General Information

What does "Sex" mean?
Sex is the biological condition of being male or female, defined by genes, hormons and sexual organs. Variations of biological sex can occur for example due to changes to an hormone receptor, natural or synthetic exposure to sex hormones during embryo development, and genetic conditions and might affect genitals, chromosomes, hormones, the reproductive systems, and/or gonads leading to a spectrum of intersex phenotypes.

What does "Gender" mean?
Gender includes the social, psychological, cultural and behavioral aspects of being a man, woman, or other gender identity in a given sociocultural environment at a given time. Gender is a multidimensional construct that links gender identity, gender expression, and social and cultural expectations about status, characteristics, and behavior, that are associated with sex traits. 

What is Gender Medicine?
Gender Medicine, also known as Sex- and Gender-specific Medicine, addresses the biological and sociocultural differences inherent to each individual and their impact on health and disease. 

Modified from: Prof. Vera Regitz-Zagrosek, Charité Berlin

References:

• Cleveland Clinic, "Intersex" https://my.clevelandclinic.org/health/articles/16324-intersex
• Measuring Sex, Gender Identity and Sexual Orientation. T. Becker, M. Chin and N. Bates. Washington (DC), The National Academies Press.
• IGM. "Gender-medicine ", 2025, from https://www.intgsm.org/gender-medicine.
• Lindqvist, A., M. G. Sendén and E. A. Renström (2021). "What is gender, anyway: a review of the options for operationalising gender." Psychology & Sexuality 12(4): 332-344.
• WHO. 2025, from https://www.who.int/europe/health-topics/gender#tab=tab_1.