Along with the female sign (♀️), it's used as one of the most basic gender symbols and is also used in biological classification. Recently, it has also been used symbolically when discussing topics related to men's health or men's rights.

This symbol was also first used in astronomy to represent the planet Mars. As the red planet Mars became associated with the god of war, his symbols of a shield and spear came to represent masculinity. This symbol, combining science and mythology, has now become a universal convention for representing men, transcending culture and language.