Assigned Sex

Assigned sex, often called sex assigned at birth, is the classification a doctor, midwife, or nurse makes when a baby is born, typically by looking at external anatomy. In most places this determination is recorded on a birth certificate and used for legal purposes. The community shorthand is AFAB (assigned female at birth) and AMAB (assigned male at birth). These terms describe how a body was categorized, not who a person is. For many transgender, non-binary, and intersex people, the sex assigned at birth does not match their gender identity or lived experience. Separating assigned sex from gender identity is foundational to understanding trans and intersex lives, and it is generally most respectful to use the name and pronouns a person uses now.