Gender identity refers to a person’s deeply felt sense of their own gender. It is an internal experience of being male, female, both, neither, or another gender, and it may or may not align with the sex a person was assigned at birth. Gender identity is separate from sexual orientation and may also differ from how a person expresses their gender through clothing, appearance, or behaviour. In school settings, recognising a student’s gender identity can include respecting their name, pronouns, and participation in school life in ways that align with how they identify. Under the British Columbia Human Rights Code, gender identity and gender expression are protected grounds, which means students have the right to learn in environments free from discrimination based on their gender.