Transgender, the Possibility of Adding a Third Gender Option

Abstract

Within the South African context some people may experience a gender identity of the other sex. Due to the division of sex and gender into only two categories (male and female), it may cause some people to feel unaccepted and unfairly discriminated against. The purpose of this article is to determine whether adding a third gender option (transgender) would benefit and support lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) people to feel accepted. A mixed-method approach was used in gathering the data through a web-based questionnaire of 172 students. Basic statistics were used in conjunction with a proportional reduction of error measure and Goodman-Kruskal lambda to determine the strength of the association of variables. Research suggests in theory that the laws concerning sex and gender categories should be revised and reconsidered. In practice, research suggests that by adding a third gender it will provide support to LGBT people to feel more accepted.