people know exactly which way they are going.”

“In the Native communities, the respect is there. It’s not like in the white society, where they call me trash, freak and a few other names. Because whenever a Native person sees me, most of them will go out of their way for me because I am special. The two-spirit being is a higher being, and I am supposed to have a higher wisdom.”

Therapist/counsellor perceptions

“As a therapist, I don’t want to make assumptions about how someone identifies their gender. People who are transsexual or on the transgender continuum probably feel pretty alienated by the assumptions.”

Gender identity , which does not always correspond to biological sex, is a person’s self-image or belief about being female or male. For example, some people with male biology may feel themselves to be female.

Gender roles are the arbitrary rules, assigned by society, that define what clothing, behaviours, thoughts, feelings, relationships, etc. are considered appropriate and inappropriate for members of each sex.

Gender transition is the period during which transsexual persons begin changing their appearance and bodies to match their internal identity.

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Asking the Right Questions 2

• Acknowledgments
• Introduction
• Using the manual
• Background information:
  • Part A — Client Questionnaire
    • A1: Significant relationships
    • A2: Sexual orientation
    • A3: Gender identity
    • A4: Relationship between sexual orientation/gender identity and substance use and/or mental health concerns
  • Part B — Conversation Guide
• Counsellor competence
• Resources
• References
• Appendix

• Print Bookmark