Gender Identity Terminology
Spalding University is a “diverse community of learners” and we embrace all gender identities. Spalding give applicants and students the opportunity to self-identify their gender to help us better understand and serve our students. The application for admission asks for gender identity and current students can add their gender identity on Student Self-Service. Below our gender identity terms. The application for admission also asks for sex as required for federal reporting.
Gender Identity Terms
Agender (adj.)
An identity which describes someone who either does not identify with any gender, identifies as gender neutral and/or identities outside of the gender binary. Some agender people also identify as non-binary and/or transgender.
Cisgender (adj.)
Refers to a person who identifies with the sex, gender and gender roles they were assigned at birth, typically within the gender binary. As an identity, this term is typically used in front of the terms man or woman.
Gender Queer (adj.)
Refers to a person who does not subscribe to conventional gender distinctions but identifies with neither, both or a combination of male and female genders.
Non-Conforming (adj.)
Denoting or relating to a person whose behavior or appearance does not conform to prevailing cultural and social expectations about what is appropriate to their gender.
Non-binary (adj.)
Both a specific identity and an umbrella term to describes a person who identifies outside of the male/female gender binary. Some non-binary people also identify as transgender.
Man (noun)
A person, who regardless of their sex assigned at birth, identifies as a man. The term cisgender man (or cisman) describes someone who was assigned male at birth and identifies as a man. The term transgender man (or transman) describes someone who was assigned female at birth and identifies as a man.
Transgender (adj.)
Refers to a person whose gender identity does not align with the sex, gender and/or gender roles they were assigned at birth. Some transgender people identify within the gender binary as a transman or a transwoman, some identify outside of the gender binary.
Woman (noun)
A person, who regardless of their sex assigned at birth, identifies as a woman. The term cisgender woman (or ciswoman) describes someone who was assigned female at birth and identifies as a woman. The term transgender woman (or transwoman) describes someone who was assigned male at birth and identifies as a woman.
Gender Not Listed Above
We know and respect that some students may identify with a gender other than the identities listed on this page. If your gender identity is not provided in our selection terms, please feel encouraged to select this option so we can better understand the gender diversity of our students.
Prefer Not to Answer
We understand that not everyone may feel comfortable sharing their gender identities and do not require students to provide their gender.
Sex
Sex refers to understandings of physical attributes, often through a medical or legal lens. For example, a person’s sex assigned at birth may be different than their current legal sex. About 1.5% of the population is also intersex, which refers to people whose bodies do not seem to fit the typical definitions of male or female. In compliance with federal reporting requirements, we provide the options for legal sex as male or female.