Gender Performativities

Gender performativity is the idea that gender isn’t just something we are, but something we do through our behaviors, actions, and expressions. It suggests that gender is constructed through repeated acts—like speaking, dressing, and mannerisms—that align with societal expectations. Over time, these repeated acts create the sense of a stable gender identity. Essentially, gender is performative because it’s built through ongoing performances rather than being a fixed trait inherited at birth. This perspective encourages understanding gender as fluid and socially constructed, shaped by individual actions and cultural norms.