Nymboy or Abinboy refers to an abinary boy, a person who identifies as a boy but in a way removed entirely from the gender binary. It is a type of boyhood that lacks ties to the gender-binary, including a relationship to binary boyhood, manhood, maleness, cisness, male-alignment, binary masculinity, and most other widespread connotations of boyhood. Nymboys may even see their boyhood as anonbinary or something else entirely. It is a boyhood that is not gendervir in any way.
The term is a combination of the words "homonym" and "boy". A nymboy describing their gender identity as “boy” is utilizing a homonym, because their gender, which they call “boy”, is a separate gender from the binary gender “boy,” despite the fact that the two genders have the same name. It refers to those who repurpose or redefine the word boy in an abinary way. Nymboys may also choose to come up with their own definition of boy to more accurately describe specifically how they experience boyhood outside of the binary-gender system. Some possible examples of nymboy experiences include:
- Feeling as though their gender is the place where the binary gender boy used to be.
- Having a gender that started out as the binary gender “boy” but has become something else entirely, while still feeling as if the name “boy” applies to that gender.
- Using the word boy in contexts which do not pertain to the gender binary.
- Feeling as though their boyhood is unrelated to or cannot be explained in relation to girlhood.
- Having a gender that sounds like the word boy but is spelled differently, and is thus may be a different gender (boi, bxy, b*y etc.)
- Feeling connected to attributes of boyhood that are unrelated to binary gender.
- Experiencing a version of boyhood in a gender system that is not the Western binary-gender system.
- Feeling gender euphoria from being called a boy despite being completely outside the gender binary.
- Feeling as though the abinary aspects of their identity cancels out or removes the binary gendered meaning of the word boy.
History
Nymboy was coined by Tumblr user Xenoleaf on August 31st, 2020.[1] The flag was created at the same time. Nymboy was created to describe xyr own gender experience, as xe identifies as a boy and want others to call xym a boy, yet xyr gender is drastically different than boyhood, and being included in the gender binary make xym dysphoric. Xe also see xyr boyhood as defined by its xenine qualities like being youthful, curious, free, innocent, and energetic, as well as blue, green, and yellow, which are unrelated to the role of boy in the binary gender system.
Nymboy is also an attempt to call attention to the fact that “boy” itself is an umbrella term and can have a lot of different meanings, definitions, and connotations outside of its most common use in the boy/girl male/female gender binary system.