Gender Attribution
(noun phrase | to attribute, verb, -s, -d, -ing)
The cisnormative act of categorizing people we come into contact with as specific genders with a variety of assumptions being made about their pronouns and identity in the process. Gender attribution can lead to misgendering people unintentionally because it is impossible to know a person’s gender and pronouns just by looking at them. The only way to know someone’s gender and pronouns is to ask them. Ideally, we should be asking what everyone’s pronouns are in everyday conversations. May also be known as “gender assumption.”
e.g. In American society, beards are often attributed to men only.
Further reading to gain expanded context:
Degendering the Language of Customer Service | Barista Magazine
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