Genderqueer

Genderqueer (GQ), also termed non-binary, is a catch-all category for gender identities that are not exclusively masculine or feminine—identities which are thus outside of the gender binary and cisnormativity. Genderqueer people may identify as one or more of the following:

• having an overlap of, or indefinite lines between, gender identity;
• having two or more genders (being bigender, trigender, or pangender);
• having no gender (being agender, nongendered, genderless, genderfree or neutrois);
• moving between genders or having a fluctuating gender identity (genderfluid); or
• being third gender or other-gendered, a category which includes those who do not place a name to their gender.

Some genderqueer people also desire physical modification or hormones to suit their preferred expression. Gender and sex are distinct concepts, and some genderqueer people identify as a male woman or a female man, or combine genderqueer with another gender option. Gender identity is separate from sexual or romantic orientation, and genderqueer people have a variety of sexual orientations, just like transgender and cisgender people do.

In addition to being an umbrella term, genderqueer has been used as an adjective to refer to any people who transgress distinctions of gender, regardless of their self-defined gender identity, i.e. those who "queer" gender, expressing it non-normatively. Androgynous is frequently used as a descriptive term for people in this category, though genderqueer people may express a combination of masculinity and femininity, or neither, in their gender expression, and not all identify as androgynous. However, the term has been applied by those describing what they see as a gender ambiguity. Some references use the term transgender broadly, in such a way that it includes genderqueer/non-binary people.

Genderqueer pride flag

Genderfluid

A person who is genderfluid prefers to remain flexible about their gender identity rather than committing to a single gender. They may fluctuate between genders or express multiple genders at the same time.

Agender

Agender ('a-' meaning "without") people, also called genderless, genderfree, non-gendered, or ungendered people are those who identify as having no gender or being without any gender identity. This category includes a very broad range of identities which do not conform to traditional gender norms. However, Enke notes that people who identify with any of these positions may not necessarily self-identify as transgender.

Neutrois and agender were two of 50 available "custom" genders on Facebook, which were added on February 13, 2014. Agender is also available as a gender option on OkCupid since 17 November 2014.

Gender neutrality

Main article: Gender neutrality

Gender neutrality is the movement to end discrimination of gender altogether in society through means of gender-neutral language, the end of sex segregation, and other means.

Pronouns and titles

Some genderqueer people prefer to use gender-neutral pronouns such as one, ze, sie, hir, co, ey or singular "they", "their" and "them", while others prefer the conventional binary pronouns "her" or "him". Some genderqueer people prefer to be referred to alternately as he and she, and some prefer to use only their name and not use pronouns at all.

Many genderqueer people prefer additional neutral language, such as the title "Mx" instead of Mr. or Ms.

Legal recognition of non-binary gender

File:Anjali gopalan.jpg

Asia's first Genderqueer Pride Parade at Madurai with Anjali Gopalan

In Australia, sex/gender can be listed on passports as "male", "female", or "X" (for "indeterminate/intersex/unspecified"). An alliance of organizations including the National LGBTI Health Alliance, Organisation Intersex International Australia and Transgender Victoria has called for "X" to be redefined as "non-binary".

Discrimination

Main article: Discrimination towards non-binary gender persons

United States

The majority of respondents to the National Transgender Discrimination Survey chose "A gender not listed here." The Q3GNLH (Question 3 Gender Not Listed Here) respondents reported being 9 percentage-points (33%) more likely to forgo healthcare due to fear of discrimination than the general sample (36% compared to 27%). 90% reported experiencing anti-trans bias at work and 43% reported having attempted suicide.

See also

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