Gender binary

The gender binary (also known as gender binarism) is the classification of gender into two distinct forms of <a href="/facts/Masculine/lp3LFyK4">masculine</a> and <a href="/facts/Feminine/FoKgaGgk">feminine</a>, whether by <a href="/facts/Social_system/crIBHftt">social system</a>, <a href="/facts/Culture/c5JgMqpX">cultural</a> <a href="/facts/Belief/HbPvkGT6">belief</a>, or both simultaneously. Most cultures use a gender binary, having two genders (<a href="/facts/Boys/4u7yCcD7">boys</a>/<a href="/facts/Men/IMDBa3kl">men</a> and <a href="/facts/Girls/lBCKq98G">girls</a>/<a href="/facts/Women/AfQPA3m4">women</a>).
In this binary model, <a href="/facts/Gender/LfjRHcJy">gender</a> and <a href="/facts/Sexuality/fjnqcFxP">sexuality</a> may be assumed by default to align with one's <a href="/facts/Sex_assigned_at_birth/yt62v82q">sex assigned at birth</a>. This may include certain expectations of how one dresses themselves, one's behavior, <a href="/facts/Sexual_orientation/Rcx5r9UB">sexual orientation</a>, names or pronouns, which restroom one uses, and other qualities. For example, when a male is born, gender binarism may assume that the male will be masculine in appearance, have masculine character traits and behaviors, as well as having a <a href="/facts/Heterosexual/HDLc2Mna">heterosexual</a> attraction to females. These expectations may reinforce negative <a href="/facts/Attitude_(psychology)/U9fTS27S">attitudes</a>, <a href="/facts/Bias/geuh5KrE">biases</a>, and <a href="/facts/Discrimination/B2M2HqxR">discrimination</a> towards people who display <a href="/facts/Gender_expression/YCho4g1I">expressions</a> of <a href="/facts/Gender_nonconformity/P4mPYdw9">gender variance or nonconformity</a> or those whose <a href="/facts/Gender_identity/GhaeHYtb">gender identity</a> is incongruent with their birth sex. Discrimination against transgender or gender nonconforming people can take various forms, from physical or sexual assault, homicide, limited access to public spaces, in healthcare and more. The gender binary has been critiqued by scholars of <a href="/facts/Intersectionality/55jgWfs5">intersectionality</a>, who say that it is a structure that maintains <a href="/facts/Patriarchy/oTko9QfX">patriarchal</a> and <a href="/facts/White_supremacy/RBQEYS2y">white supremacist</a> norms as part of an interlocking hierarchical system of gender and race.

Gender binary open-in-new

Gender binary