GenderType

GenderType is a schema.org Enumeration used as the value of the gender property on Person and SportsTeam. It has two members:

Male
Female

Full example of schema.org/GenderType json-ld markup

The markup is verified as valid with Rich Results Test from Google.

schema.org/GenderType

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@graph": [
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "@id": "https://xoocode.com/team/priya-chen",
      "name": "Priya Chen",
      "gender": "https://schema.org/Female"
    },
    {
      "@type": "SportsTeam",
      "name": "Dunmore United Women's FC",
      "gender": "https://schema.org/Female",
      "sport": "Association football"
    },
    {
      "@type": "Person",
      "name": "Alex Rivera",
      "gender": "Non-binary"
    }
  ]
}
</script>

Using the values

Always use the full schema.org URL: "gender": "https://schema.org/Male". The shorthand "Male" still validates but the URL form is canonical and matches knowledge-graph entity resolution more reliably.

What GenderType does not cover

The enum has only two values. Schema.org explicitly recommends — for Person entities — that gender accept either a GenderType URL or a free-text value. For non-binary, gender-fluid, or culturally specific identities, use a free-text string ("gender": "Non-binary"). Do not invent schema.org URLs; they will not resolve.

For SportsTeam, use the enum values since professional-sports leagues generally use binary men's/women's divisions. For Person, prefer the text value over forcing an enum URL when the individual's gender falls outside Male/Female.

Minimal valid version

The smallest markup that still produces a valid GenderType entity. Use it as the floor. Reach for the advanced example above when you want search engines and AI agents to understand more about your content.

schema.org/GenderType (minimal)

<script type="application/ld+json">
{
  "@context": "https://schema.org",
  "@type": "Person",
  "name": "Priya Chen",
  "gender": "https://schema.org/Female"
}
</script>

Google rich results this unlocks

GenderType is a structural type. It does not produce a rich result on its own.

Its value comes from combining it with a primary type whose markup earns a rich result (Article, Product, Event, and so on). GenderType becomes the trunk that the primary type branches off viamainEntityorbreadcrumb. Include it on every page as the backbone of your markup.

Common GenderType mistakes

Mistakes that pass validation but silently fail to earn rich results or mislead consumers walking the graph. Avoid these and your markup will be ahead of most sites in the wild.

01
Inventing enum URLs for identities outside Male / Female
Wrong
```
"gender": "https://schema.org/NonBinary"
```
Right
```
"gender": "Non-binary" (free-text string)
```
Schema.org's guidance permits free-text for gender specifically to cover identities outside the two-value enum. Inventing enum URLs creates broken references.
02
gender as Boolean or numeric
Wrong
```
"gender": true / "gender": 1
```
Right
```
Enum URL or free text
```
gender expects GenderType or Text, not numeric codes.

Schema properties in this example

GenderType Enumeration Male Female gender Person SportsTeam sport

About the example data

GenderType on an individual Person (Priya Chen) and on the Dunmore United women's football team.

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