Gender
It's a complex and complicated topic of discussion. We are born into this world and given a gender based on what genitalia we were given. Society tells us that male = man and female = woman. This ideology is known as Cisgender. Many people are fine with being cisgender whilst others refuse to accept. Gender is a binary system constructed by society, telling people they must conform to either man or woman, but what about the people who fall in between?
People assume that sex and gender are the same thing but they are not! Sex is something you are born with, something that is in your genetic makeup. Gender is, like earlier stated, a social construct created by society. Some individuals choose to express themselves in non-conventional ways. This is called gender expression.
Gender expression can be done in many ways; the most popular form of gender expression being through fashion. There are celebrities who have started to get scrutiny for the way they choose to express themselves. One such example of recent scrutiny is Jaden Smith. Smith has been photographed over the past year wearing dresses, skirts and other "women's clothing" (as there deemed by society).
Jaden has been flooded with everyone's opinions ranging all over the acceptance scale, but there is one comment in particular that has stuck out. Saying that "it's a faze" and he must be "traveling the route of wearing wigs, lipstick and make up, have a boyfriend/husband, get a sex change...".
This is a perfect example of how society shames men for being an individual. The idea that you can't be a man unless you wear blue jeans and a button up. That you can't adorn any feminine characteristics or qualities and still be considered a man.
It's ironic to me how things considered feminine in today's society were once worn by the most hyper masculine men that existed. The ancient Greek men in their tunics, the Egyptians in their kohl liner, and the Englishmen riding their horses whilst wearing high heels are all prime examples of how gender is a social construct.
As a man choosing to exhibit feminine characteristics, Jaden has been labeled by many as transgender, but he is, from what I can tell a man who is comfortable in his own skin. Someone who is just enjoys being a straight man who likes wearing the occasional dress. Some people believe that choosing to express your gender is either tied to your gender identity or you sexuality, but that couldn't be further from the truth. Gender identity and gender expression are two totally different concepts. What you identify as and the way you choose to express how you feel, it's as simple as that.
Just as whom you choose to love and how you view yourself are two completely different concepts.
A popular descriptor from the LGBTQ community used to describe Smith is Gender Queer. Gender queer is when someone doesn't subscribe to the conventional gender construct. Gender queer individuals either identify as both, neither, or a combination of male and female genders. Jaden, to the public's knowledge has never said he is such. Instead I believe he is simply put, a man who doesn't allow his gender to be defined by the clothing he chooses to wear.
So what I want everyone reading to take away is this: Gender is fluid, not set in stone. You express yourself in whatever way you see fit and don't care what other people think!
As Always
