We recognize that individuals have different comfort levels when sharing personal information with other 23andMe users, and have designed our service to give customers control over how much information customers share. While your genetic sex is never shared directly with individuals with whom you may be sharing or in the DNA Relatives feature, there are some sex-specific reports that could allow others to infer your genetic sex.
Registration
During the registration process, we give customers the option to choose the profile sex with which they identify. This will be the gender that is associated with the profile. We do require customers to make a selection for this field, as it is important for quality assurance*.
As part of our quality procedure, you will receive a notification when sample processing is complete if your genetic sex does not match your selected profile sex. At that time, you can simply select that the difference was expected and your results will be computed.
Health Reports
We use your self-reported sex to customize information in some of your health and traits reports. For example, genetic risks and what they mean may differ between men and women. If you tell us you are female, your reports will contain information that is relevant to genetic females (XX). If you tell us you are male, your reports will contain information that is relevant to genetic males (XY).
Additionally, there are some sex-specific reports that are available based on an individual's selected profile sex (such as Male Hair Loss or Bald Spot). That's because either we were not able to build an acceptable model for both genders, or because the trait itself is sex-specific.
Keep in mind that you can always change the sex associated with your profile from within your Account Settings.
DNA Relatives
The DNA Relatives feature is a popular, interactive 23andMe feature that allows you to find and connect with genetic relatives who are also 23andMe users participating in this feature, and to learn more about your family story. This feature is optional; other 23andMe users will not be able to see you as a genetic match unless you opt in to the feature. You can choose to opt in to or out of the feature at anytime.
If you choose to participate in the DNA Relatives feature, your profile will be shown in your matches DNA Relatives list. Your visible profile will include the following information:
- Your profile sex (Male/Female)
- Your predicted relationship with that person (i.e. brother, cousin, distant relative)
For a full list of the information that will displayed in DNA Relatives, review our “Privacy and Display Settings in DNA Relatives” help article.
Your Profile Sex (Male/Female)
Your profile sex is your self-reported sex that is associated with the profile. While your profile sex was originally selected during the registration process, you can update it at anytime within your Account Settings.
Your Haplogroup Assignment(s)
The DNA Relatives feature automatically displays your haplogroup assignment(s) to your matches. The paternal haplogroup assignment is defined by variants found on the Y chromosome. A genetically male customer will receive a paternal haplogroup assignment, but a genetically female customer will not receive an assignment unless she has a father or brother genotyped by our service.
While the presence of a paternal haplogroup assignment is not necessarily an indication of genetic sex, your matches may be able to infer your genetic sex based on the haplogroups that are displayed.
Your Predicted Relationship
The DNA Relatives feature estimates a predicted relationship and range using the number of segments and percent DNA shared. In some cases, such as predicting a brother or sister, your self-reported profile sex may also be used to predict a relationship.
It is important to note that your genetic sex is never used to predict a relationship.
Sharing Your Results
You can share your reports with other individuals by extending a sharing invitation or publishing individual reports via email or on social media. If you choose to share your reports, please be aware that the Paternal Haplogroup Report is sex-specific and individuals may be able to infer additional information about your genetic sex based on the presence or absence of a result in this report. This report is shared when you establish a sharing connection at either the Ancestry Reports or Health and Ancestry Reports level.
If you are not comfortable opting into DNA Relatives, this may be a more private option for you. You can share your reports with other users that you are comfortable with on a one-on-one basis.
Commonly Asked Questions
I’m transgender, can I use the 23andMe service?
Yes! We encourage you to review the information above so you can fully understand the choices available to you, and how the information you provide about your sex will be used and shared with others. For more information about sample requirements, visit our “Who Can Use the 23andMe Kit” help article.
I’m genetically male but identify as female. How can I protect my genetic sex?
Genetically male customers will receive an assignment in the Paternal Haplogroup Report. The paternal haplogroup assignment is defined by variants found on the Y chromosome. A genetically male customer will receive a paternal haplogroup assignment, but a genetically female customer will not receive an assignment unless she has a father or brother genotyped by our service, and establishes a sharing connection with that relative. While the presence of a paternal haplogroup assignment is not necessarily an indication of genetic sex, your matches may be able to infer your genotyped sex based on the haplogroups that are linked to your profile.
Unlike other sex-specific reports, the Paternal Haplogroup Report is not hidden if you set your profile sex as female. Your paternal haplogroup assignment is also shared automatically if you decide to participate in the DNA Relatives feature, when you extend a sharing invitation with other individuals, or if you decide to publish the Paternal Haplogroup Report via email or social media.
I’m genetically female but identify as male. How can I protect my genetic sex?
Genetically female customers will not receive a Paternal Haplogroup Report. The paternal haplogroup assignment is defined by variants found on the Y chromosome. A genetically male customer will receive a paternal haplogroup assignment, but a genetically female customer will not receive an assignment unless she has a father or brother genotyped by our service.
Unlike other sex-specific reports, the Paternal Haplogroup Report is not hidden if you set your profile sex as female. Your paternal haplogroup assignment is also shared automatically:
- If you decide to participate in the DNA Relatives feature.
- When you extend a sharing invitation with other individuals.
- If you decide to publish the Paternal Haplogroup Report via email or social media.
While not necessarily an indication of genetic sex, other users may be able to infer your sex based on the absence of this report. A paternal haplogroup cannot be displayed on your profile unless a father or brother is genotyped through our service.
However, if you are able to have a father or brother genotyped through our service, you can establish a sharing connection with them and “inherit” their paternal haplogroup assignment. In this case, a paternal haplogroup would be displayed in your profile in the same way it would if you were assigned one via the analysis.
Why do I have to provide my sex?
During the registration process, we give customers the option to choose the profile sex with which they identify. This will be the gender that is associated with the profile. We do require customers to make a selection for this field, as it is important for quality assurance. Learn more about why the registration process asks for your profile sex.
How do I change my profile sex?
You can change your profile sex at anytime from within your Account Settings.
*This quality control measure is used to verify laboratory procedures and to ensure that customers have properly registered their sample. It also helps us ensure that customers receive the correct results. For example, it is common for individuals in a multiple kit order to inadvertently provide samples in another individual's tube. This helps us to identify individuals in this state and assist them accordingly.