Every person has a unique sexual identity that is made of gender identity, gender role, sexual orientation and natal sex.

In particular, gender identity refers to a person’s acknowledgement regarding the belonging to a gender (e.g., male, female, both, neither or another gender). 

All gender identities are natural (normal expression of one’s identity). In most cases, gender identity is in line with one’s natal sex (biological features with which a person is born: e.g., genitals, hormones or chromosomes). Generally, people are born with either a male or female sex. However, some people may present with physical characteristics that can not be defined as exclusively masculine or feminine. These cases are referred to as intersex conditions or so-called sexual development differences. 

Gender role refers to the way a person expresses a belonging to a gender. Of course, this is highly influenced by the geographical area, historical moment and socio-cultural background in which a person lives. Therefore, every individual expresses the belonging to a gender in a personal way. Sexual orientation refers to the physical and/or emotional-romantic attraction towards a person. There are many types of sexual orientation and all of them are normal expressions of one’s feelings. For example, a homosexual person (gay) is a man (cisgender o transgender) in love with and/or attracted to other men (cisgender o transgender); a lesbian is a woman (cisgender o transgender) in love with and/or attracted to other women (cisgender o transgender); a pansexual person is attracted to people regardless of gender.

Sexual orientation and gender identity are two different parts of one’s sexual identity and therefore they should not be confused. 
The term cisgender defines a person with a gender identity that matches the natal sex: for example, a person who identifies as woman and is born with female physical features. On the other hand, a transgender person generally has a gender identity that differs from the natal sex. Being transgender (also reffered to as gender incongruence) is a normal condition and not a disease. Some transgender people (not all!) may be distressed and, therefore, request hormonal treatments and/or surgery to affirm their gender.