So I posted an update about a week ago, about different sexualities. I now wanted to post an update on different gender identities. Please note that these are the major gender identities. In no way is this an exhaustive list.
DISCLAIMER- GENDER AND SEX ARE TWO DIFFERENT THINGS.
Now that we've got that aside, let's move on.
There are the gender identities that are more well known, such as cisgender and transgender. Cisgender means to identify with the body you were born with or the sex denoted on your birth certificate. Cisgendered people are the most common.
Transgender is an umbrella term, usually meaning to identify as the opposite sex, i.e. someone who was born male identifying as a female, or someone born female identifying as male. There are acronyms describing the trans* journey- "mtf" means "male to female" and "ftm" means "female to male". Not all trans people transition- everyone's definition of "transitioning" is different.
Like with sexual orientations, the prefix attached to a gender identity denotes the meaning of the identity. For example, agender, like asexual, means to feel that you have no gender or the absence of gender. Agender individuals express themselves in any way they choose, be it more masculine, feminine, or neither.
Bigender individuals identify with two genders, sometimes masculine (male) and feminine (female), or others. People who are bigender do not all identify the same way. Some identify as agender and female. It's different for everyone.
Trigender is an identity in which one connects or identifies with three different genders. Similiar to bigender, but this person has more genders.
Genderfluid individuals switch between genders. As per the name, their gender identity is fluid and changes. Some days they feel masculine, some days feminine, others agender, etc. There's no limit to how many genders this person can be- anything and everything is open to them.
Nonbinary means to identify with any gender that is not exclusively male or female. This can be used as an umbrella term or as a gender identity in it of itself.
Demigirls are individuals who identify as female, but not wholly female.
Demiboys, like demigirls, identify as male, but not wholly male.
If you feel I have forgotten anything, please let me know in the comments!
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A Guide to LGBT Terms
Non-FictionAn introduction to the more invisible orientations and identities, be they gender, sexual, or romantic. Asexuality will play a very large role in this guide, as it and pansexuality deserve more exposure! Cover art IS NOT MINE!
