Gender variance

Gender variance is a term that refers to those expressions of gender (masculinity and femininity) that do not conform to the dominant gender norms of Western culture.

The term is used by scholars of psychology and psychiatry, anthropology, and gender studies, as well as advocacy groups of gender variant people themselves. It is deliberately broad, encompassing such specific terms as transsexual, butch, queen, sissy, travesti, hijra or tomboy. Terms with similar meanings to "gender variance" include "gender nonconformity" (see childhood gender nonconformity) and "gender atypical" (see atypical gender role). The term transgender may be synonymous, but often has a narrower meaning and somewhat different connotations, including a non-identification with the gender assigned at birth, and an association with a social movement that emerged from North America in the late 20th century (see LGBT social movements), which questions the validity of binary gender norms and pursues the political advancement of transgendered people. "Transgender" is also sometimes used to contrast with, rather than encompass, the term "transsexual".