gender expression

noun

: the physical and behavioral manifestations of one's gender identity

People vary greatly in the extent to which they hold and convey gendered thoughts, feelings, and behaviors. Gender expression refers to the way people convey their gender through mannerisms, behaviors, or expressions.

—Encyclopedia of Sport and Exercise Psychology

For most people, … gender expression occurs so naturally it's unnoticeable. Except when gender expression doesn't match traditional notions of the gender assigned at birth.

—Will Dean

Examples of gender expression in a Sentence

Recent Examples on the Web

In all your glory and glorious gender expressions, be yourself. —Lizz Schumer, People.com, 9 May 2025

Pronouns are now regarded not only as a form of gender expression, but their very mention is at times viewed as a political statement about inclusion. —Mikelle Street, Them., 23 Apr. 2025

One of the points Rowling first made in her lengthy 2020 manifesto was about the need for cisgender women not to feel limited by the confines of normative gender expression. —Aja Romano, Vox, 18 Apr. 2025

During the interview, McEnany spoke openly about being compared, as an insult, to the character of Pat, because of her gender expression. —Mathew Rodriguez, Them, 13 Feb. 2025

Word History

First Known Use

1973, in the meaning defined above

Rhymes for gender expression

• overexpression
• accession
• aggression
• compression
• concession
• confession
• depression
• digression
• discretion
• impression
• obsession
• oppression

Medical Definition

gender expression

noun

: the physical and behavioral manifestations of one's gender identity

… some transgender people experience gender dysphoria, defined as psychological distress associated with a sense of incongruence between their gender identity and gender expression and/or body and physical appearance.

—Jae M. Sevelius et al., International Journal of Environmental Research and Public Health

Women in couples where both partners have more feminine gender expressions may be more likely to be perceived as sisters or friends by onlookers, making them less likely to be targets of homophobia, but simultaneously making it more likely that their romantic relationship will be dismissed.

—Lauren Matheson et al., The Canadian Journal of Human Sexuality