Questioning current definitions of gender identity: implications of the Bem Sex-Role Inventory for transsexuals.

To examine the relationship between sex role and gender identity, the Bem Sex-Role Inventory (BSRI) was given to 72 self-defined transsexuals [55 male-to-female (M-F), 17 female-to-male (F-M)]. The F-Ms scored primarily masculine sex typed (six) or androgynous (six). The modal M-F scored faminine sex typed (33). The distribution of F-Ms across the four BSRI categories did not differ significantly from Bem's normative college student male distribution [chi2(3) = 2.30, p greater than 0.50] but was marginally different from that of Bem's females [chi2(3) = 6.45, p less than 0.10]. The distribution of M-Fs was significantly different from that of both college females [chi2(3) = 19.71, p less than 0.001] and males [chi2 (3) = 88.72, p less than 0.0001], because of the very high proportion of feminine sex-typed M-Fs. Psychometric data on the BSRI are presented. The score patterns of the transsexuals are compared to those from the clinical literature, and implications of the data for the relationship between gender identity and sex role are discussed.