femininepresenting

Feminine presenting is a descriptor used to identify outward expressions that are culturally associated with femininity. It describes how a person presents themselves through appearance, dress, grooming, voice, body language, and other behavior. Importantly, feminine presenting refers to presentation, not to a fixed gender identity.

A person of any gender may adopt a feminine presentation, and the degree of femininity can vary from subtle to pronounced. The presentation can align with an individual's gender identity, such as cisgender women or transgender women, or be adopted temporarily or situationally by nonbinary people, allies, or others.

Because cultural norms of femininity differ across cultures and historical periods, what counts as feminine presenting can change over time and place. The term is descriptive and neutral but may intersect with social expectations, stereotypes, and discrimination. People presenting femininely may encounter bias, misgendering, or harassment in some contexts, while in others it may be welcomed or affirmed.

Feminine presenting sits within a spectrum of gender expression that also includes masculine presenting and androgynous presentation. It is distinct from feminine gender identity, which refers to how one understands oneself, though they can coincide for many people.

Within scholarly and activist discourse, feminine presenting is discussed as part of broader gender-expression research, and as a practice with social meaning in everyday life, media representation, and policy. See also related terms such as gender presentation, gender expression, and alternatives to binary gender categorization.