Gender Identity Terminology

We believe that adding the opportunity for students to self-identify their gender helps us to better understand and serve our student population. At this time, students who are comfortable doing so are encouraged to select the gender identity term that best describes their experiences.

Gender Identity Terms

Agender (adj.)

An identity which describes someone who either does not identify with any gender, identifies as gender neutral, and/or identities outside of the gender binary. Some agender people also identify as non-binary and/or transgender.

Cisgender (adj.)

Refers to a person who identifies with the sex, gender, and gender roles they were assigned at birth, typically within the gender binary. As an identity, this term is typically used in front of the terms man or woman.

Non-binary (adj.)

Both a specific identity and an umbrella term to describes a person who identifies outside of the male/female gender binary. Some non-binary people also identify as transgender.

Man (noun)

A person, who regardless of their sex assigned at birth, identifies as a man. The term cisgender man (or cisman) describes someone who was assigned male at birth and identifies as a man. The term transgender man (or transman) describes someone who was assigned female at birth and identifies as a man.

Transgender (adj.)

Refers to a person whose gender identity does not align with the sex, gender, and/or gender roles they were assigned at birth. Some transgender people identify within the gender binary as a transman or a transwoman, some identify outside of the gender binary.

Woman (noun)

A person, who regardless of their sex assigned at birth, identifies as a woman. The term cisgender woman (or ciswoman) describes someone who was assigned female at birth and identifies as a woman. The term transgender woman (or transwoman) describes someone who was assigned male at birth and identifies as a woman.

Gender Not Listed Above

We know and respect that some students may identify with a gender other than the identities listed on this page. If your gender identity is not provided in our selection terms, please feel encouraged to select this option so we can better understand the gender diversity of our students.

Prefer Not to Answer

We understand that not everyone may feel comfortable sharing their gender identities and do not require students to provide their gender.

 

Sex & Gender

Sex

Sex refers to understandings of physical attributes, often through a medical or legal lens. For example, a person's sex assigned at birth may be different than their current legal sex. About 1.5% of the population is also intersex, which refers to people whose bodies do not seem to fit the typical definitions of male or female. For more information, visit ISNA. In compliance with federal reporting requirements, we provide the options for legal sex as male or female.


Gender 

Gender refers to a person’s identity defined by their own internal feelings and experiences of self, which may include connections to physical experiences. We recognize that relying on legal sex alone does not often reflect the entirety of a person's gender identity. As part of our work to make UNI a more inclusive place to students with diverse gender identities and to allow for more accurate student records, students may self-identify their gender.

 

For More Information

Contact kalyani.kannan@uni.edu for more information about the gender options for self-reporting or for support in changing  information on your student record.