Everyone is born with a sex – sex is biological and is determined by the sexual and reproductive anatomy we are born with. Gender is “socially constructed” meaning that culture and society have a big influence on how we think we should act as a girl or boy, man or woman etc.
Our gender identity is how we express our gender, whether it be how we act, dress, or behave. People who feel that their gender matches the sex they were assigned at birth are cisgender. People who do not feel that their gender matches the sex they were assigned at birth may identify as transgender. People who don’t identify as a single gender may identify as genderqueer or gender nonconforming. Gender identity and sexual orientation are NOT the same thing. Transgender people may or may not be gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, or pansexual, just like cisgender people may or may not be gay, straight, lesbian, bisexual, or pansexual.
If you are transgender or gender nonconforming, you have rights. Several laws exist in California to protect you from discrimination at school. Here are some resources to learn more about your rights and available resources: