Understanding Gender Identity in Islam
Understanding Gender Identity in Islam
Provide a comprehensive exploration of gender identity from both global and Islamic viewpoints. This paper outlines the complexity of gender identity, differentiating between gender, sex, roles, expression, and sexual orientation. It presents the World Health Organization's definitions and contrasts them with Islamic teachings on gender roles and identity. Authors discuss various factors contributing to gender identity confusion, such as societal influences and psychological aspects. Practical tips are provided for parents to promote healthy gender identity development, including fostering a sense of belonging, demonstrating appreciation, and encouraging good manners and etiquette. The paper emphasizes the importance of maintaining Islamic principles, such as modesty, purpose, and prayer, in guiding youth towards a balanced and healthy understanding of their gender identity.
Esraa Badr, MD.
A positive youth development researcher at the Islamic Leadership Institute of America. She holds an MBBCh degree from Alexandria Faculty of Medicine, Egypt with focused training in adult and child neuropsychiatry specialties combined with neurology training at Selcuk University, Turkey. Currently, she is a pediatrician at the Ministry of Health and Population, Egypt, and a participant in the Clinical Research Scholars Training Program (CSRT) by Harvard Medical School. She is focused on mental health issues affecting youth as part of her postgraduate studies at the High Institute of Public Health, Egypt. Esraa is also a member of the Mental Health Research Network in Egypt and has participated in several research projects on different mental health issues. She is a writer and mental health promoter with a special interest in parenting issues. Esraa also participated in many civil work projects targeting public awareness about mental health affairs.
Ayman Nassar, M.Sc.
Founder of the Islamic Leadership Institute of America (ILIA), with over 25 years of experience in enterprise architecture, enterprise, individual transformation, and youth development. Over the past 20 years, he has coached, taught, and counseled hundreds of youth and young professionals and has been a certified mentor and coach with Big Brother Big Sister, Lutheran Social Services, Dar Al-Taqwa, Prince George’s Community College Asian, Latino, African, Native American (ALANA), New Beginnings Youth Center, Howard County Detention Center, and ILIA. Ayman is a member of the Howard County Reentry Council and the Howard County Ethnic Diversity Round Table. He holds two Master's degrees in electrical engineering, engineering management, and systems engineering and holds certifications in half a dozen leadership areas. He has been trained in cultural competence, youth development, reentry, psychology, and curriculum development and has devised over 200+ courses and programs for youth and adults. He was faculty at the University of California,