Gender Dysphoria Caused by Gender IdentityIntroductionGender is defined by society as a division between your biological sex and the roles you are expected to take on in society. In reality, gender is a real spectrum that does not follow a simple linear pattern. There are three main aspects that make a person who they are inside. These aspects are Sex, Gender and Gender Identity. Gender Identity Gender identity is basically the concept that gender is not easily divisible into two classical genders as is popular belief. Gender identity is how someone feels inside. Someone's gender identity can align with the sex they were assigned, it can align with the sex they were not assigned, and it can never align with an identity not previously recorded. The genre revolves around the social aspects assigned to each gender. The term gender may not exactly refer to someone's gender identity, so the terms are not always interchangeable. Gender includes social aspects such as those assigned to men or women. An individual's gender identity is not a variable equal to the sex assigned to them at birth. Sex is the biological sex with which your reproductive system and genitalia align. No one has control over their sex in the same way that no one has any control over their gender identity. In the words of the Planned Parenthood Organization, “Our gender encompasses a complex mix of beliefs, behaviors, and characteristics.” Some aspects of our lives are determined by what someone's particular culture designates for each gender. These aspects create what we know as gender roles. Another misconception about someone's gender is that sexual orientation determines your gender. Sexual orientation represents almost the same part of the spectrum displayed… in the center of the card… as their sexuality and their gender. The prejudice against alternative genders and the establishment of gender roles are very damaging to the fabric of our society. Alternate gender identities are real and affect everyone in one way or another. If humans ever want to grow as a society, they need to learn the complexities of ourselves. References Masroor, A., & Ghani, K. (2013). Gender identity disorder is not simply two in one. International Medical Journal Malaysia, 12(2), 83-85. Gender and gender identity. (n.d.). Retrieved February 27, 2014, from the Planned Parenthood Organization website: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/health-topics/sexual-orientation-gender/gender-gender-identity-26530.htmABC News, (2013, January 25) . The web series "The Flip Side" explores reversed gender roles. Retrieved February 27, 2014, from http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kRg8GZpbAh8