UNDERSTANDING THEIR OWN GENDER IDENTITY BY MODERN TEENAGERS

Abstract

The article is devoted to the study of gender identity of modern adolescents. One of the main problems is the uncertainty or conflict of gender identity, which can cause psychological discomfort, anxiety, depressive states and social isolation. Based on the analysis of scientific literature, the concept of gender identity is clarified, by which we understand - the dynamic process of an individual's awareness of himself as a representative of a certain gender, and the assignment of appropriate social roles, forms of behavior and personal characteristics. The article justifies the sample, taking into account the representativeness of the educational environment, age specificity and gender distribution of respondents. The projective method of unfinished sentences "I am a man / woman" was used to collect data, which covers three components of gender identity: content-cognitive, motivational-activity and emotional-evaluative. The study found that adolescents mostly define their gender identity through biological sex, although some of them show uncertainty. Traditional ideas about gender roles are combined with the desire for equality, overcoming stereotypes and free self-expression. Boys are focused on success, control, leadership and physical strength, while girls emphasize more on safety, psychological comfort, equal rights and positive interaction. Both sexes value personal development, self-realization and support, but girls more often mention the desire to start a family and find a partner, and also defend their rights in combating discrimination. Overall, the results indicate a gradual transformation of traditional gender models in the adolescent environment and emphasize the need for further research in this area. Overall, the results indicate a combination of traditional and new trends in the formation of gender attitudes among adolescents. The authors emphasize the importance of further research into the factors that influence the formation of gender identity, as well as the development of support programs to ensure healthy personality development in the context of modern social changes.