In the context of gender, passing is someone being perceived as a gender they identify as or are attempting to be seen as, rather than their sex assigned at birth. Historically, this was common among women who served in occupations from which women were ordinarily prohibited, such as in combat roles in the military. For transgender people, it is a term used for a person being perceived as a cisgender person of their gender instead of the sex they were assigned at birth. For example, a transgender man is passing if he is perceived as a cisgender man.
The appropriateness of the term passing, and the desirability of blending into society, are debated within the transgender community. A trans person who is perceived as cisgender may face less prejudice, harassment, and risk of violence, as well as better employment opportunities. This is sometimes termed passing privilege.
Terminology Gender attribution Gender attribution is the process by which an observer decides which gender they believe another person to be. In most interactions, one cannot observe others' physical gender characteristics, such as their genitals, and instead use other phenotypical cues to discern another's gender, such as body shape, clothing, and voice. Once an observer makes an attribution of the person's gender, it can be difficult for the observer to change their mind and see the person as another gender.Jennifer Anne Stevens. From Masculine to Feminine and All Points in Between, Different Path Press, 1990. Gender attribution can be an obstacle for those seeking to pass if their physical appearance leads them to be seen as a gender different than how they wish to present.
Passing Passing typically involves a mixture of physical gender cues, for example, hairstyle or clothing, and certain behavioral attributes that tend to be culturally associated with a particular gender.
Being clocked Being is a term for a transgender person being identified as transgender by observers, usually while trying to pass as cisgender.
Stealth The term refers to trans people who effectively pass as cisgender and do not disclose their gender history.
People may also choose to be stealth in some parts of their lives and not others, such as being stealth at work but openly transgender amongst friends. Being stealth can be chosen as a protective measure against discrimination or violence. According to Gillian Branstetter from the National Center for Transgender Equality, "People privilege the rights of others how they look". People may feel safer being able to appear as a non-transgender person than if their gender identity was more easily identifiable.
Passing privilege
is the concept that transgender people face less prejudice when they are perceived as cisgender, including less risk of harassment and violence, as well as better employment opportunities. There is a lack of research about the impact that passing has on an individual's societal experience.Begun, Stephanie; Kattari, Shanna K. (January 2, 2016). "Conforming for survival: Associations between transgender visual conformity/passing and homelessness experiences". Journal of Gay & Lesbian Social Services. 28 (1): 54–66. doi:10.1080/10538720.2016.1125821. ISSN 1053-8720. One study showed that passing can reduce one's likelihood of experiencing homelessness, as well as improve one's experience with homeless shelters; the study found that 11.4% of its transgender/gender non-conforming sample group stated that they had experienced homelessness directly related to their gender identity, and 16.3% indicated they needed to seek new or short-term living arrangements due to their identity. Among those dealing with direct homelessness, those who lacked the ability to pass were more likely to experience a variety of difficulties including harassment from staff and other visitors, difficulties being accepted to and staying in the shelters themselves, and being less likely to seek assistance from shelters in the first place.
Effects of passing and not passing The risks of not fully passing for the gender one is presenting as can vary depending on the circumstances. There is a significant difference between drag queens, or those who otherwise dress for performances, and transgender persons. Risks tend to be much higher for those concerned with passing on a fairly constant basis as opposed to those attempting to pass in the context of a public or semi-public performance.
Transgender people face high rates of harassment and violence, including sexual, physical, and verbal violence and harassment, sexual objectification, and social stigmatization.Sevelius, Jae M. (June 1, 2013). "Gender Affirmation: A Framework for Conceptualizing Risk Behavior among Transgender Women of Color". Sex roles. 68 (11–12): 675–689. doi:10.1007/s11199-012-0216-5. ISSN 0360-0025. PMC 3667985. PMID 23729971. Job insecurity is a risk for transgender people as well, with a 2022 US transgender survey finding that 11 percent of respondents were fired, laid off, forced to resign, or lost a job due to their gender expression or gender identity. Some trans people may stealth as cisgender for the sake of safety and/or security. Additionally, being outed by one's physical attributes as a transgender or gender non-conforming individual can negatively impact one's cultural experience, resulting in neglect, abuse, or being disowned by one's community.
Passing and choosing whether or not to be stealth can contribute to emotional stress. A study of 24 transgender and gender expansive (TGE) physicians found that "they reported a tension between wanting to be 'stealth'... and being out because of a sense of obligation to be visible for TGE patients and colleagues." Passing can lead to a sense of dissonance with the LGBT+ community and limit in-group solidarity.
Additionally, passing can result in confrontation and violence due to observers feeling tricked. DJ and transgender woman Infiniti says, "I was always upfront [about being transgender]...there were several instances where men would be like, 'You were trying to trick me' [and] getting violent."
Methods Passing as female Passing can involve altering the face and body to appear feminine. These alterations fall into two categories: temporary items that are applied or worn, and medical alterations.
For people assigned male at birth, passing as female typically involves wearing a wig or styling hair in a manner typical of women in their culture, removing or disguising facial hair, and wearing makeup to make the face appear like that of a cisgender woman. Feminine clothing and accessories can be used as well.
Other temporary alterations shape the body to appear more stereotypically feminine. Breast prostheses are sometimes used to create the appearance of a female chest. If the clothing being worn will reveal breast cleavage, cleavage enhancement techniques can be used if there is not sufficient breast tissue to form cleavage. A feminine waist–hip ratio is created by either reducing the waist size with a corset and/or enlarging the hips and buttocks with padding.
Tucking, the practice of hiding the penis and testicles so that they are not visible through tight clothing, can further contribute to passing as female.Coleman, Eli, et al. "Standards of care for the health of transsexual, transgender, and gender-nonconforming people, version 7." International journal of transgenderism 13.4 (2012): 165-232. The most effective method of tucking involves pushing the testicles up into the inguinal canal. Once this is done, the penis is pulled back between the legs and a tight pair of panties, a gaff, or another tight garment is then worn on top to hold everything in place. Tucking is often utilized when wearing more revealing clothing such as leggings or swimwear. For those who have not undergone or do not want to undergo sex reassignment surgery, the penile crotch protrusion (sometimes known by the slang terms moose knuckle or bulge) can be a sign of their birth sex.
Hormone replacement therapy is a medical intervention that further contributes to a female appearance by causing more feminine body fat distribution, the development of breasts, and lower waist-hip ratio. For more permanent bodily changes cosmetic surgeries can be used.
Cosmetic surgery procedures often used by transgender women include breast augmentation, liposuction and buttock augmentation, in addition to facial feminization surgery (FFS). FFS is not necessarily one individual procedure, but often many different procedures performed at the same time. FFS includes many procedures a patient can choose, such as rhinoplasty, brow lift, jaw reduction, chin augmentation, cheek implantation and lip augmentation.
Passing typically involves changes in the person's voice as well. Cisgender women typically speak with an average fundamental frequency of 165–255 Hz (E3–C4), while cisgender men typically speak in a fundamental frequency range of 85–155 Hz (F2–D3). In addition, the timbre of a male voice is typically different from that of a female one. This is due to male puberty typically enlarging the vocal cords, larynx, and sinus cavities. These changes are typically not reversible without voice feminization surgery, such as cricothyroid approximation or Wendler glottoplasty, as the changes of male puberty on the vocal tract cannot be undone with feminizing hormone therapy. Many transgender women are successful at feminizing their voice through self-training or transgender voice therapy.
Passing as male For transgender men, drag kings, or any person trying to pass as male, this may include binding the breasts to create a flat-chested appearance, getting a short haircut, taking on a more masculine demeanor, and wearing masculine clothing. Baggy or loose clothing is usually preferred because it hides characteristics such as breasts and rounded hips.
Packing creates the appearance of having a penis through stuffing objects in one's crotch region. This appearance is sought out in order to pass while wearing varied clothing styles, particularly more revealing clothing, to achieve the appearance of a crotch protrusion,Blackwood, Evelyn, and Ryan Plis. "Trans technologies and identities in the United States." Technologies of Sexuality, Identity and Sexual Health. Routledge, 2012. 201-220. sometimes called a bulge. This is done on a daily basis for transgender men, sometimes for their entire lives; for other transgender men or cross-dressing women, packing is done on an as-needed basis for reasons including personal comfort and for drag performances.
Types of packers include soft packers, stand-to-pee packers, 3-in-1 packers, and pack and plays. Soft packers serve only to create the look of a bulge, and stand-to-pee packers enable the wearer to urinate while standing. Pack and plays, otherwise known as 2-in-1 packers, serve the additional purpose of sexual use and 3-in-1 packers accommodate both sexual use and standing urination. Packers are held in place with tight underwear, harnesses, or fabric pouches with Velcro to adhere to underwear. Some prosthetic packers can stay in place using surgical glue as well.