In the diverse world of gender identities, various terms help individuals articulate their unique experiences and feelings about gender. Here’s a comprehensive guide to some of these terms:
- AFAB: An acronym for “assigned female at birth.”
- Agender: Describes individuals who don’t identify with any gender.
- Aliagender: A nonbinary gender identity that doesn’t align with traditional gender norms.
- AMAB: An acronym for “assigned male at birth.”
- Androgyne: Individuals who have a gender identity or presentation that’s neutral or a mix of masculine and feminine traits.
- Aporagender: A broad term for a nonbinary gender that is distinct from male, female, or their combinations.
- Bigender: Refers to someone who identifies with two different genders.
- Binarism: The classification of gender into two distinct, opposite groups, often leading to the exclusion of nonbinary identities.
- Body Dysphoria: A type of gender dysphoria involving discomfort with certain physical characteristics.
- Boi: Used mainly in LGBTQIA+ Communities of Color, it describes someone with a “boyish” gender or sexuality.
- Butch: Often used in LGBTQIA+ communities to describe a masculine presentation or identity.
- Cisgender: People who identify with the gender they were assigned at birth.
- Cishet: Refers to individuals who are both cisgender and heterosexual.
- Cisnormativity: The presumption that being cisgender is the norm.
- Cissexism: Discrimination against those who are not cisgender.
- Demiboy: Someone who partially identifies with being male or masculine.
- Demigender: An umbrella term for partial identification with a particular gender.
- Demigirl: Someone who partially identifies with being female or feminine.
- Dyadic: Individuals with sex characteristics that fit the male/female binary.
- Feminine-of-center: People who identify closer to femininity.
- Feminine-presenting: Individuals whose external appearance is considered feminine.
- Femme: A gender identity or expression that leans towards femininity.
- Female-to-male (FTM): Usually refers to trans men or transmasculine people assigned female at birth.
- Gender Apathetic: People who don’t strongly identify with any gender or gender labels.
- Gender Binary: The division of gender into two distinct categories.
- Gender Dysphoria: The distress caused by a discrepancy between a person’s gender identity and their assigned sex.
- Gender Expansive: An umbrella term for people who challenge conventional gender norms.
- Gender Expression: The external manifestation of one’s gender identity.
- Gender Identity: A person’s internal sense of their own gender.
- Gender-Neutral Pronouns: Pronouns not specifically associated with male or female genders.
- Gender Nonconforming: Describes individuals whose gender expression differs from societal expectations.
- Gender Normative: Gender traits or identities that align with societal norms.
- Gender Presentation: Similar to gender expression, it refers to how one’s gender is externally presented.
- Gender Questioning: Individuals who are exploring aspects of their gender.
- Gender Roles: Societal expectations based on perceived or assigned gender.
- Gender Variant: An umbrella term for gender identities that differ from societal norms.
- Genderfluid: A gender identity that varies over time.
- Genderfuck: A presentation or identity that challenges traditional gender norms.
- Genderqueer: A nonbinary gender identity that isn’t exclusively male or female.
- Gendervoid: Someone who feels an absence of gender.
- Graygender: Individuals who have a vague or weak gender identity.
- Intergender: A nonbinary identity between male and female.
- Intersex: People with sex characteristics that don’t fit typical binary notions.
- Masculine-of-center: Individuals who identify more with masculinity.
- Masculine-presenting: People whose external appearance is considered masculine.
- Maverique: A nonbinary identity distinct from male/female or masculine/feminine categories.
- Misgender: Incorrectly referring to someone’s gender.
- Male-to-female (MTF): Often refers to trans women or transfeminine people assigned male at birth.
- Multi-gender: Identifying with more than one gender identity.
- Neutrois: A nonbinary identity that is neither man nor woman.
- Nonbinary: A gender identity that doesn’t fit into male or female categories.
- Novigender: A complex, unique gender identity that defies existing language.
- Omnigender: Experiencing many or all genders simultaneously or over time.
- Pangender: Similar to omnigender, it includes a vast spectrum of gender experiences.
- Polygender: Having multiple gender identities either simultaneously or over time.
- Sex: Biological attributes defining male, female, or intersex bodies.
- Sex Assigned at Birth: The sex designation given at birth based on physical characteristics.
- Social Dysphoria: Distress from societal perceptions or interactions related to gender.
- Soft Butch: A nonconforming gender expression with some masculine traits.
- Stone Butch: Embodying traits of feminine butchness or traditional masculinity.
- Third Gender: A gender category outside the male/female binary.
- Transfeminine: A gender identity with a feminine aspect different from the assigned birth gender.
- Transgender or Trans: Identifying with a gender different from the one assigned at birth.
- Transmasculine: A gender identity with a masculine aspect different from the assigned birth gender.
- Transitioning: Making changes to affirm one’s gender identity.
- Transsexual: A term historically used to describe a discrepancy between gender identity and assigned sex.
- Trigender: The experience of having three gender identities.
- Two-Spirit: A Native American term for traditional gender and sexuality roles outside the Western binary system.
Each term represents a unique aspect of gender identity, offering insight into the diverse ways people experience and express gender. It’s important to respect and understand these terms to foster an inclusive and accepting environment for all individuals, regardless of their gender identity.
Reference Links: How Many Genders Are There? A Full Identity & Expression List (healthline.com)
