Gender Symbols Guide: ♂ ♀ ⚧ Copy-Paste All Gender Symbols
A comprehensive reference for gender symbols, their origins, Unicode codes, and how to use them in documents, social media, and scientific writing.
Core Gender Symbols
♂
Male Symbol
Unicode: U+2642
Also represents planet Mars, iron, and the element arsenic in chemistry
♂
♀
Female Symbol
Unicode: U+2640
Also represents planet Venus, copper, and the element bismuth in chemistry
♀
⚧
Transgender Symbol
Unicode: U+26A7
Combines male, female, and neutral elements to represent transgender identity
⚧
All Gender & Sexuality Symbols
| Symbol | Name | Unicode | Meaning/Use |
|---|---|---|---|
| ♂ | Male Sign | U+2642 | Male gender, Mars planet, masculine |
| ♀ | Female Sign | U+2640 | Female gender, Venus planet, feminine |
| ⚧ | Male with Stroke and Male and Female Sign | U+26A7 | Transgender symbol |
| ⚥ | Male and Female Sign | U+26A5 | Intersex, bigender, or hermaphrodite |
| ⚦ | Male with Stroke | U+26A6 | Transgender male, neuter |
| ⚨ | Vertical Male with Stroke | U+26A8 | Neuter / asexual |
| ⚩ | Horizontal Male with Stroke | U+26A9 | Neuter variant |
| 🚻 | Restroom | U+1F6BB | Gender-neutral restroom |
| 🧑 | Person | U+1F9D1 | Gender-neutral person |
| ⚲ | Neuter | U+26B2 | Neuter/genderless |
Historical Origins
The male (♂) and female (♀) symbols originated in ancient astrology and alchemy:
- ♂ (Mars symbol): A circle with an upward-pointing arrow, representing the shield and spear of Mars, the Roman god of war. Used for iron in alchemy and later adopted for biological maleness by Carl Linnaeus in 1751.
- ♀ (Venus symbol): A circle with a downward cross, representing the hand mirror of Venus, Roman goddess of love. Used for copper in alchemy and adopted for biological femaleness by Linnaeus in the same publication.
- ⚧ (Transgender symbol): A modern symbol combining male, female, and neutral elements, developed in the 1990s by Holly Boswell and popularized within transgender communities.
How to Type Gender Symbols
Windows
- ♂ Male: Alt + 11 (on numeric keypad)
- ♀ Female: Alt + 12 (on numeric keypad)
- Or use Character Map and search "gender"
Mac
Open Character Viewer (Ctrl+Cmd+Space) and search for "male" or "female" to find gender symbols.
HTML
- ♂ or ♂ = ♂
- ♀ or ♀ = ♀
- ⚧ or ⚧ = ⚧
Uses in Different Fields
- Biology and genetics: ♂ and ♀ in genetic diagrams, Punnett squares, and research papers
- Astronomy and astrology: Planetary symbols — ♂ for Mars, ♀ for Venus
- Medical documents: Patient gender notation in clinical records
- Social media profiles: Including gender identity in bios and profiles
- Survey forms: Gender selection options in research instruments
- Zoology: Denoting sex of animals in scientific literature