Gender expression

Home > Anthropology > Gender and sexuality > Gender expression

The way in which an individual expresses their gender identity through behavior, clothing, and societal norms.

Gender identity: Gender identity refers to one's internal sense of their gender, or the gender they identify as, which may or may not align with the sex assigned to them at birth.
Sexual orientation: Sexual orientation refers to one's emotional and sexual attraction to other people, and can include attraction to the same gender (gay/lesbian), opposite gender (heterosexual), or multiple genders (bisexual, pansexual).
Biological sex: Biological sex refers to the physical and anatomical characteristics that determine the classification of an individual as male, female, or intersex.
Gender expression: Gender expression refers to how an individual presents and expresses their gender, including clothing, behavior, and communication style.
Gender roles: Gender roles refer to the societal expectations or norms associated with a particular gender, which can be influenced by cultural, historical, and religious factors.
Transgender: Transgender refers to individuals whose gender identity does not align with the sex assigned to them at birth, and who may seek to transition or alter their physical appearance to better match their gender identity.
Non-binary: Non-binary refers to individuals who do not identify as either male or female, or who identify as both, neither, or a combination of genders.
Intersex: Intersex refers to individuals who are born with physical and/or biological characteristics that do not fit typical male or female classifications.
Cisgender: Cisgender refers to individuals whose gender identity aligns with the sex assigned to them at birth.
Queer: Queer is an umbrella term that can be used to describe any individual who identifies as part of the LGBTQ+ community, or who does not identify with traditional gender and sexuality labels.
Asexuality: Asexual refers to individuals who experience little to no sexual attraction or desire towards others.
Gender dysphoria: Gender dysphoria refers to the distress or discomfort experienced by individuals whose gender identity does not align with their sex assigned at birth.
Pronouns: Pronouns refer to the words used to refer to a person, such as he/him, she/her, or they/them, and can be an important aspect of gender expression and identity.
Heteronormativity: Heteronormativity refers to the societal assumption that heterosexuality is the default or "normal" sexual orientation, which can marginalize individuals with other sexual orientations or identities.
Homophobia: Homophobia refers to prejudiced attitudes or discriminatory behavior towards individuals who identify as LGBTQ+.
"Gender expression, or gender presentation, is a person's behavior, mannerisms, interests, and appearance that are socially associated with gender, namely femininity or masculinity."
"Gender expression can also be defined as the external manifestation of one's gender identity through behavior, clothing, hairstyles, voice, or body characteristics."
"A person's behavior, mannerisms, interests, and appearance are all factors associated with gender expression."
"Typically, people think about a person's gender expression in terms of masculinity and femininity, but there are many more ways to express gender than just those two options."
"A person's gender expression may or may not match their assigned sex at birth."
"Gender expression includes gender roles and accordingly relies on cultural stereotypes about gender."
"It is distinct from gender identity.