A few things about Gender and Sex

There are a few terms that I would like to explain a bit more in depth:

• Gender Identity
• The gender that you know yourself to be in your head.  It is what is inside of you, the hormones that make you and how you interpret all that information.
• Gender Expression
• This is how you demonstrate your gender through actions, clothing, behavior and interactions.
• Biological Sex
• This is much more of a black and white with (much more information located in the) grey area in between: Women - XX Chromosomes, a vagina, ovaries, etc. Men - XY Chromosomes, penis, testes, etc. and Intersex - a combination of the two (this could have a blog of its own)
• Sexual Orientation
• Who you are attracted to based on their gender in relation to yours.

Gender identity, gender expression and biological sex can all be in alignment but for transgender people (transsexuals more specifically) they are not.  For example my sister's gender identity is female, her gender expression is on the more feminine side and her biological sex is that of a woman's.  For me my gender identity and expression are both masculine/male however my biological sex shows me as a female.  The biological sex is what I am working to change, the only thing that I believe is not able to be altered are my XX chromosomes.  

Now with all that having been said if you are dealing with someone who is transgender we have gay people and straight people in our ranks.  It is always respectful and at least in my eyes better to find out someone's sexual orientation based on their gender identity rather than their biological sex, since those two are not always in alignment.  I am heterosexual because my gender identity is male and I am attracted to females.  But it is very important to know this informations simply because sexual orientation doesn't change with your gender identity.  I like girls always have likes girls and will always like girls.  

You are who you are, you love who you love.  But most importantly remember love is blind, patient and always present when you need it, sometimes it is just a little harder to find.

Thanks for reading!