Gender glossary

• Agender
• Androgynous
• Bigender
• Cisgender
• Demiromantic
• Genderfluid
• Gender Nonconforming
• Genderqueer
• Gender Questioning
• Intersex
• Non-binary
• Pangender
• Trans Man
• Trans Woman
• Transfeminine
• Transmasculine
• Two-Spirit
• Queer

Agender

A human who does not identify themselves as having a gender, or who may identify themselves as gender-neutral. Alternative terms include genderfree, ungendered, or genderblank.

Androgynous

Androgyny is a gender expression characterised by a combination of both masculine and feminine characteristics.

Bigender

Bigender humans have two distinct gender identities - for example they could identify as both male and female, or as two other gender identities. They may identify as both simultaneously, or move between the two.

Cisgender

Someone whose gender identity aligns with the one they were assigned at birth.

Demiromantic

Demiromantic humans need to establish a strong emotional or sexual connection with a partner before they feel a romantic connection to them.

Genderfluid

Genderfluid humans move between different gender identities at different times. They may move between one gender at a time, or identify as several different ones.

Gender Nonconforming

Gender-nonconforming refers to humans whose gender expression does not match their socially prescribed gender identity. In other words, they are humans whose behavioural, cultural, or psychological presentation does not correspond with the traits typically associated with their gender.

Genderqueer

A human who does not follow binary gender norms; a term similar to non-binary, but considered by some to be a more politically-charged identity, by ‘queering’ ideas of gender.

Gender Questioning

A human engaged in the process of figuring out how best to describe their gender identity.

Intersex

Intersex humans are born with any variation in sex characteristics including anatomy, reproductive organs and/or chromosomes patterns that do not fit the typical definition of male or female. An intersex person may have any gender identity or sexual orientation.

Non-binary

A non-binary human has a gender identity which cannot be defined within the traditional binary of male or female. It’s a broad term which encompasses many ways to identify.

Pangender

Pangender, or omnigender, humans identify with a multiplicity of genders, either at the same time or fluctuating between them, similarly to gender-fluid.

Trans Man

Trans men (or FtM/MtM) are humans assigned female at birth (or born with intersex characteristics) but who identify as male. Trans men can have any sexual orientation.

Trans Woman

Transgender women are humans assigned male at birth (or born with certain intersex characteristics) but who identify as female. Trans women can have any sexual orientation.

Transfeminine

Humans who were assigned male at birth, but who identify more with femininity than masculinity. Transfeminine humans often prefer to present femininely or to transition to feminine gender expression, but do not always identify as female.

Transmasculine

The counterpoint to Transfeminine, this term refers to humans who were assigned female at birth, but who identify with masculinity to a greater extent than with femininity. While transmasculine humans usually prefer a more masculine gender expression, they do not necessarily always identify as male.

Two-Spirit

Two Spirit is a culturally distinct gender that encompasses possessing aspects of both a feminine and masculine spirit. It refers to the one of many mixed gender roles traditionally found among many Native Americans and Canadian First Nations indigenous groups. Humans who are not Native American should refrain from calling themselves Two-Spirit.

Queer

Queer is term used by humans who reject specific labels of sexual and romantic orientation, and/or gender identity. Originally a slur, it has been reclaimed as a term of expression which encompasses a wide range of identities and behaviours. It’s a term which is often politically-charged and indicates a rejection of traditional norms (eg. as in ‘genderqueer’, above).