Final answer:
Gender identity refers to a person's internal perception of being masculine, feminine, or elsewhere on the gender spectrum, and is separate from the sex assigned at birth. It is a deeply personal aspect of who they are that can be different from traditional societal expectations associated with their biological sex.
Step-by-step explanation:
The term gender identity best describes an individual's internal, deeply held sense of their own gender. This concept refers to a person's personal awareness and experience of being masculine, feminine, a blend of both, neither, or another gender entirely. Crucially, gender identity can be different from the sex assigned at birth, particularly in the case of transgender individuals, for whom their gender identity does not align with their birth-assigned sex.
It is important to differentiate gender identity from other related concepts. Gender behavior, which involves the practice of behaving in ways society considers masculine or feminine, and gender expression, which is how we present our gender to the world (including clothing, gestures, and mannerisms), are outward expressions that may or may not align with someone's gender identity. Additionally, gender roles, often socialized from childhood, are the expectations society places on individuals based on their perceived gender, but these roles do not necessarily correspond to one's personal gender identity.
In modern society, particularly in the U.S., there's a recognized distinction between sex and gender, with growing acceptance that gender is a spectrum rather than a binary. While male and female are often seen as the two conventional categories for gender identity, many people identify outside of these binaries, highlighting the fluid and individual nature of gender identity.