What does gender presentation refer to?

Gender presentation refers to how an individual expresses their gender identity through a variety of outward characteristics, including personality traits, habits, behaviors, and mannerisms. This encompasses the way a person communicates their gender to the world, which can be influenced by cultural norms and personal choices.

For instance, someone may present their gender in a way that aligns with traditional expectations for masculine or feminine behavior, or they may adopt a unique expression that does not conform strictly to societal norms. Gender presentation is distinct from gender identity, which relates to an individual's internal sense of their own gender, and from legal identification, which concerns how gender is recognized in official documents. By focusing on personality and diverse expressions, gender presentation captures the complexity of how individuals choose to embody and convey their gender to others.