Masculinities

Trans masculinity is an umbrella term for people who lean more toward the masculine than feminine side of the gender spectrum (e.g., presentation, identity, or roles) and includes (but is not restricted to) trans men, demi boys, genderfluid, genderqueer, polygender, and nonbinary people with varying sexual identities. Whereas transmasculine people feel a connection to masculinity, not everyone identifies as male or wants to transition medically and/or socially. Some people prefer a genderqueer or genderfluid presentation. Trans masculinities are also inflected with cultural meanings of social class, race/ethnicity, and nationality and have undergone important evolutionary changes since the 19th century. This entry offers a general overview of transmasculine expression and evolution in the United States, including a discussion of social, medical, and technological developments that spurred ...