A brief explanation that heavily resonated with me from the Raising Zoomer article was “Gender expression refers to how a person shows their gender identity. This includes clothing and other things like make-up, hairstyles, or even style of walking or dancing. It is the way we give cues to other people to show them how we perceive ourselves and how we wish to be perceived by others. Sometimes a person’s gender identity and gender expression may not “align” because of fear of how they will be perceived if they challenge traditional gender norms. ”
I personally have felt like I enjoy expressing myself in a feminine manner majority of the time, however there are other times when I would like to feel more on the neutral side or even the masculine side. I am not sure whether I enjoy it because it keeps me safe from specific types of harm or because I genuinely enjoy iy. However, given my experience I do acknowledge that expressing my gender through hyper-femininity does shield me from what I could possibly be treated like if I do not cater to the Male Gaze. The dangers that come with deviating from femininity especially as a Black woman can be especially terrifying. I have always wondered if this affected how my gender identity developed over time and how it altered my expression during adolescence and my early 20s.