Determining gender depends on the context. There are different methods for assessing sex assigned at birth, biological sex, and gender identity.
Determining Sex Assigned at Birth and Biological Sex
For individuals assigned a sex at birth, or to determine biological sex, several methods exist:
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Prenatal Testing: During pregnancy, a non-invasive prenatal test (NIPT) using a maternal blood sample can detect fetal DNA, accurately determining the sex of the fetus. The accuracy is extremely high, with sensitivity around 98.9% and specificity around 99.6% [Non-invasive prenatal testing (NIPT) for foetal sex determination ...]. This is frequently used for early gender reveals and also screens for chromosomal abnormalities like Down Syndrome [Gender blood tests do more than gender reveal, says OBGYN ...; Gender blood test: What NIPT can tell you | BabyCenter]. Another option is an abdominal ultrasound, typically performed around 14 weeks gestation, which visually identifies the developing genitals [— there's really only one non-blood test to know your baby's sex: an abdominal ultrasound...].
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Postnatal Examination: A physical examination at birth by a medical professional visually identifies external genitalia to assign sex.
Determining Gender Identity
Gender identity is a person's internal sense of being a man, woman, both, neither, or somewhere else along the gender spectrum. There isn't a single test for gender identity. Instead, it's determined through:
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Self-Identification: Gender identity is fundamentally a matter of self-identification. Individuals determine their own gender identity.
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Clinical Assessment (for Gender Dysphoria): In cases of gender dysphoria (distress caused by a mismatch between assigned sex and gender identity), clinical evaluation by a healthcare professional may be involved. This assessment considers the individual's experience, feelings, and expression of their gender identity [Gender dysphoria - Diagnosis and treatment - Mayo Clinic]. Treatment for gender dysphoria may involve hormone therapy, surgery, and behavioral therapy, but these aren't tests for gender itself.
Indirect Measures Related to Gender
While not directly testing for gender, some methods assess gender-related associations:
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Implicit Association Tests (IATs): These tests measure the strength of associations between concepts (like "female" and "career") in an individual's mind. They reveal implicit biases and attitudes towards gender roles, but don't directly test an individual's gender [Take a Test; Gender & Leadership Implicit Association Test (IAT) – WISELI – UW ...].
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Media Bias Studies: Research exists examining media representation of men and women, quantifying differences in coverage and portrayal to analyze gender biases in media content [A Large-Scale Test of Gender Bias in the Media].