What does it mean?
“Gender variance is an atypical development in the relationship between the gender identity and the visible sex of an individual.”
— GIRES
“Gender variant” is particularly often used to describe children and young people or their behaviour.
Terms with similar meanings are gender non-conforming and gender expansive.
Umbrella term
"Gender variant" is a word that covers a large number of different people - it’s an umbrella term.
Words like this can:
- help if you’re not sure what specific term describes you
- help if how you relate to gender is fluid and changes over time
- be more likely to be understood by the general public
- be useful for ensuring that a wide range of different people can access resources and support
However, words like this can also:
- hide how much people using the term actually differ
- hide how much more discrimination some people using the term receive
- include people in a term that they don’t like without asking them
- include people in a term that they don't feel actually describes them
Think carefully before using this word to describe someone or a group of people - they may not wish to be described that way.
Defined by breaking norms
"Gender variant" is a word that describes whether people are breaking the rules - “norms” - of how people are expected to behave or describe themselves.
Words like this can:
- make visible that it is possible to break norms
- help explain how people are discriminated against or targeted for breaking norms
- help explain the privilege given to people who do not break norms
However, words like this can also:
- imply that only certain people are allowed to break norms
- be confusing, as almost everyone breaks at least some norms
- be confusing, as people may not know whether they break enough norms to use the term
- hide that some people don't just experience discrimination for breaking norms, and experience gender dysphoria too
- result in the term being used to mean “normal person” or “abnormal person”
Think carefully before using this word to describe someone or a group of people - they may not wish to be described that way.
Errors and omissions
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