Third and Fourth Gender Roles

Around the world and throughout history, third and fourth gender roles are occupied by people who do not fit easily into the category of cisgender man or woman and include trans persons in some contexts. Third gender roles, indicating a gender category neither cis man nor cis woman, are more commonly recognized than fourth gender roles. The fourth gender role is used to indicate gender identities in societies that recognize more than three genders. The idea of third and fourth gender roles can indicate not only how individuals or groups see themselves but also how they are perceived and the gendered place they occupy in their wider society. The idea of third and fourth gender roles can be used to refer to behavior and social ...