Let’s see how these terms map out in real life.
An Example: Placing Yourself on the Spectrums
"Hmm, I've never really thought about myself in these ways. I was born male, and I feel pretty comfortable with that biological part of myself. When it comes to gender, I identify as a man. My gender expression is masculine, but not in the typical sense. I'd say it's a softer masculinity, maybe even a bit feminine. I am attracted to women and identify as straight."
Based on this person's description, here's where they might place themselves on each spectrum:
SPECTRUM
Sex
Gender
Gender Expression
Sexuality
LEFT
Male
Man
Masculinity
Straight
CENTRE
Intersex
Nonbinary
Androgyny
Bisexual / Queer
RIGHT
Female
Woman
Femininity
Gay or Lesbian
Activity: Locating Yourself
Activity: Locating Yourself
These categories can be a bit tricky. Sometimes, it's easier to really understand them by applying them.
Where would you place yourself on each of the spectrums above?
If you are uncomfortable completing this activity based on yourself, pick a few characters from TV!
- Sex: Where do you fall on the spectrum from Male → Intersex → Female?
- Gender: Where do you fall from Man → Nonbinary → Woman?
- Gender Expression: Where do you fall from Masculinity → Androgyny → Femininity?
- Sexuality: Where do you fall from Straight → Bisexual/Queer → Gay/Lesbian?
Activity: Reflecting on the Exercise
Activity: Reflecting on the Exercise
Perhaps you found this exercise tricky, for one reason or another. Maybe you had never thought about where you would place yourself on these spectrums, or how there are so many different parts to our identities. Perhaps you struggled to neatly place yourself on a continuum. Maybe each category felt redundant!
Take a moment to think about what parts of this activity you may have struggled with:
- What beliefs or values (or messages you learned growing up) were part of the struggle?
- How did you feel when you tried to place yourself on these spectrums?
- What did you notice about your thoughts and feelings during this activity?
If you struggled, you are not alone! Most of us don't have much experience thinking about our identities across all these dimensions. Most of us grew up believing that gender and sex are simple: boys are boys and girls are girls (thanks to the gender binary) — and there are straight people and gay people (and sometimes we learned that people can also be bisexual).
It can take a great deal of effort and focus to work through the ideas in this workbook — especially when they ask you to think differently.
Learning is a lifelong process and often requires “unlearning” some things along the way.
© We Are Family, 2026