Sexual orientation? Gender identity? What's the difference?

Know your LGBTIQ+ terms! Using the genderbread person, we explain what's meant by sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.

We support and empower adolescents in all their diversity! Take a look at the work we're doing on LGBTIQ+ inclusion - https://plan-international.org/sexual-health/lgbtiq-inclusion

The video was developed as part of the project "Strengthening Plan International's Support to Young LGBTIQ+ adolescents" supported by Svenska Postkodlotteriet (Sweden).

[Music]

Plan International is committed
to achieving gender equality

and fostering an inclusive society.

We support and empower adolescents
in all their diversity,

regardless of their gender,
ability, ethnicity,

or any other identity.

This includes sexual orientation,

gender identity,

gender expression
and sex characteristics

or SOGIESC for short.

But what actually is SOGIESC?

Let's break it down,
using the SOGIESC person.

This helps us understand
that each of the individual terms

has a different meaning and combined

they make up a person's SOGIESC identity.

Let's start with sexual orientation.

This is shown as the heart,

as it's about who you are emotionally

physically and sexually attracted to.

One person might be attracted to someone

of a different gender to themselves.

For example, a woman
who is heterosexual

is attracted to men.

Another person might be
attracted to someone

of the same gender as themselves.

For example, a woman
who is a lesbian

is attracted to other women.

Yet another person might be
attracted to people

of more than one gender.

For example, a woman
who is bisexual

is attracted to both men and women.

Now, let's talk about gender identity.

This is shown as the brain

as it's about how you think
and feel about yourself and your gender.

Some people identify
as either a woman or a man.

This is a common way of thinking.

But actually many people feel

that they don't fit
with these two genders

They might feel
they are a mixture of the two

or are something else
that can't be clearly defined.

A person's gender identity

might reflect the sex
that they were assigned at birth

or it might not.

For example, a trans woman

might have been described
as male at birth,

but now identifies as female.

Now, gender expression.

this involves the whole person,

because it is about
the different ways

that you communicate
your gender identity

to the outside world.

This could include how you dress,

what haircut you have,

how you act or what name you use.

Finally, let's talk
about sex characteristics.

We show these as genitalia
because they reflect whether

wether someone is biologically
and physically female or male

as well as your external genitalia,

sex characteristics include

your hormones, chromosomes, body shape,
voice speech and body hair.

a person who is intersex

is born with sex characteristics

that are not completely
male or female

they are a combination of both

so let's put all the pieces together

sexual orientation is about

who you are emotionally, physically
and sexually attracted to.

gender identity is about how you think

and feel about yourself
and your gender.

Gender expression is about
how you communicate

your gender identity
to the outside world

and sex characteristics
are about your biology,

such as genitalia hormones
and body shape.

Each of us has a sexual orientation,

gender identity, gender expression
and sex characteristics.

They combine to make up
a unique SOGIESC identity.

SOGIESC is fluid.

This means that there are lots
of different options

with no right or wrong way to be

also things can change over time.

Our SOGIESC identity
combines with other factors

such as our age, where we live,

whether we are rich or poor,
or whether we have a disability

to make who we are.

It also affects our power in society!

Sometimes people are discriminated

or excluded because
of their sexual orientation,

gender identity, gender expression
and sex characteristics.

This includes people
who identify as lesbian, gay,

bisexual, trans, intersex
or questioning,

known as LGBTIQ+.

We all have the right to define

and be proud of
our soggiest identity

there is no needto stereotype
or harm people.

Everyone is unique.

We must all recognize accept

and celebrate this diversity.

For more information,
see plan-international.org.