Table of ContentsView AllTable of ContentsHistoryHow It ManifestsBenefitsChallengesSupporting Gender-Expansive People

Table of ContentsView All

View All

Table of Contents

History

How It Manifests

Benefits

Challenges

Supporting Gender-Expansive People

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Gender expansiveness is an umbrella term for any expression of gender that falls outside of society’s current gender binary standards.

It can manifest in many forms, and a person can be expansive in their gender at some times but not at others. Gender expansiveness is not agender identityin and of itself, but rather a term that can be used to describe people and the ways they express themselves. A person who is gender expansive may be of anysexualityand any gender identity.

History of Gender Expression

Pre-colonial indigenous cultures have had expansive definitions of gender for millennia.In many of these cultures, gender was less prescriptive than in the Western European cultures on which much of our country’s thinking is based.

Gender Schema Theory and Roles in Culture

How Gender Expansiveness Can Manifest

Any way that a person expresses themself that doesn’t fall in lines with what society sees as the “correct” expression of their gender can be considered gender expansive. These are some of the most common ways that gender expansiveness manifests.

Clothing

When you enter a clothing store, you’ll see different sections for men’s and women’s clothing and separate sections for boys' and girls' clothes. Anyone who wears clothing not aligned with their perceived gender may be considered gender expansive.

In children, gender expansiveness through clothing might look like a child wanting to wear day-to-day clothes or costumes typically prescribed for a different gender. A boy might insist on being a Disney princess for Halloween, or he might enjoy wearing girl’s dresses. As with all forms of expression, this might be the case temporarily or permanently.

Makeup

With the exception of makeup designed to cover facial flaws, makeup is considered an accessory for women in our current society. However, some men like to wear makeup, too. For example,James Charlesbecame famous for his YouTube makeup tutorials. He was one of the first men to wear makeup publicly and taught about it proudly, also showing others how to do his complex designs.

Identity and Fluidity

Gender expansiveness isn’t an identity itself, but expansiveness can be an important step for people who are discovering their gender identity. A person mightchange their pronounsas one part of being gender expansive and exploring their identity. Or they might change their first name to one that is gender neutral or typically ascribed to a different gender.

Gender expansiveness may also be a part of someone’s gender becoming more fluid. That could mean that someone isnonbinaryorgender-nonconforming, or they could be transgender. However,gender fluidityand expansiveness don’t necessarily mean that a person identifies as something other than cisgender; it’s just one of many possibilities.

Benefits of Gender Expansiveness

Often, people who feel freer to be themselves feel happier than those who feel like they have to conform to societal standards. Therefore, the biggest benefit of being gender expansive could be feeling free enough to be experimental in one’s own expression.

Another benefit of gender expansiveness is the ability to feel like you are able to try new things. Without necessarily having to subscribe to societal definitions of what is “right” for your gender. You are free to be fluid in how you express yourself, no matter what people might think.

Challenges of Gender Expansiveness

When Your Child Comes Out As LGBTQIA+: Understanding, Supporting, Affirming

How to Support Gender-Expansive People

The best thing you can do to support someone who is gender expansive is not to make assumptions about them. A man in a skirt does not necessarily identify as a woman, and a little girl in a Superman costume isn’t necessarily identified as a boy. Don’t presume people’s gender or pronouns before they tell you about them.

Additionally, it’s important to ask appropriate questions to others. You wouldn’t want a stranger to ask you invasive, personal questions and the same applies to them. For friends and acquaintances, you likely wouldn’t want to have to explain concepts that are easy to Google.

Consider doing your research before asking anyone in your life about their gender expression. This saves others from having to performemotional laborfor you. It is considered polite to not ask people questions you could easily find the answers to yourself.

A Word From Verywell

If you have considered becoming more expansive in your gender expression, you are far from alone! It may be the start of a gender-related journey for you, or you may enjoy some expressive forms that don’t align with what society presently says are “right” for your gender.

Know that your choices are valid, and you can express yourself in any manner that makes you feel the most “you.” It doesn’t have to mean anything, and it’s okay if it does, too.

How to Support a Child Who Is Showing Signs of Gender Expansiveness

2 SourcesVerywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Human Rights Campaign.Two Spirit and LGBTQ+ Identities: Today and Centuries Ago.Human Rights Campaign.Resources on gender-expansive children & youth.

2 Sources

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.Human Rights Campaign.Two Spirit and LGBTQ+ Identities: Today and Centuries Ago.Human Rights Campaign.Resources on gender-expansive children & youth.

Verywell Mind uses only high-quality sources, including peer-reviewed studies, to support the facts within our articles. Read oureditorial processto learn more about how we fact-check and keep our content accurate, reliable, and trustworthy.

Human Rights Campaign.Two Spirit and LGBTQ+ Identities: Today and Centuries Ago.Human Rights Campaign.Resources on gender-expansive children & youth.

Human Rights Campaign.Two Spirit and LGBTQ+ Identities: Today and Centuries Ago.

Human Rights Campaign.Resources on gender-expansive children & youth.

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