Sex assignment

Sex assignment (sometimes known as gender assignment) is the determination of an infant's sex at birth. In the majority of births, a relative, midwife, nurse or physician inspects the genitalia when the baby is delivered, and gender is determined, without the expectation of ambiguity. Assignment may also be done prior to birth through prenatal sex discernment.

Even though the term assignment suggests a decision on the part of the parents or medical professionals, the act almost universally constitutes an observation or recognition of inherent primary sexual characteristics of a baby. In the majority of cases, the gender of rearing of the child matches the assigned gender. The act of assignment carries the implicit expectation that future gender identity will develop in the gender of anatomy, assignment, and rearing.

In some cases, the assigned sex or one or more of these related observations and conclusions are found to be incorrectly applied. In the case of some transgender individuals, gender identity is not consistent with the assigned sex or sex of rearing. In the case of intersex individuals, born with sex characteristics, such as chromosomes, gonads, or genitals, that do not fit typical notions of female or male bodies, there may be complications in making a sex assignment and that assignment may not be consistent with the child's future gender identity. Reinforcing sex assignments through surgical and hormonal means may violate the individual's rights.