Gender nonconformity or gender variance is gender expression by an individual whose behavior, mannerisms, and/or appearance does not match masculine or feminine gender norms. A person can be gender-nonconforming regardless of their gender identity, for example, transgender, non-binary, or cisgender. Transgender adults who appear gender-nonconforming after transition are more likely to experience discrimination.
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Gender nonconformity in the context of Gender binary
The gender binary (also known as gender binarism) is the classification of gender into two distinct forms of masculine and feminine, whether by social system, cultural belief, or both simultaneously. Most cultures use a gender binary, having two genders (boys/men and girls/women).
In this binary model, gender and sexuality may be assumed by default to align with one's sex assigned at birth. This may include certain expectations of how one dresses themselves, one's behavior, sexual orientation, names or pronouns, which restroom one uses, and other qualities. For example, when a male is born, gender binarism may assume that the male will be masculine in appearance, have masculine character traits and behaviors, as well as having a heterosexual attraction to females. These expectations may reinforce negative attitudes, biases, and discrimination towards people who display expressions of gender variance or nonconformity or those whose gender identity is incongruent with their birth sex.
Gender nonconformity in the context of Cissexism
Cisgenderism (also called cissexism, genderism, or gender binarism) is the ideology that there are only two genders, and that one's gender should conform to one's assigned sex at birth. This normative belief stigmatizes gender nonconformity, and leads to discrimination against transgender and intersex people. It is pervasive and systematic in Western culture, and reflected in the cultural and legal practices across numerous countries.
The concept of cisgenderism originated in trans studies in order to distinguish transphobia (at an interpersonal level) from anti-transgender prejudice at a cultural or systemic level. This is analogous to heterosexism, as contrasted with homophobia.
Gender nonconformity in the context of Gender dysphoria
Gender dysphoria (GD) is the distress a person experiences due to inconsistency between their gender identity—their personal sense of their own gender—and their sex assigned at birth. The term replaced the previous diagnostic label of gender identity disorder (GID) in 2013 with the release of the diagnostic manual DSM-5. The condition was renamed to remove the stigma associated with the term disorder. The ICD-11, which does not consider it a mental disorder, uses the term gender incongruence (GI) instead of gender dysphoria, defined as a marked and persistent mismatch between gender identity and assigned sex, regardless of distress or impairment.
Not all transgender people have gender dysphoria. Gender nonconformity is not the same thing as gender dysphoria and does not always lead to dysphoria or distress. In pre-pubertal youth, the diagnoses are gender dysphoria in childhood and gender incongruence of childhood.The causes of gender incongruence are unknown but a gender identity likely reflects genetic, biological, environmental, and cultural factors.