diff --git a/gramps/plugins/export/exportvcard.py b/gramps/plugins/export/exportvcard.py
index 68ea9ca6e..d40a473a2 100644
--- a/gramps/plugins/export/exportvcard.py
+++ b/gramps/plugins/export/exportvcard.py
@@ -52,7 +52,7 @@ _ = glocale.translation.gettext
 from gramps.gui.plug.export import WriterOptionBox
 from gramps.gen.const import PROGRAM_NAME
 from gramps.version import VERSION
-from gramps.gen.lib import Date
+from gramps.gen.lib import Date, Person
 from gramps.gen.lib.urltype import UrlType
 from gramps.gen.lib.eventtype import EventType
 from gramps.gen.display.name import displayer as _nd
@@ -171,6 +171,7 @@ class VCardWriter(object):
             self.write_name(prname)
             self.write_sortstring(prname)
             self.write_nicknames(person, prname)
+            self.write_gender(person)
             self.write_birthdate(person)
             self.write_addresses(person)
             self.write_urls(person)
@@ -252,6 +253,18 @@ class VCardWriter(object):
         if len(nicknames) > 0:
             self.writeln("NICKNAME:%s" % (','.join(self.esc(nicknames))))
 
+    def write_gender(self, person):
+        """Write the X-GENDER property of a VCard (X- dropped in 4.0, we're at 3.0)."""
+        gender = person.get_gender()
+        gender_value = ''
+        if gender == Person.MALE:
+            gender_value = 'Male'
+        elif gender == Person.FEMALE:
+            gender_value = 'Female'
+        log.info("gender: %s -> %s" % (gender, gender_value))
+        if gender_value:
+            self.writeln("X-GENDER:%s" % (gender_value))
+
     def write_birthdate(self, person):
         """Write the BDAY property of a VCard."""
         birth_ref = person.get_birth_ref()
diff --git a/gramps/plugins/importer/importvcard.py b/gramps/plugins/importer/importvcard.py
index bc7b54b2d..74daa3084 100644
--- a/gramps/plugins/importer/importvcard.py
+++ b/gramps/plugins/importer/importvcard.py
@@ -278,6 +278,10 @@ class VCardParser(object):
                 self.add_url(fields, line_parts[1])
             elif property_name == "EMAIL":
                 self.add_email(fields, line_parts[1])
+            elif property_name == "X-GENDER" or property_name == "GENDER":
+                # VCard 3.0 only has X-GENDER, GENDER is 4.0 syntax,
+                # but we want to be robust here.
+                self.add_gender(fields, line_parts[1])
             elif property_name == "PRODID":
                 # Included cause VCards made by Gramps have this prop.
                 pass
@@ -509,3 +513,17 @@ class VCardParser(object):
             url.set_type(UrlType(UrlType.EMAIL))
             url.set_path(self.unesc(email))
             self.person.add_url(url)
+
+    def add_gender(self, fields, data):
+        """Read the GENDER property of a VCard."""
+        gender_value = data.strip()
+        if gender_value:
+            gender_value = gender_value.upper()
+            gender_value = gender_value[0]
+            if gender_value == 'M':
+                gender = gen.lib.Person.MALE
+            elif gender_value == 'F':
+                gender = gen.lib.Person.FEMALE
+            else:
+                return
+            self.person.set_gender(gender)