Sexual health definitions
| Term | Definition |
| Sex | Biologic characteristics (sex chromosomes, hormones, reproductive organs, genitalia) used to describe someone as male, female, or variation thereof |
| Sex assigned at birth | In many cultures, sex is assigned at birth based on the appearance of the neonate’s external genitalia. Male: presence of a penis. Female: presence of a vulva. Intersex: sexual anatomy that does not fit typical definitions of male or female |
| Gender | A social construct, rooted in cultural expectations that drives an individual’s outward appearance and behavior |
| Gender identity | Corresponds to the individual’s fundamental and innate sense of being female, male, or identifying with both or neither |
| Cisgender | Adjective to describe people whose gender identity aligns with sex assigned at birth |
| Transgender | Adjectives to describe people with gender identity not aligned with sex assigned at birth |
| Gender expression/roles | Ways in which people communicate gender identity to others. |
| Gender dysphoria | Mental health term that refers to discomfort or distress caused by the lack of alignment between gender identity and sex assigned at birth |
| Sexual orientation | Refers to the emotional, physical and erotic attraction that people experience to other people, independent of gender identity. |