by Kris Olds

Created on: July 03, 2007   Last Updated: January 19, 2009

There are only two genders, right? Male, which means a person with masculine reproductive organs. And female, a person with feminine reproductive organs. And everyone dresses, acts, and dates in the way that society deems "normal" for that gender. Everyone fits into this very black and white category of gender expression, right?

Wrong. There are many gray areas in the arena of gender expression. Gender expression, or gender identity, refers to how someone shows the gender they feel they are. For biological males, three of the most common gender expression variants are drag queens, transsexuals and she-males. There are similarities in these three identities but they are also significantly different.

Transsexual is an term that usually refers to someone who feels that their gender identity is in conflict with their biological gender. In men, it refers to males who don't identify as men but still have male reproductive organs. Transsexuality is not a sexual orientation. It has very little to do with the idea of gay or straight. Men who identify as transsexual usually express their gender by wearing female clothing, wearing make up or adhering to beauty standards that are traditionally female in nature. Transsexuals may express there gender variance on a daily basis or only in situations where they feel safe.

Drag Queens are entertainers. They may or may not be gay. But they are men who enjoy dressing as women, usually in very extravagant outfits and heavy make up, and performing. The performing mostly consists of lip syncing along with songs while performing elaborate dances and stage shows. There are amateur and professional drag queens. The bar scene in most major metropolitan cities will have sort of "drag show" night on a regular basis. When women enjoy dressing as men and performing, the appropriate term is Drag Kings.

She-male is a derogatory term for a male who displays female characteristics but still has male reproductive organs. It is most often used in an exploitive or pornographic sense. Whereas there are ties between transexuality and the term she-male, it is a term best left unused.

The concepts of gender variance can be confusing. And because of the very personal nature of the topic, it is important to show sensitivity when exploring definitions and identities. This brief article is meant to name the tip of the iceberg in the area of gender expression.

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