You searched for gender identity - Everyday Feminism

Long hair, turquoise athletic shorts, shaved legs. I sound like a girl, right? I’m not. Why? Because I don’t identify as one. And although it really is as simple as that, I understand where some people have trouble: “If you express yourself in this way,” they wonder, “then doesn’t that imply that that is how you identify?” But the truth is, well, no.

Do you have any “concerns” about trans or gender non-conforming identities? In this comic, Justin Hubbell takes down myths about being a “bad influence,” “shoving it down your throat,” “crying for help,” and more.

Do you believe any of these myths about who “really” counts as trans? Here’s how unlearning them can be really liberating.

Feeling like you missed the memo on all the “new” terms about transgender identities? This simple guide can help you catch up and learn what gender really means.

Only you have the answers to figuring out your gender identity – but it’s hard to feel like there’s no template to follow if your gender is non-binary. Here’s the next best thing: a fantastic guide to figuring out your gender.

Professionalism is a funny term. It masquerades as neutral, despite being loaded with immense oppression. For years, professionalism has been my enemy because it requires that my gender identity is constantly and unrepentantly erased. But I finally realized something: As transgender, genderqueer, and gender non-conforming people, we deserve better.

“How can you be non-binary AND a woman?” These insights on gender helped this author find her truth about having more than one gender identity.

Person looking sad in a therapist's office

“You do not get to tell me who I am.” This therapist had good intentions – but they responded to this author’s gender identity with some damaging mistakes. Everyone should read this heartfelt feedback on giving more effective care.

There are three parties in a relationship: you, your partner, and the relationship itself. You have to take care of yourself first and make sure you are truly happy in order to flourish with a partner. Relationships ought to bring benefit to you. Here are some ways to make sure you take responsibility for maintaining yourself and your relationship.

My mother would never call herself a feminist, even though she is the embodiment of a feminist. As a Hispanic woman, she did not believe that the traditional, Western, view of feminism related to her. But from her, I learned that valuing your heritage doesn’t take away from being a strong, independent, self-sufficient woman or stop you from addressing gender issues in your community.

Rape is portrayed as something cis men do to cis women. This myth ignores the stories of too many survivors and protects their perpetrators who don’t identify as such. If we want to fight rape culture and advocate for all survivors, we have to stop gendering rape and upholding stereotypes. This infographic reminds us to support ALL survivors and hold ALL perpetrators accountable.

"Ber'eshit", the first word in the book of Genesis.

Here is the story of how one activist has separated her Jewish identity from the Zionist ideology behind Israel’s economic impoverishment, repression, and massacre of Palestinians — and why she believes Jews must stand against Zionism.

General society would have us believe that gender (and sexuality, and romantic attraction, and countless other identifiers) exist within a binary system. But the reality is that identity is much more complicated than that. And the concept of multidimensional spectra can be overwhelming. Check out this video for an introduction into the spectra of identity!

We must get in touch with our cultural heritage to understand our stake in ending White Supremacy through a connection to what we lost, but we also have to understand and remain accountable to the privileges that Whiteness affords us every day. In some ways, this is a complex tension to hold. Because while not all White people are bad, Whiteness surely is.

Trans people have to put up with a lot of crap from straight cis people: everything from people being offended to find out that the person they found attractive is “actually a man,” to asking invasive personal questions about a trans person’s genitalia. Check out this spoken word poem by J Mase III that pokes fun at these entitled attitudes.

Why intersectionality is vital is apparent: it’s a metaphor and frame that acknowledges how prejudice and marginalization both exist and intersect.

What does gender mean to you? This conversation with a group of young genderqueer folks offers refreshing perspectives on affirming identity beyond the gender binary.

It can feel pretty invalidating to have your queer identity erased when people refer to your relationship as “straight.” These suggestions can help you celebrate your queerness, no matter who you’re with.

Street harassment and more – do you make the same assumptions about gender and body types that lead to this author’s experiences in public?

Many people are initially confused or ashamed when they realize that they don’t fit into their prescribed gender box, and may also feel depressed as they struggle to be their true selves. Most likely, your family will share these difficult feelings as well. You and your loved ones are about to embark on a lifelong journey, and you must prepare them.