Gender nonconforming
Expressing gender in ways that do not follow what is expected of masculinity or femininity.
Gender nonconforming, often shortened to GNC, describes someone whose [[gender-expression|gender expression]], the way they look, dress or carry themselves, does not follow conventional expectations of masculinity or femininity.
It describes expression, not identity, and that is the part most often missed. Cis people can be gender nonconforming. Trans people can be, and plenty of trans people are not. A [[butch|butch]] cis woman may be GNC; a trans woman whose presentation is conventionally feminine usually is not.
It is also not the same as [[nonbinary|nonbinary]]. PFLAG's glossary says so in capital letters: GNC does NOT mean nonbinary. Many nonbinary people are gender nonconforming, and many are not.
Parents and professionals sometimes say gender expansive for the same thing. PFLAG notes that gender nonconforming is the term the community itself tends to prefer, and that the right word is always the one the person uses.
What counts as nonconforming shifts, because expectations of gender vary between cultures and change over time. It can also carry a cost: trans adults who are visibly gender nonconforming are more likely to face discrimination.
Gender nonconforming is not another word for nonbinary
Because GNC people are often read as trans, and many nonbinary people are also GNC, the words get merged. They answer different questions. Nonbinary and trans are about who someone is; gender nonconforming is about how their gender shows.
The merge causes mistakes in both directions: assuming a masculine woman must be a trans man, or assuming a conventionally presenting nonbinary person cannot really be nonbinary. [[/answers/is-non-binary-trans/|Is non-binary trans?]] goes into the related question.
Saying it well
Say this
- I am gender nonconforming.
- GNC, and a cis woman.
- Trans, and not especially gender nonconforming.
- My expression is GNC; my gender is nonbinary.
Not this
- So you are nonbinary
- GNC means you want to transition
- You do not look nonbinary
- Why can you not just dress normally?
Questions people actually ask
What does gender nonconforming mean?
Having a gender expression that does not follow conventional expectations of masculinity or femininity.
Is gender nonconforming the same as nonbinary?
No. Nonbinary is about gender identity; gender nonconforming is about expression. A person can be either without being the other.
Can cis people be gender nonconforming?
Yes. Cis, trans and nonbinary people can all be gender nonconforming.
What does GNC stand for?
Gender nonconforming.
What does gender expansive mean?
A term used more often by parents and professionals for much the same thing. The community generally prefers gender nonconforming.