Gender is a social and cultural concept. It is about social and cultural differences in identity, expression and experience as a man, boy, woman, girl, or non-binary person. Non-binary is an umbrella term describing gender identities that are not exclusively male or female.

Gender includes the following concepts:

• Gender identity is about who a person feels themself to be
• Gender expression is the way a person expresses their gender. A person's gender expression may also vary depending on the context, for instance expressing different genders at work and home
• Gender experience describes a person's alignment with the sex recorded for them at birth i.e. a cis experience or a trans experience.

This data element may be used where CODE 4 "Different term" has been selected in the data element: Person—gender, code X.

This data element may be used to capture any further (optional) specification of gender descriptors. The inclusion of this write-in facility where the "Different term" code has been selected for Person—gender, code X allows respondents the opportunity to describe their gender using a term they are comfortable with, whilst also maximising the potential for analysis of the responses provided. For example, respondents could report terms such as "gender diverse", "unspecified", "gender queer", "pan-gendered", "androgynous" and "inter-gender" for gender.

Data element sets implementing this data element should include a Conditional obligation with the following text: "Conditional on a CODE 4: 'Different term' response in the data element: Person—gender, code X".

The terms sex and gender are interrelated, and are often used interchangeably, however they are distinct concepts:

• Sex is understood in relation to sex characteristics. Sex recorded at birth refers to what was determined by sex characteristics observed at birth or in infancy
• Gender is about social and cultural differences in identity, expression and experience. 

While they are related concepts, caution should be exercised when comparing counts for sex with those for gender.

A person's gender may stay the same or can change over the course of their lifetime. The gender response option chosen will reflect a person's gender at that point in time. Some people may not identify with a specific gender or with the concept of gender at all.

“The preferred Australian Government approach is to collect and use gender information. Information regarding sex would ordinarily not be required and should only be collected where there is a legitimate need for that information and it is consistent with Australian Privacy Principle 3.” (AGD 2015)

ABS (Australian Bureau of Statistics) 2021. Standard for sex, gender, variations of sex characteristics and sexual orientation variables. Canberra: ABS, viewed 6 October 2021 https://www.abs.gov.au/statistics/standards/standard-sex-gender-variations-sex-characteristics-and-sexual-orientation-variables/latest-release 

AGD (Attorney-General's Department) 2015. Australian Government Guidelines on the Recognition of Sex and Gender, viewed 6 October 2021 https://www.ag.gov.au/rights-and-protections/publications/australian-government-guidelines-recognition-sex-and-gender