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Written by
August Samie
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The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica
Article History
- Related Topics:
- gender identity
- symbol
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gender symbol, visual signifier of an individual’s self-conception as male or female, as some combination thereof, or as someone outside those categories altogether. Gender symbols are frequently used to represent and distinguish individuals based on their gender identity or biological sex.
The most widely recognized gender symbols are the circle above a cross (♀), signifying female, and the circle below an arrow pointing diagonally upward to the right (♂), signifying male. These symbols are used in various contexts, including on restroom signs, as shorthand for scientific or medical purposes, and in other instances where gender identification or representation is relevant. Increased awareness of transgender and nonbinary identities gave rise to additional gender symbols. The transgender symbol (⚧) is one such sign. It typically consists of the traditional male and female symbols joined on the circle with a third element that is a combination of an arrow and a cross, representing the blending or transcendence of conventional gender categories. The combined Venus and Mars symbol (⚥) is a bigender designation.
In ancient astrology, in which it was thought that celestial bodies influenced various aspects of life on Earth, the earliest traces of gender symbols are found. As pioneers of astrology, the Babylonians associated specific spirits with celestial objects. For instance, Venus was associated with the fertility deity Ishtar, while Mars was associated with the war god Nergal. These associations were adopted by the Greeks, who extended them to their alchemical and metallurgical practices. Iron, which represented Mars, was associated with masculinity, combat, and fortitude. Copper, however, represented Venus, embodying femininity, love, and beauty.
In the 18th century, Swedish botanist Carl Linnaeus incorporated celestial and alchemical symbols into science. Linnaeus included the Mars and Venus symbols in his botanical pedigree charts to represent male and female plants, in addition to using ☿, which features a circle and cross topped with a half circle, for hermaphroditic plants. With the passage of time, these symbols permeated a wide array of disciplines, including zoology, biology, genetics, and medicine, eventually gaining recognition as sex and gender symbols.
In genetics, the use of a triangle (△) and a square (□) to denote males and a circle (○) to represent females has been traced back to American physician Pliny Earle, who in the 19th century used these symbols during his study of colour blindness. The adoption of geometric shapes to denote gender in genetic studies was a result of practical considerations of concision. Earle’s reliance on musical notation, which features elliptical heads similar to ovals, illustrates the evolution and adaptation of symbols in different scientific disciplines.
As the expansion of queer rights and representation continues, gender symbols have increasingly been adopted by individuals as a means of signifying their sexual orientation. These symbols serve as concise representations that are able to convey a range of identities and affiliations within the queer community. One such example is the double Venus symbol (⚢), which signifies lesbianism, representing the love and attraction between women. Similarly, the double Mars symbol (⚣) represents male hom*osexuality, highlighting the affection between men. Conversely, the intertwined Venus and Mars symbol (⚤) is employed to denote heterosexuality.
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August Samie
