Gender expression is how someone chooses to outwardly express their gender in public.[1] Gender expression is external manifestations of gender,[2][3] while gender identity is internal. Expression includes a person's name, pronouns, body characteristics, voice, behavior, and aesthetic choices such as hair, clothing, and cosmetics. Various forms of expression are regarded as "masculine" or "feminine" within different cultures. Some transgender people seek to align their gender expression with their gender identity, rather than the cues associated with the sex they were assigned at birth.[2]
Titles[]
The title one wishes to be referred to as is a part of one's gender expression. Common formal titles include "miss", "Mrs.", "Mr.", "Ms.", "sir", and "ma'am". As all of these titles hold gendered connotations, several neutral titles have been proposed in addition to professional neutral titles (such as "doctor" or "professor").
The title "Pn.", short for "person", was proposed as early as 1970, being published in Everywoman.[4]
The title "Mx.", pronounced "mix" or "mux", was proposed as early as 1982, for use by individuals who did not want to disclose their gender through their title due to sexism.[5] In 2013, "Mx." was approved for use on council forms in Sussex, England,[6] and by 2015 the title was widely accepted by government agencies, charities, and public services in the UK.[7][8] It was added to the Merriam-Webster Unabridged Dictionary in 2016.[9]
Examples of gender expressions[]
Androgynous[]
- Main article: Androgynous
A proposed androgynous pride flag
Androgynous is a term used to describe individuals whose outward gender expression cannot be distinguished as feminine or masculine,[10][11] or combine traits that are considered masculine and feminine. It is sometimes a term related to gender identity.[10][12]
Butch[]
- Main article: Butch
The butch flag
Butch is an identity within the LGBTQIA+ community of some people whose outward gender expression matches their culture's understanding of masculinity.[13][14] Most often, butches take on masculine roles and careers that are typically designated to men within their culture and time period.[14] Butch originally referred to a style and gender role performed by masculine lesbians,[15][16][17] and is still often associated with the lesbian community, but its usage and meaning have expanded and are not exclusive to lesbians.[13][12] In current usage, butch sometimes refers to a particular non-binary gender identity.[15]
Butch has similarities with boi, transmasculine, and other masculine of center identities. It is often understood on a spectrum of butch to femme.[12] One variation is "soft butch," a masculine expression that is closer to neutrality than extreme masculinity.[13]
Femme[]
- Main article: Femme
A proposed femme flag
Femme has many different meanings and often refers to a person who embraces, reclaims, or subverts their culture's understanding of what it means to be feminine, especially in their gender expression.[12][18] While femme is often associated with the lesbian community due to its origin,[19][20][21] it is also used by queer people of various gender identities and sexual orientations, such as bisexual women,[21] gay men,[22] and transfeminine people.[23] It can also describe or label a person's gender identity.[18][19] Some variations are "hard femme," an edgy or hard-rock expression of femininity, and "high femme", usually an extreme expression of the aesthetic aspects of femininity.[19] Femme is often understood on a spectrum of butch to femme[12][18] or stud to femme,[12] or as a binary pair of butch and femme.[20][18]
Gender non-conforming[]
- Main article: Gender non-conforming
A proposed gender non-conforming pride flag
Gender non-conforming (GNC) is a term describing people who do not follow gender stereotypes[12] and differ from their society's conventional binary expectations of masculine men and feminine women.[24][2] Gender non-conformity can encompass many things, such as gender expression, gender roles, or another aspect of gender. It is typically apparent in people whose gender identity is a binary gender (male or female), whether they are cisgender or transgender; for instance, a feminine trans man and a feminine cis man are both non-conforming with expectations of masculinity.[24]
The term is not equivalent to non-binary or trans,[24][2] but despite this, it is seen as an umbrella term for people who are not cisgender when used in the initialism "TGNC" (trans and gender non-conforming). Other terms include gender diverse, gender expansive, and gender variant.[12] Some trans or non-binary people identify as gender non-conforming.[24][2]
References[]
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