Gender bender
Encyclopedia
Gender bender is an informal term used to refer to a person who actively transgresses, or "bends," expected gender role
s. Gender bending is sometimes a form of social activism undertaken in response to assumptions or over-generalisations about genders. Some gender benders identify
with the gender assigned them at birth, but challenge the norms
of that gender through androgynous
behavior and atypical gender role
s. Gender benders may self-identify as transgender
or genderqueer
, feeling that the gender
assigned to them at their birth is an inaccurate or incomplete description of themselves; some are transsexual and desire to change their physical sex
through hormone therapy or sex reassignment surgery
, while others were born intersexual
.
Gender role
Gender roles refer to the set of social and behavioral norms that are considered to be socially appropriate for individuals of a specific sex in the context of a specific culture, which differ widely between cultures and over time...
s. Gender bending is sometimes a form of social activism undertaken in response to assumptions or over-generalisations about genders. Some gender benders identify
Gender identity
A gender identity is the way in which an individual self-identifies with a gender category, for example, as being either a man or a woman, or in some cases being neither, which can be distinct from biological sex. Basic gender identity is usually formed by age three and is extremely difficult to...
with the gender assigned them at birth, but challenge the norms
Norm (sociology)
Social norms are the accepted behaviors within a society or group. This sociological and social psychological term has been defined as "the rules that a group uses for appropriate and inappropriate values, beliefs, attitudes and behaviors. These rules may be explicit or implicit...
of that gender through androgynous
Androgyny
Androgyny is a term derived from the Greek words ανήρ, stem ανδρ- and γυνή , referring to the combination of masculine and feminine characteristics...
behavior and atypical gender role
Atypical gender role
Gender role is a term used in the social sciences and humanities to denote a set of behavioral norms associated with a given gendered status in a given social group or system...
s. Gender benders may self-identify as transgender
Transgender
Transgender is a general term applied to a variety of individuals, behaviors, and groups involving tendencies to vary from culturally conventional gender roles....
or genderqueer
Genderqueer
Genderqueer is a catch-all term for gender identities other than man and woman, thus outside of the gender binary and heteronormativity...
, feeling that the gender
Gender
Gender is a range of characteristics used to distinguish between males and females, particularly in the cases of men and women and the masculine and feminine attributes assigned to them. Depending on the context, the discriminating characteristics vary from sex to social role to gender identity...
assigned to them at their birth is an inaccurate or incomplete description of themselves; some are transsexual and desire to change their physical sex
Sex
In biology, sex is a process of combining and mixing genetic traits, often resulting in the specialization of organisms into a male or female variety . Sexual reproduction involves combining specialized cells to form offspring that inherit traits from both parents...
through hormone therapy or sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery
Sex reassignment surgery is a term for the surgical procedures by which a person's physical appearance and function of their existing sexual characteristics are altered to resemble...
, while others were born intersexual
Intersex
Intersex, in humans and other animals, is the presence of intermediate or atypical combinations of physical features that usually distinguish female from male...
.
In fiction
In fiction, the term gender bender may refer not only to characters modeled after real-life gender benders, but also to characters who undergo changes in their physical sex – magically or otherwise – throughout the story. A work of art which challenges gender roles or features gender bending or transgender characters may itself be referred to as a "gender bender."- In Orlando: A BiographyOrlando: A BiographyOrlando: A Biography is an influential novel by Virginia Woolf, first published on 11 October 1928. A semi-biographical novel based in part on the life of Woolf's lover Vita Sackville-West, it is generally considered one of Woolf's most accessible novels...
, an influential novel by Virginia WoolfVirginia WoolfAdeline Virginia Woolf was an English author, essayist, publisher, and writer of short stories, regarded as one of the foremost modernist literary figures of the twentieth century....
published in 1928, the protagonist passes through several lifetimes of varying gender. - A historical and well-studied example of "gender bending" in English narrative is Shakespeare's Twelfth Night.
- The mangaMangaManga is the Japanese word for "comics" and consists of comics and print cartoons . In the West, the term "manga" has been appropriated to refer specifically to comics created in Japan, or by Japanese authors, in the Japanese language and conforming to the style developed in Japan in the late 19th...
and animeAnimeis the Japanese abbreviated pronunciation of "animation". The definition sometimes changes depending on the context. In English-speaking countries, the term most commonly refers to Japanese animated cartoons....
series Ranma ½Ranma ½is a Japanese manga series written and illustrated by Rumiko Takahashi with an anime adaptation. The story revolves around a 16-year old boy named Ranma Saotome who was trained from early childhood in martial arts...
, features a main character who regularly switches from male to female due to a magic curse. - In the novel The Left Hand of DarknessThe Left Hand of DarknessThe Left Hand of Darkness is a 1969 science fiction novel by Ursula K. Le Guin. It is part of the Hainish Cycle, a series of books by Le Guin all set in the fictional Hainish universe....
by Ursula LeGuin, characters have neutral sex for most of their lives, but take on either male or female characteristics when in heat. - In Neil GaimanNeil GaimanNeil Richard Gaiman born 10 November 1960)is an English author of short fiction, novels, comic books, graphic novels, audio theatre and films. His notable works include the comic book series The Sandman and novels Stardust, American Gods, Coraline, and The Graveyard Book...
's comic, The Sandman, the character DesireDesire (DC Comics)Desire is a fictional character from the DC comic book series The Sandman . The character first appeared in The Sandman vol. 2, #10 , and was created by Neil Gaiman and Mike Dringenberg.-Publication history:...
is gender-fluid. He can become male, female, both, or neither, depending on the situation. - Early examples of cross-dressing in films include A Florida EnchantmentA Florida EnchantmentA Florida Enchantment is a silent film directed by and starring Sidney Drew and released by Vitagraph Studios. The film is based on the 1891 novel and 1896 play of the same name written by Fergus Redmond and Archibald Clavering Gunter....
(1914) directed by and starring Sidney Drew and Mabel's BlunderMabel's BlunderMabel's Blunder is a silent comedy film directed by, written by, and starring Mabel Normand, the most successful of the early silent screen comediennes.-Plot:...
(1914) directed by and starring Mabel NormandMabel NormandMabel Normand was an American silent film comedienne and actress. She was a popular star of Mack Sennett's Keystone Studios and is noted as one of the film industry's first female screenwriters, producers and directors...
. - The X-files episode Gender Bender, features a series of identical, sexually-oriented murders, where the killer appears to be both male and female, changing gender after experience of intercourse.
- The film ZerophiliaZerophiliaZerophilia is a 2006 romantic comedy with speculative-fiction elements directed by Academy of Motion Pictures' Student Academy Award winning director Martin Curland and produced by Microangelo Entertainment...
is a romantic comedy about a young man who discovers he has a genetic condition that causes him to change gender when he's aroused.
See also
- Cross-dressingCross-dressingCross-dressing is the wearing of clothing and other accoutrement commonly associated with a gender within a particular society that is seen as different than the one usually presented by the dresser...
- Flip-flop
- GenderfuckGenderfuckGenderfuck refers to the conscious effort to mock or "fuck with" traditional notions of gender identity, gender roles, and gender presentation. It falls under the umbrella of the transgender spectrum.-Genderfucking:...
- Gender identity disorderGender identity disorderGender identity disorder is the formal diagnosis used by psychologists and physicians to describe persons who experience significant gender dysphoria . It describes the symptoms related to transsexualism, as well as less severe manifestations of gender dysphoria...
- Versatile