Gender identity is the first stage in Kohlberg’s cognitive explanation of gender development. A child typically reaches the gender identity stage by the age of 2, when they recognize that they are male or female and can correctly label their own and other peoples’ gender. Children base these judgements on outward appearance only: hairstyle, clothing, etc. Children also lack realisation that gender is fixed, so a little boy might think that he will grow up to be a ‘mummy’.