Assigned Female at Birth (AFAB), also called Designated Female at Birth (DFAB) or Female Assigned at Birth (FAAB), refers to individuals who were identified as female as an infant based on anatomical and biological characteristics.[1][2][3] This is done based on external sex traits, such as the identification of a vulva, which includes one's labia, clitoris, vaginal opening, and the opening to the urethra.[4][5]
Those who were assigned female at birth are often expected to continue identifying as women, however not everyone who was assigned female at birth identify as women at all times, or at all.[6][7] There are also some individuals who are intersex, but were assigned female at birth as their intersex traits went unnoticed, typically not identified until one goes through puberty.[8]
Flags & Symbols
A designated female at birth flag was designed by Tumblr user Beyond MOGAI Pride Flags on October 15, 2020.[9] The teal and maroon stripes represent cisgender and transgender individuals, and the two middle stripes represent gender modalities beyond cisgender and transgender.[10]
Subterms
| Label | Description |
|---|---|
| Coercively Assigned Female at Birth (CAFAB) | A term used for intersex individuals who were surgically modified and were socialized as female. |
| Forcibly Assigned Female at Birth (FAFAB) | A term used for intersex individuals who were surgically modified and were socialized as female, used similarly to CAFAB. |
| Intersex Assigned Female at Birth (IAFAB) | For intersex individuals who were assigned female at birth, whether they were identified intersex at birth or not. |
Related Terms
| Label | Relationship | Description |
|---|---|---|
| Assigned Male at Birth | Counterpart | When one is identified male as an infant. |
| Assigned Intersex at Birth | Counterpart | When one is identified intersex as an infant. |
| Assigned X at Birth | Counterpart | When one is identified intersex as an infant. |
| Unassigned at Birth | Counterpart | When the parents of an individual decide not to assign their child any sex as an infant. |
Sources
- ↑ “AFAB and AMAB: What the Sex You’re Assigned at Birth Means for Your Health.” Cleveland Clinic, 27 Nov. 2022, health.clevelandclinic.org/afab-and-amab-meaning.
- ↑ “Queer and Trans Spectrum Definitions | Student Life | University of Nebraska Omaha.” Www.unomaha.edu, www.unomaha.edu/student-life/inclusion/gender-and-sexuality-resource-center/lgbtqia-resources/queer-trans-spectrum-definitions.php.
- ↑ “LGBTQ+ Inclusion: Glossary.” UW Medicine, www.uwmedicine.org/practitioner-resources/lgbtq/lgbtq-inclusion-glossary.
- ↑ “Assigned Sex at Birth.” Boston Medical Center, www.bmc.org/glossary-culture-transformation/assigned-sex-birth.
- ↑ Planned Parenthood. “Planned Parenthood.” Plannedparenthood.org, 2019, www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/health-and-wellness/sexual-and-reproductive-anatomy/what-are-parts-female-sexual-anatomy.
- ↑ “What Do Transgender and Cisgender Mean?” Www.plannedparenthood.org, www.plannedparenthood.org/learn/teens/all-about-sex-gender-and-gender-identity/what-do-transgender-and-cisgender-mean.
- ↑ “LGBTI-SafeZone Terminology | Office of Equity, Diversity and Inclusion.” Www.edi.nih.gov, www.edi.nih.gov/people/sep/lgbti/safezone/terminology.
- ↑ Sotska, Julia. “AFAB - What Is It? What Does It Mean? - Taimi Wiki.” Taimi, taimi.com/wiki/afab-what-is-it-what-does-it-mean. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
- ↑ beyond-mogai-pride-flags. “DFAB Flag.” Tumblr, 15 Oct. 2020, beyond-mogai-pride-flags.tumblr.com/post/632047659950194688/dfab-flag. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.
- ↑ beyond-mogai-pride-flags. “DMAB Flag.” Tumblr, 15 Oct. 2020, beyond-mogai-pride-flags.tumblr.com/post/632047211246764032/dmab-flag. Accessed 20 Apr. 2024.