Gender Identity & Gender Expression
Gender Exploration:
We get it, this is a lot of information that might be super new. Here are three activities to help you explore gender a bit more.
Please remember that these activities are to help YOU.
Take your time, do them, or don't do them. It's totally up to you.
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Gender Collage - For those creative folks! Find pictures, words, images, etc and compile them together to create a collage that represents your gender identity. This is a helpful exercise to encourage specific thoughts about gender and gender pleasure. People of all genders can engage, often folks may not have specifically considered their own features and facets of gender pleasure.
Below are some examples:
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Timeline - Create a timeline that is your life's journey. Label the timeline with gendered aspects of importance. It can be a simple line with important dates or memories regarding your gender. For instance, the day your sister got a Barbie and you played with it and realized you loved dolls. Or remembering you used to wear your brother's GI Joe underwear when you were younger. Any moments whether seemingly benign or pivotal that helped you define your own gender identity.
An Example - Gender Timeline
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Breaking the Binary exercise with expression. - The gender binary rewards conformity and not creativity. This exercise is meant to support individuals in assessing their own authentic gender expression through clothing.
Exercise: Go to a clothing store, if physically able and if your body fits into straight sizes, and notice the masculine clothing section and the feminine clothing section. Give yourself permission to look at all the clothing without judgment regarding what “is supposed to be” accessible to you. Try on any and all pieces that are of interest, this can include shoes and accessories.
