The Transgender Dictionary

Gender

Table of Contents

Introduction

THIS PAGE IS A WORK IN PROGRESS AND IS NOT YET UP TO THE STANDARDS THAT SHOULD BE EXPECTED OF THE TRANSGENDER DICTIONARY. THIS MESSAGE WILL BE REMOVED ONCE THE PAGE IS SOMEWHAT IMPROVED

Often conflated with the concept of biological sex, gender is a social construct made up of various factors. While many people assume that another person's gender can be determined instantaneously through visual observation, or predetermined upon inspection of an infant's genitalia, this is not always the case. Gender is a complex and highly individualized experience.

Anyone at any age can question their gender, and how it may or may not differ from what was imposed upon them upon being born. For most people, this questioning has a predictible conlusion. People born with vulvas typically identify as women, prefer she/her pronouns, present femininely, and are attracted to men. People born with penises typicaly identify as men, prefer he/him pronouns, present masculinly, and are attracted to women.

This is, of course, not always the case. Not everyone is heterosexual, nor is everyone cisgender. For many, many people now and throughout history - questioning of gender leads in unexpected directions.

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General Information

The two most common categories people use to explain their gender are that of masculinity and femininity. Those who identify as women (either cisgender or transgender) generally express themselves using femininity, while those who identify as men (either cisgender or transgender) generally express themselves using masculinity. As with any rule, there are exceptions to this in the cases of masculine women and feminine men.

Aside from these two binary categories, there are of course enbans who may express themselves using even more unconventional combinations of masculinity and/or femininity (or even presenting as an absence of both). Additionally, there are xenans who choose to define their genders using other aesthetical references.

As the human experiences is so vast and varied, there are essentially infinite ways in which gender can be displayed and experienced. Over the years, numerous diagrams have been created to help explain the concept of gender to others. These diagrams can be summaries as generally attempting to express the following; internal sense of self, external appearance, and biological aspects.

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Gender Non-Conforming

The term "gender non-conforming" is used to describe when someone dresses or behaves in a way that is not typically associated with their particular gender identity. Anyone can be gender non-conforming, regardless of if they are cisgender or transgender. Some examples of gender non-conformity include the presentation of feminine men and masculine women.

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Gendernull

This term describes an uncommonly used gender identity under the nonbinary umbrella. To some who use it, this term is less of an identity and more of a placeholder when one is asked about said gender identity. It is a term used by those who do not care for being identified as someone with any gender at all. It is a non-tangible experience of gender.

The experience is roughly that of the absence of gender (or to feel genderless). It is similar to other identities such as agender, neutrois, and gendervoid.

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Gender Outlaw

The term "gender outlaw" is a casual descriptor used to refer to those whose gender presentation does not fit into any strictly defined category of gender. It is a presentation that sends mixed signals and does not inherently make a whole lot of sense. Whether there is intent behind the act, the resulting effect is a confusing sense of gender being attributed to said gender outlaw.

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Gender Presentation

The term "gender presentation" describes how one will dress and act. Most variations of the visual aspects of a person are associated with a specific gender. How an individual chooses to present themself will vary based on their gender identity. Different people will use clothing items or accessories to indicate what gender variant and/or subcultures they belong to.

Some schools, religions, offices, and other organizations will include different dress codes for different people depending on what gender they are. Most people would prefer to pick out their own clothes to indicate how other people should view them.

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Genderqueer

This is actually a specific gender identity that is under the nonbinary umbrella.

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Gender Questioning

Someone who is questioning their gender is someone who is unsure as to what their gender is. They may be trying to determine if they are simply G.N.C. and/or if they are transgender and/or nonbinary. They may experiment with different hair and clothing styles, as well as different sets of pronouns to try and figure out what would fit best.

Some people go through questioning periods that are longer or more frequent than other people. Everyone has their own journey when it comes to self-discovery. The only person who can figure out someone's gender identity is the person who has said identity. It is not something that other people can figure out on their behalf. However, other people can sometimes help via offering new information and explaining what options are available.

Sometimes people who are questioning their gender will choose to undergo hormonal or surgical treatments that they feel would fit them, regardless of certainty regarding identity labels.

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Gender Refusenik

Someone who can be described as being a gender refusenik is someone who does not undergo any sort of G.A.S. though the reason can vary. Some are denied surgery by external sources (lack of funding, lack of access to a competant surgeon or healthcare, gatekeepers deciding that the patient should not have access to surgery for whatever reason) while others deny themselves due to a lack of desire to undergo surgery. This can be due to either fear of surgery, or simply being comfortable in ones own body, despite still being transgender.

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Gender Roles

Gender roles are the roles that people play in society that relate to what gender said person is. Women/girls/females tend to be associated with femininity and roles such as mother/sister/daughter/wife/aunt/niece/princess/ms/miss/girlfriend/etc. Men/boys/males tend to be associated with masculinity and roles such as father/brother/son/husband/uncle/boyfriend/prince/nephew/mr/mister/etc. Certain job titles will denote what gender role the individual is meant to be filling (ex. actor/actress).

Not everyone ends up filling the roles that are intitially expected of them. Binary transgender people tend to simply swap to the opposite set of expectations and titles. Nonbinary people tend to seek out alterative terminology such as enban/enby/mx/ren/mix/andor/enfriend/prin/nibling/etc

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Gender Spectrum

All gender identities fall on the gender spectrum. There are different ways in which different genders can look and such. All of these variations in gender are encompassed by the spectrum.

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Gender Therapist

A gender therapist is a therapist that specializes in the topic of gender. Some people may be required to see a gender therapist prior to undergoing medical transition. This requirement is often seen as deeply frustrating and unnecessary to transgender people that are confident in their gender identities. Some transgender people are able to avoid seeing a gender therapist via informed consent treatment.

Transgender children are typically required to see a gender therapist to confirm that they are transgender. This is often coupled with puberty blockers.

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Gender-Variant

This is a broad term that does not refer to any particular gender identity or gender presentation. The term "gender-variant" is generally used to refer to those who deviate from what would typically be expected of people who have the same assigned sex as the person or people being described.

While this term can be considered "othering" in the sense that it describes those who are atypical in terms of appearance or percieved gender, it is not generally used in a derogatory manner.

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Gendervoid

This term is actually the name of a xenogender.

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See also the pages for nonbinary, transfeminine, and transmasculine.

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