If one does not make an ego out of gender, one would still know whether one is a man or a woman, gay, straight, bisexual, transgender–whatever else we may think of. But those identities need to fit very loosely and be worn very lightly. All sense of privilege or deprivation that has developed around one’s gender identity, all rigidity regarding proper roles and behaviors for the various genders, must be cut through. Rita M. Gross
About This Quote

A gender identity is a deep sense of being male or female, or something in between. Gender identity is not about what you do or don’t do. It’s about who you are and who you feel you are. A person’s gender identity is an innate part of their personality and is much more important than their sexual orientation.

When people say “gender identity,” they usually mean “gender identity disorder,” which is a term that pathologizes and stigmatizes the feelings and behaviors of many transgender people. The idea that we need to change our gender identities in order to be happy and healthy, and that we should feel like we have done something wrong if we aren’t the “right kind of woman” or “the right kind of man,” is an unhealthy conception of gender.

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