Like gender identity, an individual's physical and emotional attraction to a member of the same or the opposite sex cannot be changed and is very difficult to predict early in childhood. A person who is transgender still identifies as straight, gay, bisexual or something else. Sexual orientation: One's sexual identity as it relates to who someone falls in love with or is attracted to. Self-recognition of gender identity develops over time, much the same way a child's physical body does. This may be male, female, somewhere in between, a combination of both or neither. Gender identity: One's internal sense of who one is, based on an interaction of biological traits, developmental influences, and environmental conditions. Gender diverse: An umbrella term to describe an ever-evolving array of labels people may apply when their gender identity, expression, or even perception does not conform to the norms and stereotypes others expect. It is natural for parents to ask if it is 'just a phase.' But, there is no easy answer. They may feel like they are somewhere in between or have no gender.

Some children, as the American Academy of PediatricsĮxplains, do not identify with either gender. This article is also available in other languages.