User blog:Ghosturtle/Gender modality

Gender modality describes the relation of one's gender identity to one's gender assigned at birth. These terms may specify if one's gender identity correlates with their birth assignment, specify how one does or does not transition, or highlight the differences and similarities between one's gender identity and one's birth assignment.

Cisgender and transgender are the primary gender modalities, but other gender modalities exist as well. Some individuals choose not to label their gender modality, or describe their gender modality as being the same as their gender identity, especially in the case of non-binary and genderqueer people. Conversely, some individuals may choose only to label their gender modality, without labeling their gender identity, or may choose to label their gender identity simply as being their gender modality (for example, identifying oneself transgender with no additional gender labels).

Etymology
The word "modality" is defined as "the particular way in which something exists, is experienced or is done." Therefore, gender modality is the mode in which gender exists, is experienced, or is done.

History
The term "gender modality" was proposed by transfeminine jurist, bioethicist, and doctoral student Florence Ashley sometime by March 27, 2019. They proposed this term as a solution to numerous problems present in gender-related discussions and laws. Distinguishing cisgender and transgender identities by gender modality, rather than by gender identity itself, serves to be less othering. It also enhances the vocabulary surrounding the various aspects of gender: gender assigned at birth, gender identity, gender expression, gender presentation, and gender modality. It additionally provides a non-offensive alternative to terms like "transgenderism," "transsexuality," and "transness," when referring to the fact of being transgender, instead allowing people to refer to this as "transgender modality." This new terminology also opens the door to new gender modalities that are less binary than simply being cisgender or transgender.

The term "gender modality" may also solve a legal issue in which transgender identity is not explicitly mentioned, is not sufficiently differentiated between cisgender experiences, or in which "gender identity" is used to specifically describe transgender identities (despite gender identity not being exclusive to transgender people). Transgender people experience discrimination, often not because of their gender identity, but because of their gender modality: the fact that their gender identity differs from their birth assignment is what makes them a target. The usage of "gender modality" would not only prevent othering transgender people, but also highlight the specific type of discrimination that they face. "Examples of how this might be used include: “Trans people experience discrimination because of their gender modality.” ; “Many agender people reject the categorisation of their gender modality as cis or trans, as the lack of gender identity complicates the model of gender identity being something that either corresponds or does not correspond to gender assigned at birth.” ; “Trans women are of the same gender as cis women, but have a different gender modality.” ; “Not everyone understands their gender modality as either cis or trans: some non-binary and intersex people see themselves as neither or not completely one or the other.”" Ashley advocates for the World Professional Association for Transgender Health (WPATH) to encourage the usage of this term for the sake of enriching gender vocabulary. This would allow for discussions that better describe the experiences of transgender individuals, while also avoiding pathologizing or othering these groups. Since its proposal, the term has been used in research regarding transgender health.

Gender identity
Gender identity refers to the gender one identifies as. This differs from gender modality, which is terminology used to describe one's gender in relation to their birth assignment. Two people may have the same gender identity, yet have different gender modalities. For example, a cisgender woman and a transgender woman both have the same gender identity (woman), but have differing gender modalities (cisgender and transgender).