Henrie's Gender Blender

Who am I?

My name is Henrie Thalias. I'm an artist and writer interested in topics such as gender, sexuality, and queerness. I'm male, asexual, and use he/they pronouns.

My main blog is @henriethalias

What is this blog?

Henrie's Gender Blender is a project exploring a world of reversed gender norms. Here I post art and answer questions related to this world. My hope is that my work will provoke questions about why sex and gender differences exist, and show that neither is as fundamental as we make it out to be. Eventually, I'd like to produce a webcomic set in this world, but I'll need a lot of practice first.

What is Gender Blender?

"Gender blender" isn't a technical term. As far as I'm aware, I'm the only one who uses it in this particular way. When I use the phrase "gender blender", I use it to refer to settings in which defiance or inversion of our gender norms is the default--works that explore different gender systems on the societal level. In the case of my own works, it refers to a society in which the roles and norms of men and women are flipped.

About my Gender Blender world

This world is generally like our own; the landmasses are the same, the countries are mostly familiar, and the history is, in the broad strokes, the same as our world. However, in this world, it's women who became the dominant force of society from the beginning, and over thousands of years this has become ingrained in our very biology. Society has developed mostly the same; the United Kingdom is now the United Queendom, but it's still a parliamentary monarchy with a capitalist economy. Women are expected to be breadwinners and men homemakers, but the concept of the nuclear family still exists.

In this way, this world is both a mirror of our world, and a glimpse into what our world could look like, if our earliest ancestors had done things differently. That's not to say that a matriarchal society would necessarily look like this. But it is one way it could manifest, and the familiarity to our world is very much a part of this particular project.

There are other changes and reversals in this world as well--for example, left-handedness is more common than right-handedness--but the reversal of gender norms is the primary point of the project.

Content warnings

Due to the nature of this blog, topics such as sex, sexuality, and sexualization are common topics of discussion. Partial female nudity will be depicted in the same way partial male nudity is acceptable in our own media. And just as our world sexualizes the female body, and that sexualization bleeds through into every aspect of society, this world will sexualize the male body.

All this to say that there will be many people who will not be comfortable with the content of this blog. Full nudity and discussions of sexually explicit content will be hidden beneath proper content warnings, but bare female chests and clothing that mildly sexualizes the male body will not necessarily be.

To minors and anyone who is not comfortable with the topics mentioned, proceed with caution or leave with my blessing. To anyone else, I hope you find my work interesting at least.

Thank you so much for reading!

There's a lot to explore with art, since there's so much history and gender and sex and sexuality are such prominent themes. There's a long history of portraits of nude figures, emphasizing female strength and vitality and male beauty and youthfulness.

Wanted to ask, what are some ways women tease men and what are some ways men tease women?

You'll see a lot of teasing between genders is based in gender dynamics. Little girls will say boys have cooties. Women will jokingly ask their boyfriends to make them a sandwich. Men will make jokes when their big strong woman fails to open a jar or lift something heavy on her own. Masculinity in women and femininity in men is met with both friendly teasing and bitter mockery.

Undergarments are an essential aspect of modern life. Even when covered, undergarments have both practical and aesthetic effects which are felt at every moment of daily living. Undergarments come in many shapes and styles, but there are some generalizations which are near-universal.

Undergarments for women are practical in nature. They are often constructed from durable fabrics designed for thermal regulation and sweat absorption. They most often come in simple colors and lack patterns or designs.

Women's undershirts and bras serve to support the breasts, allowing women to stand and move comfortably. However, outside of formal settings, undershirts or bras are not required for modesty and many women opt to go without. Women's underpants are equally simple and practical in construction, with flaps on the bottom for easy access for urination or for menstrual products.

In contrast, undergarments for men are designed primarily for aesthetic. Men's undergarments provide modesty while shaping and streamlining the male form. They are made from soft fabrics and often feature lace patterns and other flourishes.

Men's camisoles (or "camis") serve to flatten the male chest. It is considered inappropriate for a man's nipples to be visible through his clothing. Camis often cover the majority of the upper chest, but many show more skin. Men's panties are designed to support and protect male genitalia, simplifying their form into a shape appropriate for men's clothing, which often emphasizes the bulge. The codpieces of men's panties are usually constructed from soft but sturdy material, while the rest consists of more delicate material. Separate jockstraps (or "jockies"), with adjustable straps for a finer fit, are also available.

Suggestive clothing below the break

In a world of reversed gender norms...

Sorry to Anon here that this ask has been sitting in my inbox since January. It honestly slipped through the cracks.

I actually have a lot already decided as far as the premise and characters go. It would be set in a college and follow six students--three women and three men--as they navigate life and relationships in this world. I'm still working on the character's designs but I can share some sketches and information about them if there's interest.

Thanks for the asks! Sorry it’s taken me a while to answer them. In this world, it’s still females that menstruate, but society’s attitude towards periods is different. Periods are seen as a sign of women’s toughness. After all, men are too delicate to endure monthly cramps and bleeding.

Periods are still somewhat of a taboo for discussion, but in the same way farting and shitting are considered taboo; invoking them casually is a common form of crass humor. Menstruation is also the source of slang terms like “bleeding onesself” or “perritation,” describing the (usually exaggerated) grumpiness or moodiness tied to the menstrual cycle.

In a world of reversed gender norms...

I just barely managed to eke this pic out before the Winter Olympics ended!

In a world of reversed gender norms...

Happy Valentina's day, everybody! Here's an image I drew last year for the occasion. After all, what's more romantic than a wedding?

“Lords and gentlewomen, sisters and brothers. We are gathered here today to celebrate the marriage of Señora Catalina Míriam Emperatriz to Señorito Guillermo Magnolio de Leona.”