Sukupuolinen

Sukupuolinen is a Finnish adjective meaning related to gender or sex. It is used to describe attributes, phenomena, or concepts that pertain to gender identity, gender roles, or biological sex, depending on the context. The term is common in discussions of social policy, culture, and biology.

The word is formed from the noun sukupuoli, which denotes gender or sex, with the common Finnish adjective ending -inen. In practice, sukupuolinen can refer to both sociocultural dimensions of gender (for example, gender equality or gender stereotypes) and biological or reproductive aspects (for example, sexual reproduction). In contemporary usage, it often appears in combinations such as transsukupuolinen (transgender), cis-sukupuolinen (cisgender), or sukupuolittunut keskustelu (gendered discussion), where the context clarifies the sense intended.

In social and academic discourse, sukupuolinen is frequently contrasted with biologinen or seksuaalinen when precision is needed. Biologinen refers more directly to biological sex characteristics, while seksuaalinen can address sexual activity or desire. However, sukupuolinen remains a central term in discussions of gender identity, gender equality, and gender-based discrimination, underscoring how language shapes and reflects social understandings of gender.

See also: sukupuoli, gender identity, gender equality, gender stereotypes, transgender, cisgender, gender diversity.