Marty Lobdell Contributing Writer Think of the last form you completed. The form likely asked for your “gender.” In a society that is so sexualized, it’s amazing we are so prudish we can’t ask about a person’s sex. Some might say the term gender is the same as sex, but this is not correct. Sex is a biological concept, while gender is psychosocial. Many assume there are two sexes: male and female. But the biological reality is that there are several male and several female sexes.  Basically, if there is a “Y” chromosome, then the person is genetically classed as male. If there is no “Y” then the person is  is genetically a female. The male sexes are XY (normal male), XYY (super-male), and XXY or XXYY (Klinefelter syndrome males). Female sexes are XX (normal female), OX (single X chromosome called Turner syndrome) and XXX (super-females). But, things get even more complex when sex is defined by genital structures. There are genetic males (XY) who are not responsive to androgenic hormones (androgen insensitivity syndrome), and have their external genitals appear to be female. There are genetically normal females (XX), who have a condition called congenital adrenal hyperplasia. Such genetic females have ambiguous genitals, including a small penis. People with the above conditions are often said to be “intersexed.” Sex can also be defined by which gonads are present. Genetic males usually have two testes and females have two ovaries. But there are rare individuals who have both an ovary and testis or single gonads that have both testicular and ovarian tissues (ovitestis). In the past these individuals were referred to as true hermaphrodites, but the intersex community at large has attempted to distance themselves from this harmful terminology, and thus these people are also referred to as “intersex.” Psychosocial combinations of gender are also complex. For example, there is gender identity, which refers to how people feel about their sex. Most genetic males identify as masculine and most genetic females identify as feminine. But there are people who have a vague or undefined gender identity, as well as those who clearly identify with the sex opposite of themselves (transgender). There are also gender roles. Roles are expected behaviors prescribed by a society. Although our society is becoming more androgynous (gender neutral), there are still behaviors that many people find more appropriate for one sex or the other. Both gender and sex are not simple binary categories. Most of us like to think in simple terms, so people who write forms don’t list all of the above combinations. But it would be helpful if they would use the term “sex” when asking about our biological selves. Notice that forms usually provide the terms “male or female” (sexual categories) to choose from.  They never have the categories “masculine, feminine or androgynous” (gender concepts) to choose from.