En Femme

En femme comes from French, roughly meaning "as a woman" or "in feminine dress." It describes presenting in a feminine way through clothing, makeup, hair, and mannerisms. The phrase is common among cross-dressers, and also used by some transgender women and non-binary people to describe a feminine presentation. In cross-dressing communities it is often paired with its opposite, sometimes called "drab" or being en homme, for masculine presentation. Being en femme describes a mode of presentation in a given moment rather than settling the question of a person's gender identity. For some it is playful or occasional, and for others it reflects their authentic and preferred way of showing up in the world.