An interesting question.
To the extent I think about it, I identify as male– although with the understanding that I am very much a GNC: Gender Non-Compliant male. As a sexually-active gay man with a Husband in ‘modern Western society’ I am clearly out of compliance as a male. Yes, I’m very aware of the privilege represented by not having to defend (or even declare, all that often) my gender.
At this point I’m sure someone reading this is asking “but what’s your biological gender?”
To which I can say only that my anatomical gender is male- that is, what genitalia I have. But that is merely one small (generally the most visible) aspect of biological gender.
Below is a very small preview linking to a rather large image (© copyright may be held by Scientific American- reproduced here only for educational purposes) that makes clear there are other biological factors that influence an individual’s biological gender. I’ve not had testing done to determine if I have any of the various unique hormonal or genetic variations that occur in nature.
As of now, when anyone asks me about by biological gender I answer directly as to my anatomical gender. To be as accurate as I can. Just as I have been referring to those crass middle-class events as being “baby’s genitalia reveal parties” for awhile now.
PS:
The t-shirt shown above is from the Designs on Gender collection at my Threadless merch shop.
