Glossary

Gender

Gender can be considered to consist of three related aspects: gender roles, socially constructed norms and behaviours which are essentially based on stereotypes associated with the sex recorded at birth; gender identity, which is a person’s internal perception of their identity; and gender expression, which is the way a person lives in society and interacts with others. These different aspects of gender have typically been understood as binary. However, gender does not represent a simple binary choice, it is more fluid and some people have a gender identity that cannot be defined simply by the use of the terms woman or man. A person’s gender is self-determined by their internal perception, identification and experience. Therefore, a person’s gender identity may not be the same as the sex the individual was recorded as at birth. It may also change over time.

Gender equality

For the purposes of Athena Swan guidance, ‘gender equality’ is used as an umbrella term and covers the legal protections relating to sex, gender reassignment and pregnancy and maternity, as well as broader equality work relating to gender identity, trans inclusion and caring responsibilities. This is in keeping with a key recommendation of the Independent Review, that the sector wanted the Charter to recognise gender as a spectrum. Where appropriate, the guidance distinguishes between sex, gender reassignment, pregnancy and maternity, gender identity, trans status, and caring responsibilities.