The term ''en femme'' is a
lexical borrowing
A loanword (also loan word or loan-word) is a word at least partly assimilated from one language (the donor language) into another language. This is in contrast to cognates, which are words in two or more languages that are similar because the ...
of a French phrase. It is used in the
transgender
A transgender (often abbreviated as trans) person is someone whose gender identity or gender expression does not correspond with their sex assigned at birth. Many transgender people experience dysphoria, which they seek to alleviate through tr ...
and
crossdress
Cross-dressing is the act of wearing clothes usually worn by a different gender. From as early as pre-modern history, cross-dressing has been practiced in order to disguise, comfort, entertain, and self-express oneself.
Cross-dressing has play ...
ing community to describe the act of wearing feminine clothing or expressing a stereotypically feminine personality. The term is borrowed from the modern
French phrase ''en femme'' meaning "as a woman." Most crossdressers also use a
female
Female (Venus symbol, symbol: ♀) is the sex of an organism that produces the large non-motile ovum, ova (egg cells), the type of gamete (sex cell) that fuses with the Sperm, male gamete during sexual reproduction.
A female has larger gamet ...
name whilst ''en femme''; that is their "femme name". In the cross-dressing community the persona a man adopts when he dresses as a woman is known as his "
femme
''Femme'' (; , literally meaning "woman") is a term traditionally used to describe a lesbian who exhibits a feminine identity or gender presentation. Alternate meanings of the word also exist with some non-lesbian individuals using the word, ...
self".
In 1987, Robyn Dormer started a magazine called "En Femme" that was "for the transvestite, transsexual, crossdresser, and
female impersonator
A drag queen is a person, usually male, who uses drag clothing and makeup to imitate and often exaggerate female gender signifiers and gender roles for entertainment purposes. Historically, drag queens have usually been gay men, and part of ...
."
The magazine ran until 1991.
See also
*
Effeminacy
Effeminacy is the embodiment of traits and/or expressions in those who are not of the female sex (e.g. boys and men) that are often associated with what is generally perceived to be feminine behaviours, mannerisms, styles, or gender roles, rathe ...
*
En homme
The term ''en homme'' is an anglicized adaptation of a French phrase. It is used in the transgender and crossdressing community to describe the act of wearing masculine clothing or expressing a stereotypically masculine personality. The term ...
*
Drag (clothing)
The term "drag" refers to the performance of exaggerated masculinity, femininity, or other forms of gender expression, usually for entertainment purposes. A drag queen is someone (usually male) who performs femininity and a drag king is someon ...
*
Femme
''Femme'' (; , literally meaning "woman") is a term traditionally used to describe a lesbian who exhibits a feminine identity or gender presentation. Alternate meanings of the word also exist with some non-lesbian individuals using the word, ...
*
Femminiello
or (singular , also spelled as ''femmeniello'') are a population of people who embody a third gender role in traditional Neapolitan culture It may be hard to define this term within modern Western notions of "gay men" versus "trans women" sinc ...
*
List of transgender-related topics
The following outline offers an overview and guide to transgender topics.
The term "transgender" is multi-faceted and complex, especially where consensual and precise definitions have not yet been reached. While often the best way to find out h ...
*
List of transgender-rights organizations
Transgender organizations seek to promote understanding and acceptance, both legally and socially, of transgender persons.
International
* International Foundation for Gender Education (IFGE)
* GATE (organization), GATE
* World Professional Ass ...
References
External links
The EnFemme ArchivesEn Femme Magazine No. 1, Digital Transgender Archive
Cross-dressing
Trans women
LGBT slang
French words and phrases
{{LGBT-stub