Gender Showcase

A series of posts celebrating the different ways to be.

Visit:

  • K-5 - This section currently under construction as we generate more teacher guidance for this popular resource

See also what to say and what it means when talking about sex & gender with grades K-5 (external link to: Gender Inclusive Classrooms).

More scientific evidence

Examples in science research about gender-expansive behavior, morphology, and function.

Visit: beyond the binary

Gender Showcase series

grades K-5

Featured
a dark-grey dolphin while leaping half-way from the water
whales, cetaceans, morphology, polymorphism, marine biology, k-5, k-12, gender showcase
Striped Dolphins have 3 types of bodies! [Gender Showcase, K-5]
whales, cetaceans, morphology, polymorphism, marine biology, k-5, k-12, gender showcase
whales, cetaceans, morphology, polymorphism, marine biology, k-5, k-12, gender showcase
k-5, red spotted hyena, hermaphroditism, gender spectrum, morphology, behavior
Spotted red hyena boys and girls look and act ALMOST the same even if you look closely. [Gender Showcase, K-5)
k-5, red spotted hyena, hermaphroditism, gender spectrum, morphology, behavior
k-5, red spotted hyena, hermaphroditism, gender spectrum, morphology, behavior
k-5, gender showcase, kangaroos, quokka, euro, tammar wallaby, red kangaroo, gray kangaroo
Kangaroos, quokkas, and wallabies have 3 types of bodies: girl, boy, and both! [Gender Showcase, K-5]
k-5, gender showcase, kangaroos, quokka, euro, tammar wallaby, red kangaroo, gray kangaroo
k-5, gender showcase, kangaroos, quokka, euro, tammar wallaby, red kangaroo, gray kangaroo
same-sex behavior, gay sheep, sheep, bighornsheep, big horn sheep, all sheep are habitually gay, k-5
Most boy bighorn sheep live together, but some boy sheep act like and live with the girl sheep. [Gender Showcase, K-5]
same-sex behavior, gay sheep, sheep, bighornsheep, big horn sheep, all sheep are habitually gay, k-5
same-sex behavior, gay sheep, sheep, bighornsheep, big horn sheep, all sheep are habitually gay, k-5
elk, white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer, red-tailed deer, swamp deer, sika deer, sika, roe deer, polymorphism, gender showcase, k-5
White-tailed deer have 5 types of bodies! [Gender Showcase, K-5]
elk, white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer, red-tailed deer, swamp deer, sika deer, sika, roe deer, polymorphism, gender showcase, k-5
elk, white-tailed deer, black-tailed deer, red-tailed deer, swamp deer, sika deer, sika, roe deer, polymorphism, gender showcase, k-5
(C) 2015 Keenan Yakola (taken on Seal Island)
transgender behavior, behavior, sparrows, birds, k-5
White-throated sparrows have 2 body types and 4 genders! [Gender Showcase, K-5]
transgender behavior, behavior, sparrows, birds, k-5
transgender behavior, behavior, sparrows, birds, k-5
clownfish, fish, sex change, sex determination, k-5
If the girl clown fish leaves the boy clown fish, the boy clownfish changes his body into a girl's! [Gender Showcase, K-5]
clownfish, fish, sex change, sex determination, k-5
clownfish, fish, sex change, sex determination, k-5
polymorphism, morphology, whales, cetaceans, beluga, beluga whales, k-5
Beluga whales have three body types: boy bodies, girl bodies, and boy-and-girl bodies. Oh whale! [Gender Showcase, K-5]
polymorphism, morphology, whales, cetaceans, beluga, beluga whales, k-5
polymorphism, morphology, whales, cetaceans, beluga, beluga whales, k-5
male pregnancy, seahorse, sea horse, pregnancy, sexual reproduction, k-5
Boy sea horses get pregnant and give birth to the babies from their pouch. [Gender Showcase, K-5]
male pregnancy, seahorse, sea horse, pregnancy, sexual reproduction, k-5
male pregnancy, seahorse, sea horse, pregnancy, sexual reproduction, k-5
whales, cetaceans, beluga, beluga whales, k-5
This page under construction - "whale" have updates soon!
whales, cetaceans, beluga, beluga whales, k-5
whales, cetaceans, beluga, beluga whales, k-5

gender showcase series

grades 9-12
Featured
moles, spanish blind mole, ovotestes, morphology, 9-12, gender showcase, peer reviewed
All XX Spanish Moles have ovotestes (both ovarian & testicular tissue) and make Eggs & Testosterone, but XY moles only have testes & Make Sperm. (Gender Showcase, 9-12)
moles, spanish blind mole, ovotestes, morphology, 9-12, gender showcase, peer reviewed
moles, spanish blind mole, ovotestes, morphology, 9-12, gender showcase, peer reviewed
same-sex behavior, pair bonding, lifelong pair bonding, inclusion outcomes, gender showcase, diverse families, adoption, donor egg, 9-12
80% of gay swan couples successfully raise their young, compared to 30% of straight swan couples. (Gender Showcase, 9-12)
same-sex behavior, pair bonding, lifelong pair bonding, inclusion outcomes, gender showcase, diverse families, adoption, donor egg, 9-12
same-sex behavior, pair bonding, lifelong pair bonding, inclusion outcomes, gender showcase, diverse families, adoption, donor egg, 9-12
9-12, sex education, intersex, sex differences, hyenas, spotted hyena, red spotted hyena, gender showcase
All female spotted hyenas have penises they use to mount, pee, & give birth. (Gender Showcase, 9-12)
9-12, sex education, intersex, sex differences, hyenas, spotted hyena, red spotted hyena, gender showcase
9-12, sex education, intersex, sex differences, hyenas, spotted hyena, red spotted hyena, gender showcase
9-12, australian goby, gobies, evolution's rainbow, 2 gender, hermaphrodite, sex change, fish
The sex-changing Australian goby species have 2 sexes: all-female or part-male-part-female. (Gender Showcase, 9-12)
9-12, australian goby, gobies, evolution's rainbow, 2 gender, hermaphrodite, sex change, fish
9-12, australian goby, gobies, evolution's rainbow, 2 gender, hermaphrodite, sex change, fish
high school, gender showcase, same-sex behavior, book excerpt, evolution's rainbow, 3 genders, 9-12, bighorn sheep
All bighorn rams that mate with ewes participate in gay courting & copulation most of the year. (Gender Showcase, 9-12)
high school, gender showcase, same-sex behavior, book excerpt, evolution's rainbow, 3 genders, 9-12, bighorn sheep
high school, gender showcase, same-sex behavior, book excerpt, evolution's rainbow, 3 genders, 9-12, bighorn sheep

beyond the binary

more scientific evidence

Featured
2480.jpg
scientific research, sex chromosomes, sex differences, anthropology, ancient humans
Archaeology's Sexual Revolution
scientific research, sex chromosomes, sex differences, anthropology, ancient humans
scientific research, sex chromosomes, sex differences, anthropology, ancient humans
Heade_humingbirds_1050x700.jpeg
evolution, transgender, gender expression, animal species, jstor daily, article
Are There “Transgender” Proclivities in Animals?
evolution, transgender, gender expression, animal species, jstor daily, article
evolution, transgender, gender expression, animal species, jstor daily, article
scishow.jpg
animal species, video, neuroscience, neurobiology
Video: Are There "Male" and "Female" Brains?
animal species, video, neuroscience, neurobiology
animal species, video, neuroscience, neurobiology
paleopathology, osteology, william bass, sex estimation, anthropology, probability, pelvis, ancient humans, human skeletons, skeletons, bones, forensics, bone, forensic anthropology, anatomy
Sex Estimation Based On Multiple Pelvic Indicators More Accurate, Based On 49 19th c. Canadian adults — Bass Lab & Field Manual
paleopathology, osteology, william bass, sex estimation, anthropology, probability, pelvis, ancient humans, human skeletons, skeletons, bones, forensics, bone, forensic anthropology, anatomy
paleopathology, osteology, william bass, sex estimation, anthropology, probability, pelvis, ancient humans, human skeletons, skeletons, bones, forensics, bone, forensic anthropology, anatomy
10.1371_journal.pbio.1001899.g004.png
sex determination, peer reviewed, article, sex chromosomes, genetics, anatomy
Sex Determination – Why So Many Ways of Doing It?
sex determination, peer reviewed, article, sex chromosomes, genetics, anatomy
sex determination, peer reviewed, article, sex chromosomes, genetics, anatomy
polygenic, gender identity, research, peer reviewed
Journal: The Biological Contributions to Gender Identity and Gender Diversity: Bringing Data to the Table
polygenic, gender identity, research, peer reviewed
polygenic, gender identity, research, peer reviewed
clxj78manbwjnppii5gvuq85wssflwtxrnatvzltiqv2htycgckt4xgzqmcxqnhj.png
video, intersex
Video: What It's Like To Be Intersex
video, intersex
video, intersex
medical, inclusion, adolescent development, mental health, doctor's recommendations
Psychologists recognize that TGNC people are more likely to experience positive life outcomes when they receive social support or trans-affirmative care. (APA)
medical, inclusion, adolescent development, mental health, doctor's recommendations
medical, inclusion, adolescent development, mental health, doctor's recommendations
peer reviewed, gender identity, sexual orientation, same-sex behavior, research
Same-sex attraction & behavior are more common than LGB identity (Advance Data; Annals of Internal Medicine)
peer reviewed, gender identity, sexual orientation, same-sex behavior, research
peer reviewed, gender identity, sexual orientation, same-sex behavior, research
intersex, biological development, hermaphrodite, transgender behavior, sex chromosomes
A Biology Teacher Just Destroyed Every Excuse for Transphobia With Cold, Hard Facts (Observer)
intersex, biological development, hermaphrodite, transgender behavior, sex chromosomes
intersex, biological development, hermaphrodite, transgender behavior, sex chromosomes
maxresdefault (1).jpg
intersex, hermaphroditism, animal species, video
Video: Intersex Across the Animal Kingdom
intersex, hermaphroditism, animal species, video
intersex, hermaphroditism, animal species, video
maxresdefault (2).jpg
sex determination, intersex, mosaicism, chimerism, video, anatomy
Video: There Are More Than Two Human Sexes
sex determination, intersex, mosaicism, chimerism, video, anatomy
sex determination, intersex, mosaicism, chimerism, video, anatomy
maxresdefault (3).jpg
sex determination, video
Video: The Crocodile's Unusual Sex-Determination System Explained
sex determination, video
sex determination, video
ts_feature_transgender_640x360.jpg
transgender, gender identity, neuroscience, research
Are the Brains of Transgender People Different from Those of Cisgender People?
transgender, gender identity, neuroscience, research
transgender, gender identity, neuroscience, research
image.jpg
biodiversity, species, gender constructs, behavior, sexuality, examples, database, animal species
Evolution's Rainbow: A queer species database of 200+ organisms
biodiversity, species, gender constructs, behavior, sexuality, examples, database, animal species
biodiversity, species, gender constructs, behavior, sexuality, examples, database, animal species

We are not alone.

Headlines from Scientists and Teachers

 
“Encouraging greater diversity is not only the right thing to do: it allows scientific organizations to derive an “innovation dividend” that leads to smarter, more creative teams, hence opening the door to new discoveries.”
— Nielsen, M. et al. (PNAS 2017)
 
 
 
 
““Improving the participation of under-represented groups is not just fairer — it could produce better research.””
— Editorial Board of Nature magazine

Editorial Board (2018) “Science benefits from diversity.” Nature. Available at https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-018-05326-3.