“In February of 2014, Facebook added 50+ self-identifying options for its English users, such as transgender, cisgender, gender fluid, intersex, and neither. Why acknowledge a person’s gender identity?”

There is a tendency in our society to dichotomize gender, but everyone, especially doctors should understand the difference between SEX and GENDER. Gender neutral pronouns are pronouns used when someone’s gender is not congruent with their sex. Some examples of these instances occur when addressing transgender or genderqueer individuals who may not prefer to be addressed with masculine or feminine pronouns.

Keegan Guidolin, Tehmina Ahmad, Han Yan, Class of 2017, Western University

Editor’s Note: Medical Queeries are a series of videos made by these three medical students from the Western University designed to educate and raise awareness about LGBT issues in health care.