A reader asks:

I want a more feminine handwriting. Just like voices, one can usually take a quick glance at a letter and make a pretty good guess as to what gender the writer was. But I just can’t put my finger on what it is that makes a handwriting “feminine” or “masculine.” What can I do?

Studies show that most people can make a better-than-chance guess of someone’s gender identity based on their handwriting.

Handwriting uses gender stereotypes of what a society thinks is “masculine” or “feminine.” As with voice, the best way to change your handwriting is to look at the handwriting of people who are your age, gender, ethnicity, education level, etc. and try to match theirs.

Most people do less longhand writing because of computers and mobile devices. It is a great skill to have for writing cards and notes. If you take the time to work on this, it can make a big change in how your handwriting is perceived by others.

Next: Basic handwriting concepts

Handwriting and gender