What is Assigned Female at Birth?
Assigned Female at Birth (AFAB) is a term used to describe individuals who were labeled as female based on their anatomy at birth. It is a term used in the transgender community to emphasize that gender identity is separate from physical anatomy and is often a result of societal and cultural expectations.
Assigned Female at Birth pronunciation: / uh-sahyndd feh-male aht burth /
AFAB is often used in trans, non-binary, and genderqueer communities, and not everyone who was assigned female at birth identifies as a female. Some individuals may transition to male, seeking to align their gender identity with their assigned gender, while others may identify as non-binary or another gender altogether.
Additional information about Assigned Female at Birth
- The process of assigning someone as male or female at birth is based on a visual assessment of the baby’s genitals, which may not always be accurate.
- The term “coercively assigned female at birth” (CAFAB) is used by some to stress that their gender was chosen for them by an external party.
- Not all intersex individuals identify as AFAB, and some reject the use of the term by transgender people who were born female.
- There’s no way for medical practitioners to know if a baby that appears as female at birth will become straight, gay, or transgender. Assigned gender at birth is only an external classification and does not determine a person’s true gender identity.
Explore other interesting terms: