Gender ideology
Gender ideology is a term with two distinct and quite different usages, which are often conflated.
Academic usage
In academic and social science contexts, gender ideology refers to the study of cross-cultural beliefs and perceptions regarding women, men, and alternative gender identities, emphasising the socially constructed nature of gender. As described by S.U. Philips in the International Encyclopedia of the Social & Behavioral Sciences (2001), the study of gender ideologies examines cross-cultural similarities and differences in human views on gender, with roots in feminist analysis of how gender roles are constructed and maintained socially rather than determined purely by biology [1].
Political usage
The phrase "gender ideology" is also used as a pejorative term by gender-critical and conservative commentators to describe beliefs associated with transgender rights and gender identity, particularly the view that gender identity can differ from biological sex. In this context the term is typically used by opponents of transgender rights rather than by those whose views are being described, and carries a dismissive connotation. Its use as a political term has become widespread in debates about transgender policy in the UK and internationally.