Gender as Performance

"Gender as performance" is the idea that gender isn’t just about biology or innate traits, but something people actively enact through their choices, behaviors, and presentation. It suggests that societal expectations influence how individuals "perform" their gender roles—like how someone dresses, acts, or speaks—based on cultural norms. This perspective highlights that gender is constructed through repeated actions and behaviors, rather than being an inherent quality. In essence, gender is a continuous, social performance shaped by the environment and personal choices, rather than solely determined by biological factors.