“Gender expression” exists as a term for two reasons: (1) so that lazy, narcissistic people can pretend to have a gender identity and claim to be “trans” without any semblance of a transition so they can just respond “gender identity is different from gender expression” and maintain some kind of moral high ground; and (2) to explain away sexism and homophobia because it’s obvious that discrimination and harassment cannot happen from strangers based on ideas in our heads that they have no way of knowing about, so they needed to come up with this bullshit to explain that.

Except what if I don’t think or intend any of my clothes or how I present myself physically to be an “expression of gender.” So what explains the harassment and discrimination now? Presumed gender expression and presumed gender identity, of course. Or maybe they would tell me that I’m expressing my gender whether or not I do so knowingly or intentionally because they always know my thoughts and feelings better than I do. 🙄

I would like to see a case where someone is accused of the latter and uses the defense that they make no presumptions about gender identity ever because they don’t believe in it as a concept. I would love to litigate that.