Digital Femininity: Trans Women, Identity, and Appropriation

A Trans-Woman perspective

Cultural appropriation is a contentious and nuanced topic, especially within marginalized communities such as the LGBTQIA+ community. For transgender women, the journey of gender identity often intersects with cultural expressions traditionally associated with femininity. This article explores the idea of cultural appropriation as it applies to trans women using female-identifying avatars in video games and social media, incorporating GIF usage and female representation in online spaces. Additionally, it examines this practice during pre-transition, post-transition, and the transitional period. This analysis considers the sociocultural, psychological, and ethical dimensions of this phenomenon while referencing non-URL academic sources.