What is non-binary gender, as Elliot Page and Demi Lovato identify themselves?

Understand non-binary gender 4:46

(CNN Spanish) ––

Elliot Page, Oscar-nominated star who has appeared in films such as "Juno" and "X-Men: Days of Future Past," and Demi Lovato, popular singer who rose to fame as a teenage movie star , have been identified as gender non-binary.

But what exactly does this term mean?

• READ: Elliot Page, the star of 'Juno', communicates his transgender identity

Non-binary gender is a concept used to describe a person whose gender identity is neither male nor female.

And here it is essential to understand the difference between gender and sex.

Gender refers to the attitudes, feelings, and behaviors that a culture associates with a person's biological sex, according to the American Psychological Association.

In other words, gender is a social construction and a social identity.

On the other hand, sex describes the biological sex that a person was assigned at birth.

It is based on the biological characteristics of masculinity or femininity as indicated by chromosomes, gonads, hormones, and genitalia.

Gender identity

Gender identity is a component of gender that describes a person's psychological sense of their gender.

“Many people describe gender identity as an inherent and deeply felt sense of being a boy or a man;

a girl or a woman;

or a non-binary gender (eg,

"queer"

gender, gender non-conforming, gender neutral, or gender fluid) that may or may not correspond to the sex of a person assigned at birth, "described the American Psychological Association.

What is non-binary gender?

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In that sense, people identify as transgender when their gender identity, expression and roles do not align with what has been culturally associated with their sex assigned at birth.

"We need to understand that when we talk about how people experience their gender, it is the gender that they say it is," Amit Paley, CEO and director of The Trevor Project, a crisis intervention and prevention organization, told CNN in June. suicide for LGBTIQ youth.

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Some medical associations have explained the distinction between gender and sex.

They have even urged the affirmation of the gender identities of trans and non-binary people.

This, due to the potential health consequences of dismissing their gender identity.

"To all trans people who face harassment, self-hatred, abuse and the thread of violence every day: I see you, I love you and I will do everything I can to change this world for the better."

These were the words of Elliot Page in the message in which he shared his gender identity on Tuesday.

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With information from Kristen Rogers.

Demi Lovato Elliot Page gender non-binary gender identity