It’s time for our series of posts here at Jessica Who?, titled “Word of the Week”. In these short articles, from here on out published each Friday, I will explore the various labels and umbrella terms used to label us. By doing this, I hope to educate not only myself, but also anyone who may not be familiar with these terms. Feel free to add your own knowledge to each post by leaving a comment 
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The label that we will be examining is: Gender
Standard Definition
Traits (behavior, culture, mannerisms) associated with a particular sex.
Derogatory?
No no.
What’s It Really Mean?
Essays and documentaries have been created about this term and there is no way that I could possibly explain the entire meaning of gender in a blog post.
My Take
Gender is a hot button issue in our society. Advertisements subtly tell us that we should conform to gender stereotypes while members of our community punish us in one way or another for not being “man” or “woman” enough in everyday life.
There are certain expectations if you are born male and others if you were born female. Our whole community exists because we have chose to go against the grain and define gender on our own terms.
It can be anything from appearance to speech, but we blaze our own trail no matter who tries to stand in our way. We are gender pioneers and one of our biggest goals is to obliterate the walls of oppression that attempt to keep us boxed in.
Our expression and activism show the world that we are here to stay and will not be stopped.
Simply put, gender cannot be defined. It is whatever you want it to be.
Your Take
Have you anything to add? Please leave your take on this word in the comments section, I hope we can open up a dialogue and learn from each other while educating the masses.
JessicaWhoHD
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I think you put it rather nicely. Gender is what we make it. Women wear mens cloths with no problem but do the opposite and we are thought of as strange, sick, perverted to peole who dont understand how or who we are. Society is slowly changing but acceptance is slow.
Thanks Leslee
This is a tough one for me. There are times when I feel definitively masculine, and there are times when I feel definitively feminine. There are still other times when I feel completely androgynous. Gender is not a constant, at least not for me.
The problem with “gender” whether it’s the gender in which we are born or the gender with which we most identify is not the term, itself, but the stereotypes that are associated with them. Remove the stereotypes of what a “man” or “woman” should be and suddenly no one is restricted by self-imposed boxes.
Very well put!
I have noticed that my feminine side is becoming stronger as time goes by and, by time, I mean from month to month. I am doing things that I never thought about before such as: having my eyebrows threaded so that they are now decidedly feminine in appearance and, starting electrolysis next month to remove my facial hair permanently. I work in an office as a man everyday but I am allowing my fingernails to grow and I use a clear polish on them. I bicycle fairly often with a male friend who has no idea that I cross dress but, I am noticing that my masculinity is becoming more and more forced in the things we talk about. I have no intention of transitioning but, the changes don’t stop and even though I know that I could stop anytime, I don’t want too. I want more but, I don’t have a gender problem, eventually, I’ll get the guy in me to do whatever the girl in me wants.
)
Sounds like you are being true to yourself, that’s awesome!
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