Gender identity ideology

“Gender refers to the characteristics of women, men, girls and boys that are socially constructed. This includes norms, behaviors and roles associated with being a woman, man, girl or boy, as well as relationships with each other.” (World Health Organization)

In today’s world gender identity*, and by extension gender expression** are more than the definition set forth by the World Health Organization, for example an individual can be non-binary, gender fluid, gender queer, transgender, agender, women, man, intersex etc. (this list is not exhaustive, merely a snapshot). Gender ideology and its discussion is extremely important at the moment given how the historical understandings and expressions of gender have changed dramatically over the last decade or so. This discussion is one applicable across the board whether one conforms to and expresses the stereotypical characteristics of women/men, chooses to present themselves as a hybrid or is reflective of neither.

What I believe the OP was asking is if other individuals have chosen to make visible their gender identity and in so doing did, they find they had to be highly overt, be it visually or verbally for instance in how they informed the world at large and what were the consequences of this. Was it a positive, freeing experience, where their authentic gender identity was accepted and welcomed or one fraught with even more challenges, whereby in making known their authentic gender identity did it place them at a greater risk of harm. As the OP has now stated he is intersex and has the right to ask and discuss these questions as it directly affects him and how he chooses to disclose his gender identity within contemporary society. To be honest I believe the discussion of gender identity is not the reserve of the transgender or intersex communities but is applicable to all. I can say as a woman within the current melee that is gender identity ideology it is equally valid for me to ask these questions, as the labeling, identification and use of female terms such as woman/women has become challenging over the last decade also. Because I am a woman does not make the questioning or expression of my gender identity in a wider context less than that of others.

What this thread and the answers given has shown is that when the topic of gender identity is broached factions of the transgender community and their allies shut it down, branding anyone who disagrees or challenges a transphobe or transphobic. I agree defending and protecting an individual’s right to be who they wish is important, what one cannot do is silence and dismiss other perspectives at will, for simply not agreeing. What these advantageous individual’s miss is that they do not have the monopoly on being the only ones having to navigate and deal with negative repercussions of identifying as anything but the expected male/female. The threat of violence against intersex people, in some countries is present from birth where a baby will not make it to the following day. In countries with strict religious rules etc. governing females, identifying as a woman can lead at best to a beating or whipping at worst to death. Homosexuals and lesbians depending on where they are born and what culture they are born into significantly increases the risk of death and/or violence, if known.

The only way for the world to come to permit an individual the freedom to express without fear their authentic gender identity is to allow open, honest and educational discourses to occur, where the resulting position is one I hope, I may not agree with how you define yourself, but I will fight tooth and nail for the right for you to express it how you wish, and support you in so doing.

*Gender identity is one's own internal sense of self and their gender, whether that is man, woman, neither or both. Unlike gender expression, gender identity is not outwardly visible to others. (www.npr.org)
**Gender expression is how a person presents gender outwardly, through behaviour, clothing, voice or other perceived characteristics. Society identifies these cues as masculine or feminine, although what is considered masculine or feminine changes over time and varies by culture. (www.npr.org)

As a transgender woman I'm not sure what to say about this discussion. Understanding where I have been and where I am going is probably not for people who don't understand the journey to decide. Even in the trans community the journeys are different. Caitlyn Jenner probably has no clue what it means to be turned away for jobs that you are qualified for but can't get because of ignorance. We don't get on the cover of Vogue just because we came out, instead I got disowned by my mother. To understand what it means to be beaten by skinheads and have teeth knocked out is not something I wish on anyone, but it's not something I will ever forget anytime soon.

Maybe the discussion doesn't need to be about "gender identity ideology", but about listening to transgender and intersex people talk about the journey to be where they are at today.