Genderfluid

The genderfluid flag.

Genderfluid is a term which refers to someone whose gender identity changes over time.

A genderfluid individual may identify as any gender identity or combination of gender identities at any given time. Their gender identity can change at random or may vary in response to different circumstances.

One's gender identity may change at different rates, possibly over the course of hours, days, weeks, months, or years. For some individuals their gender identity changes on a somewhat consistent "schedule." For others their gender identity changes inconsistently.

Some genderfluid individuals may be fluid between all gender identities, or a large number of gender identities. Others may be fluid between as few as two gender identities.

Genderfluid may be a gender identity on its own or it can be used as an umbrella term to describe anyone whose gender identity changes. For example, a bigender individual who feels more strongly agender sometimes and more strongly xenic other times may identify as genderfluid.

Genderfluid individuals may also identify with as multigender, non-binary and/or transgender.

Genderfluid individuals who feel as though only part of their gender is fluid may identify as demifluid.

Individuals who feel like the intensity of their gender changes or feel they are sometimes agender may identify as genderflux.

Some individuals under the genderfluid umbrella may identify as genderfae, a term describing individuals that are fluid in gender but never experience masculine genders. The masculine counterpart of genderfae is genderfaun and the neutral counterpart is genderflor.

History

In the 1990s and 2000s, it might have been more common for genderfluid individuals to call themselves bigender or genderqueer. Earlier than that, they may have called themselves cross-dressers. The word "genderfluid" has been in use since at least the 1990s, although with a different meaning. Transgender advocate Michael M. Hernandez wrote in 1996:

"Gender-fluid means that their gender identity and/or expression encompass both masculine and feminine. Gender fluidity is becoming commonly known as transgenderness: the ability to transcend gender, whether biological, emotional, political, or otherwise; truly mixing male and female."^[1]

The earliest recorded use of genderfluid, with a definition closer to the modern definition is in the Urban Dictionary "Gender Fluid" entry, which was added in 2007.^[2]

Flags and Symbols

The genderfluid flag was created by JJ Poole, or thoughtstoberememberedon Tumblr, on August 2, 2012.^[3] Pink represents femininity, blue represents masculinity, purple represents both femininity and masculinity, black represents a lack of gender, and white represents all genders.^[4]

The first alternate genderfluid flag was created on the LGBTA wiki by user Blueberryjello on December 17, 2020. Teal signifies masculinity, blue signifies demiboy, black signifies the combination of male and female, white signifies genderless identities, purple signifies demigirl, pink signifies femininity, and the hands signifies having open arms to all genders and sexualities.^[5]

The second alternate genderfluid flag was created by LGBTA wiki user FruitIndividual on February 10th, 2021. The lighter blue represents masculine identities, the pink represents feminine identities, the purple represents a blend between masculine and feminine identities, while the white represents indescribable and/or non-binary identities. The wave formation of the lines represents the fluidity and change experienced by those with this identity.

The third alternate genderfluid flag was created by LGBTA wiki user SageTheQueer also on February 10th, 2021. The purple represents the male area of the gender spectrum, the greyish blue represents indescribable genders, yellow represents non-binary genders, and pink represents the female area of the gender spectrum. The symbol in the center of the flag is a commonly used symbol of genderfluidity with black representing all genders.

The fourth alternate genderfluid flag was created on March 2, 2021. The colors represent the same as the original flag, with a butterfly emblem added to symbolize change.

The fifth alternate genderfluid flag was created by fluiddemivoid on May 17, 2021. The colors from top to bottom mean pink for femininity, blue of masculinity, yellow for demigenders/fluidity of them, green for lack of gender, orange for fluidity and xenogenders and black for void/completely genderless.