Gender Identity and Gender Expression

Gender identity is a person’s deeply felt internal sense of their own gender—whether they see themselves as male, female, a blend, or outside these categories. Gender expression refers to how someone outwardly presents their gender to others through choices like clothing, behavior, and appearance. These aspects are related but distinct: someone’s gender identity is their inner experience, while gender expression is how they communicate that identity externally. Recognizing both helps understand individual diversity and supports respectful, inclusive interactions.