Gender expression: Difference between revisions
Alexmikhail (talk | contribs) I further explained the difference between sexual orientation and gender identity by clearly defining each. I also briefly touched on the upbringing of someone who is gender non- conforming, and how one realizes for themselves which gender they truly identify with by comparing themselves behaviorally to other males and females. In addition, I added how the cultural variation in expression is changing gender presentations, as well as discussed society pitching its ideal body image and behavior. |
EvergreenFir (talk | contribs) Reverted 1 edit by Alexmikhail (talk): Diamond doesn't say that... (TW) |
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Gender expression typically reflects a person's [[gender identity]] (their internal sense of their own gender), but this is not always the case.<ref name="Summers">{{cite book|last1=Summers|first1=Randal W.|title=Social Psychology: How Other People Influence Our Thoughts and Actions [2 volumes]|date=2016|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9781610695923|page=232|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5nF1DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA232}}</ref><ref name="APA2015">{{cite journal|author1=American Psychological Association|title=Guidelines for Psychological Practice With Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People|journal=American Psychologist|date=December 2015|volume=70|issue=9|page=861|url=http://www.apa.org/practice/guidelines/transgender.pdf|doi=10.1037/a0039906}}</ref> Gender expression is separate and independent both from [[sexual orientation]] and [[Sex assignment|gender assigned at birth]]. A type of gender expression that is considered atypical for a person's externally perceived gender may be described as [[Gender variance|gender non-conforming]]. |
Gender expression typically reflects a person's [[gender identity]] (their internal sense of their own gender), but this is not always the case.<ref name="Summers">{{cite book|last1=Summers|first1=Randal W.|title=Social Psychology: How Other People Influence Our Thoughts and Actions [2 volumes]|date=2016|publisher=ABC-CLIO|isbn=9781610695923|page=232|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5nF1DQAAQBAJ&pg=PA232}}</ref><ref name="APA2015">{{cite journal|author1=American Psychological Association|title=Guidelines for Psychological Practice With Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People|journal=American Psychologist|date=December 2015|volume=70|issue=9|page=861|url=http://www.apa.org/practice/guidelines/transgender.pdf|doi=10.1037/a0039906}}</ref> Gender expression is separate and independent both from [[sexual orientation]] and [[Sex assignment|gender assigned at birth]]. A type of gender expression that is considered atypical for a person's externally perceived gender may be described as [[Gender variance|gender non-conforming]]. |
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The term sex has always been used to refer to ones sexual orientation upon birth, while gender has generally been used in a social or cultural context. Sexual orientation is completely separate from gender expression. It is gender identity, and the choice of whether to express oneself as how one feels inside, not how they were born, which ultimately impacts how one chooses to behave in relation to their gender. People are most often raised accordingly to their sexual orientation upon birth, despite possibly expressing behavior, interests, or feelings deviant from how they were taught was normal to operate as a man or a woman. Realization of one's gender identity comes about by comparing their feelings and interests with those of other males and females, and analyzing which one that person most exemplifies. <ref>{{Cite journal|last=Diamond|first=Milton|date=July, 1 2002|title=Sex and Gender are Different: Sexual Identity |
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and Gender Identity are Different|url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/pdf/10.1177/1359104502007003002|journal=Clinical Child Psychology and Psychiatry|volume=7|pages=321-324|via=Sage Journals}}</ref> |
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In men and boys, typical or masculine gender expression is often described as ''manly'', while atypical or feminine expression is known as [[Effeminacy|effeminate]]. In girls and young women, atypically masculine expression is called [[tomboy]]ish. In lesbian and queer women, masculine and feminine expressions are known as [[butch and femme]] respectively. A mixture of typical and atypical expression may be described as [[Androgyny|androgynous]]. A type of expression that is perceived as neither typically feminine or masculine can be described as gender-neutral or undifferentiated. |
In men and boys, typical or masculine gender expression is often described as ''manly'', while atypical or feminine expression is known as [[Effeminacy|effeminate]]. In girls and young women, atypically masculine expression is called [[tomboy]]ish. In lesbian and queer women, masculine and feminine expressions are known as [[butch and femme]] respectively. A mixture of typical and atypical expression may be described as [[Androgyny|androgynous]]. A type of expression that is perceived as neither typically feminine or masculine can be described as gender-neutral or undifferentiated. |
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The term ''gender expression'' is used in the [[Yogyakarta Principles]], which concern the application of international [[human rights law]] in relation to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and [[Sex characteristics (legal term)|sex characteristics]]. |
The term ''gender expression'' is used in the [[Yogyakarta Principles]], which concern the application of international [[human rights law]] in relation to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and [[Sex characteristics (legal term)|sex characteristics]].<ref name="ypplus10">[http://www.yogyakartaprinciples.org/principles-en/yp10/ Yogyakarta Principles plus 10]</ref> |
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Gender expression varies from culture to culture, as they assign different meaning to what it means for them to be a man or a woman. Gender presentations displaying ones masculinity or femininity are performed everyday. Expression has become much more fluid over time. The current state of fluidity of gender expression means that these presentations will also change over time. This can be seen in the progression of male expression. For example, men can often be seen now dressing fashionable, using cosmetics and hair product. This is very different from the traditional stereotypes of what it means to be masculine. Traditional masculinity tends to be characterized culturally and by the media to include homophobia, the devaluing of women, increasing the male bravado, and having power. While the extent of this fluidity does vary culturally and geographically, some presence of this can be seen in most places in the world, especially in progressive or urban environments.<ref>{{Cite journal|last=Lentz|first=Jeffery|date=May 2015|title="Your Gender Expression is Showing!" A Qualitative Analysis Exploring Gender Expression as a Target in the Harassment among Sexual Minority Males.|url=https://search.proquest.com/genderwatch/docview/1710177103/95B83A8332CF4071PQ/2?accountid=7418|journal=Gender Watch|pages=27-33|via=Proquest}}</ref> |
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While often thought of as so, masculinity and femininity are not opposites; and therefore don't necessarily result in completely different expressions of gender. This principle can be seen by the tendency for society to pitch unrealistic body ideals to both men and women. While most men commonly pursue or desire to attain what is perceived by their society as extreme muscularity through going to the gym for example, women in contrast often feel substantial social pressure to reduce their weight in order to fit what has been deemed the appropriate expression for femininity. When taken to the extreme, this can potentially result in unsafe behavior, affecting mental health and self identity. Violating gender norms is described as gender non-conformity or incongruence. Violating norms can often have negative social and psychological consequences that lead to people over-conforming. <ref>{{Cite journal|last=Kidder|first=Sylvia Marie Ferguson|date=2015|title=Impact of a Psychology of Masculinities Course on Women's Attitudes toward Male Gender Roles|url=https://search.proquest.com/genderwatch/docview/1668380899/fulltextPDF/E999A85EED7B4F7FPQ/1?accountid=7418|journal=UMI|pages=5-17|via=Proquest}}</ref> |
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== Confusion between gender expression and sexuality == |
== Confusion between gender expression and sexuality == |
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Revision as of 04:58, 2 April 2019
 | It has been suggested that this article be merged into Gender role. (Discuss) Proposed since December 2018. |
A gender expression is a person's behavior, mannerisms, interests, and appearance that are associated with gender in a particular cultural context, specifically with the categories of femininity or masculinity. This also includes gender roles. These categories rely on stereotypes about gender.
Definitions
Gender expression typically reflects a person's gender identity (their internal sense of their own gender), but this is not always the case.[1][2] Gender expression is separate and independent both from sexual orientation and gender assigned at birth. A type of gender expression that is considered atypical for a person's externally perceived gender may be described as gender non-conforming.
In men and boys, typical or masculine gender expression is often described as manly, while atypical or feminine expression is known as effeminate. In girls and young women, atypically masculine expression is called tomboyish. In lesbian and queer women, masculine and feminine expressions are known as butch and femme respectively. A mixture of typical and atypical expression may be described as androgynous. A type of expression that is perceived as neither typically feminine or masculine can be described as gender-neutral or undifferentiated.
The term gender expression is used in the Yogyakarta Principles, which concern the application of international human rights law in relation to sexual orientation, gender identity, gender expression and sex characteristics.[3]
Confusion between gender expression and sexuality
While gender expression does not necessarily connect to sexuality, individuals often are misinterpreted as more masculine if lesbian and more feminine if gay, regardless of the individual's gender expression. These beliefs can lead to people misinterpreting an individual's gender expression based on their sexuality. Studies on adolescents conducted by Stacey Horn, showed that gay and lesbian individuals who did not express themselves as their assigned gender were seen as less acceptable. Individuals who expressed themselves with their assigned gender typically faced less social harassment and discrimination. On the other hand, heterosexual males whose gender expression was more feminine than masculine were the most discriminated against.[4]
"The heterosexuality matrix" theory created by gender theorist Judith Butler posits that people often assume someone's sexuality based on their visible gender and sex. Lisa Disch states that it explains why people tend to assume someone's gender expression based on their sex and sexuality.[5]
Victimization
In terms of gender expression, there are various studies have researched and examined the relationship between gender expression and childhood. Simply put, if one’s gender expression is seen as ‘gender non conforming’, it has been related with being bullied, such as childhood harassment, and parental physical abuse among sexual minority men in both the US and Austria. Furthermore, gender nonconformity in adulthood among gay and bisexual men has been associated with parental, maternal, and peer rejection in childhood. Not only males, but in a study that included both male and female youth, LGBs who were gender nonconforming reported more victimization experiences – it is possible that a similar association with adverse childhood experiences holds for sexual minority women who are gender non conforming. Although this issue has not yet been fully examined and researched, a few studies have suggested that gender non conformity among women may be positively associated with their victimization as children. In a survey administered to the U.S. army soldiers, current masculinity among women – seen as macho traits such as arrogance and boastfulness – was significantly associated with both childhood physical and emotional abuse, but childhood sexual abuse was associated with traditionally ‘feminine’ current characteristics.[6]
However, not only sexual minorities are experiencing sexual orientation and gender expression (SOGE) – based victimization, but also heterosexuals as well. SOGE – based victimization is associated with a range of health and academic concerns such as greater depressive and anxiety symptoms, substance use, lower school belonging, and greater truancy. So, SOGE – based victimization highlights the importance of incorporating both individual and contextual factors related to bias and discrimination that contribute to school truancy for sexual minority and heterosexual students; students indirectly related truancy, which gives them to feeling more unsafe at school. Furthermore, over and above student’s own direct experiences of SOGE based victimization, their perceptions of a negative SOGE – based school climate accounted for even higher rates of truancy and associated with bivariate level. Conspicuously, the size of this association did not differ for heterosexual and sexual minority youth. Even though the majority of prior research on SOGE based victimization has been conducted among sexual minority students, more recent studies have shown that heterosexual students also experience this type of victimization, such as bullying or harassment based on students’ actual or perceived sexual orientation and gender expression (SOGE) – and with similar consequences.[7]
Epidemiological data suggest that gay men are at particular risk for such crime, comprising over 53 percent of those targeted in bias – motivated offenses. However, it is notable that of those men victimized by the most extreme forms of crime, anti – gay homicide, it has been estimated that 8 percent of this population were heterosexual men who likely deviated from gender role norms of behavior and were targeted on the basis of perpetrator assumptions about their sexual orientation - statistics clearly establish the deviation from heterosexual norms in both gay and heterosexual men as a risk factor for victimization. The ultimate reason that the statistics have been established such a significant victimization between heterosexual men and homosexual men is because of the theory of ‘Exclusively Masculine Identity’. It posits that men strive to achieve and maintain an ideal self that marked by masculine characteristics, and that this masculinized ideal self is accompanied by a strong avoidance of an undesired self, which marked by feminine characteristics. It is true that researchers have long included anti – femininity as a necessary component of the traditional masculine role, which predicts the social expression of masculinity on behavior that reduce any stimuli perceived as feminine. It follows the possession of a masculinized ideal self, and a feminized undesired self, as a part and parcel of traditional or exclusive masculine identity, may largely explain widespread misogynistic and heterosexist attitudes. There are several empirical studies conducted under laboratory condition – in the United States – and shown that the violations of exclusive masculine identity are introduced through the depictions two men kissing (male – male physical and sexual intimacy), which aggression has been measured in terms of shocks administered to ostensible opponents under the guise of a reaction time component. These studies have consistently yielded evidence for men’s increased aggression toward gay men, especially when men’s increased aggression toward gay men and endorse negative attitudes toward male homosexuality. Furthermore, women’s non conforming gender expression communicates gender through behavioral and other over cues, such as attire, hair style, body posture, mannerisms, increase risk of aggressive victimization – either showing less feminine or more feminine would cause the severity of victimization at different level. These data suggest that gender expression may also play an important role in the perpetration of bias motivated aggression against men, an effect that may be overlooked when examined from an anti gay framework.[8]
See also
References
- ^ Summers, Randal W. (2016). Social Psychology: How Other People Influence Our Thoughts and Actions [2 volumes]. ABC-CLIO. p. 232. ISBN 9781610695923.
- ^ American Psychological Association (December 2015). "Guidelines for Psychological Practice With Transgender and Gender Nonconforming People" (PDF). American Psychologist. 70 (9): 861. doi:10.1037/a0039906.
- ^ Yogyakarta Principles plus 10
- ^ Horn, Stacey S. “Adolescents’ Acceptance of Same-Sex Peers Based on Sexual Orientation and Gender Expression.” Journal of Youth and Adolescence, vol. 36, no. 3, 2007, pp. 373–373., doi:10.1007/s10964-007-9176-4.
- ^ Disch, Lisa. "Judith Butler and the Politics of the Performative." Political Theory, vol. 27, no. 4, 1999, pp. 545–559., doi:10.1177/0090591799027004006.
- ^ Lehavot, Keren; Molina, Yamile; Simoni, Jane M. (September 2012). "Childhood Trauma, Adult Sexual Assault, and Adult Gender Expression among Lesbian and Bisexual Women". Sex Roles. 67 (5–6): 272–284. doi:10.1007/s11199-012-0171-1. ISSN 0360-0025. PMC 3758810. PMID 24003263.
- ^ Poteat, V. Paul; Berger, Christian; Dantas, Julio (2017-10-02). "How victimization, climate, and safety around sexual orientation and gender expression relate to truancy". Journal of LGBT Youth. 14 (4): 424–435. doi:10.1080/19361653.2017.1365037. ISSN 1936-1653.
- ^ Sloan, Colleen A.; Berke, Danielle S.; Zeichner, Amos (February 2015). "Bias-motivated Aggression against Men: Gender Expression and Sexual Orientation as Risk Factors for Victimization". Sex Roles. 72 (3–4): 140–149. doi:10.1007/s11199-014-0443-z. ISSN 0360-0025.
Bibliography
- Serano, Julia (2016). Whipping Girl: A transsexual woman on sexism and the scapegoating of femininity (2nd ed.), Berkeley, CA: Seal Press.