Sexbased

Sexbased is an adjective used to describe phenomena, classifications, or policies that are grounded in the biological characteristics that distinguish sexes, typically males and females. The term is hyphenated to emphasize that the basis is biological sex rather than gender identity or social role. It is commonly used in science, medicine, and policy to indicate that the subject is determined by biology rather than social factors.

In science and medicine, sex-based differences refer to variations in physiology, disease risk, progression, and responses to treatment between males and females. Researchers often analyze data by sex to identify differential effects, and preclinical studies frequently include both sexes to uncover sex-specific mechanisms and inform personalized approaches.

In policy and law, sex-based protections or accommodations may refer to rights, privacy, or access allocated according to biological sex, such as sex-segregated facilities, privacy considerations in health care, or sex-based data collection for public health. In sports and competition, sex-based categories are often used to address average biological differences between sexes to promote fairness.

There is ongoing discussion about the use of sex-based classifications in contexts involving transgender and nonbinary people. Some viewpoints stress inclusive approaches that consider both sex and gender, while others emphasize maintaining sex-based categories for scientific clarity, policy specificity, or safety concerns. The term is most useful when clarity about the basis for a distinction—biological sex versus other factors—needs to be explicit.