This article is about Marisa Grant and their experiences with gender identity and expression. 

“Drag helped me find myself and talk about gender with my son.” 

 

“My journey toward self-accpetance and gender liberation has been a long and difficult one, but through the art of drag, the support of the queer community and my son, I’ve found a sense of peace and wholeness that I never could have imagined.” 

- Marisa Grant

 

“I realize now that those were unrealistic expectations and standards, but at the time, it made me feel like there was something fundamentally wrong with me for not consistently conforming. It was exhausting to suppress my feelings and fit into the mould of femininity. I felt isolated and unhappy. It wasn’t until I discovered drag five years after Romeo’s (their son) birth that I began to understand that my body and my gender expression could be sources of empowerment joy, and inspiration, rather than shame and guilt.”

- Marisa Grant

 

Gender Expression and Identities 

Gender identity refers to the internal and personal perception of an individual's gender. It covers a wide range, from identifying as male or female to positions across the gender spectrum that include both, neither, or other variations. This subjective experience may or may not align with the gender typically associated with a person’s assigned sex at birth. The terms “gender identity” and “gender expression” encompass the vast diversity of gender experiences.