Editing Neutrois

{{infobox identity}}
{{Personal story
| quote = I'm okay with nobody knowing that I might also be neutrois and not just male. And I'm okay with being not sure about this.
| name = Nathan
| age = 21
| identity = male
}}
'''Neutrois''' is a gender-neutral identity under the [[nonbinary]] and [[transgender]] umbrellas. Some people consider neutrois to be inherently tied to [[gender dysphoria]] and a desire to make a physical [[transition]] to a [[gender neutral]] presentation—but as a result of the diversity of people who identify as neutrois, some of them say they don't have one or more of those traits, and are no less neutrois for it.<ref name="Outpost-WhatareNeutrois">{{cite web|editors=Axey, Qwill, Rave, and Luscious Daniel|title=What are neutrois?|work=Neutrois Outpost|date=11 November 2000|archive-date=2 March 2001| archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20010302160052/http://www.neutrois.com/defin.htm |url=http://www.neutrois.com/defin.htm}}</ref> A person of any [[ethnicity and culture|cultural or ethnic background]] can call [[singular they|themself]] neutrois, and a neutrois person may use any [[pronouns]] they like.

==Etymology==

The word "neutrois" was created by a neutrois person named H. A. Burnham in 1995.<ref name="Outpost-FAQ">{{cite web|editors=Axey, Qwill, Rave, and Luscious Daniel|title=Frequently Asked Questions|work=Neutrois Outpost|date=23 November 2000 |url=http://www.neutrois.com/faq.htm|archive-url=http://web.archive.org/web/20010307115554/http://www.neutrois.com/faq.htm |archive-date=7 March 2001}}</ref> The word "neutrois" is presumably made from French ''neutre'', meaning "neutral" or "neuter," and French ''trois,'' "three," as in [[third gender]]. Because French ''trois'' has sounds that are difficult to Anglicize, some pronunciations of neutrois in use are new-TWA,<ref name="Conlan">{{Cite web |title=Red: "Non-Binary" Person Rejects Male/Female Gender Duality |last=Conlan |first=Mark Gabrish |work=Indybay |date=17 July 2011 |access-date=7 May 2020 |url= https://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2011/07/17/18685039.php }}</ref> new-TRAW, new-TROY, new-TROYS, new-TROSS, new-TROZ, or new-TROYZ.<ref name="Cottle">{{Cite web |title=Hallelujah, it’s raining labels |author=Cottle, J.M. |work=jmcottle.com |date=16 July 2011 |access-date=7 May 2020 |url= https://jmcottle.com/hallelujah-its-raining-labels/}}</ref>

==History==

In 1995, the word "neutrois" was created by a neutrois person named H. A. Burnham, who described it in public posts to Internet newsgroups for transgender people.<ref name="Outpost-FAQ" />

The 2013 text ''Sexuality and Gender for Mental Health Professionals: A Practical Guide'' mentioned neutrois as one of many valid nonbinary identities.<ref>{{cite book|isbn=9781446293133|title=Sexuality and Gender for Mental Health Professionals: A Practical Guide|last1=Richards|first1=Christina|last2=Barker|first2=Meg|year=2013|publisher=SAGE Publications}}</ref>

In 2014, neutrois was one of 50 genders made available on the social networking site Facebook.<ref name = "Telegraph" >[http://www.telegraph.co.uk/technology/facebook/10637968/Facebook-sex-changes-which-one-of-50-genders-are-you.html Facebook sex changes: which one of 50 genders are you?]. ''The Daily Telegraph''. February 14, 2014.</ref>

In 2018, Washington state began to allow "X" gender markers on official documents<ref name="Jackman">{{Cite web |title=Washington to recognise third gender in groundbreaking move |last=Jackman |first=Josh |work=PinkNews |date=5 January 2018 |access-date=14 May 2020 |url= https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/01/05/washington-to-recognise-third-gender-in-groundbreaking-move/}}</ref>, with the law stating that {{quote|"X" means a gender that is not exclusively male or female, including, but not limited to, [[intersex]], [[agender]], [[amalgagender]], [[androgynous]], [[bigender]], [[demigender]], female-to-male, [[genderfluid]], [[genderqueer]], male-to-female, [[neutrois]], [[nonbinary]], [[pangender]], [[third gender|third sex]], [[transgender]], [[transsexual]], [[Two Spirit]], and unspecified.<ref name="washington">{{Cite web |title=WAC 246-490-075: Changing sex designation on a birth certificate. |author= |work=Washington State Legislature |date= |access-date=14 May 2020 |url= https://app.leg.wa.gov/WAC/default.aspx?cite=246-490-075}}</ref>}}

==Transition==

In 2000, the site ''Neutrois Outpost'' defined neutrois as a nonbinary identity that requires physical transition: "A Neutrois is someone who identifies as being non-gendered and seeks to lose the major physical signifiers that indicate gender to others (breasts, facial and body hair, crotch bulges, etc). Neutrois are not androgynes, but do pursue an androgynous appearance. They are uniquely bound by their gender dysphoria in that they find both male and female orientations wrong. Because of this, transitioning from an assigned gender, to either male, or female identities is not an acceptable solution. [...] Neutrois are trying to lose gender traits, not gain new ones."<ref name="Outpost-WhatareNeutrois" />

Similarly, Micah of ''Neutrois Nonsense'' defines neutrois as an identity that moves away from familiar gender markers: "Transition is a process of subtraction: a neutrois wishes to get rid of any and all gendered characteristics so as to achieve as neutral a body as possible. Physical transition may consist primarily in the removal of primary and/or secondary sex characteristics, such as genitals or breasts and body hair. Because the concept and identity of neutrois is relatively new, not all neutrois have undergone surgery, or even seriously want to undergo surgery or physical transition yet."<ref name="define">{{cite web|author=Micah|title=Define |url=https://genderqueer.me/neutrois/ |work=Genderqueer.me}}</ref>

Neutrois people can have had any gender assigned at birth. As such, some neutrois transition in a direction that is female-to-neutrois (FTN), and others are male-to-neutrois (MTN).<ref name="Outpost-WhatareNeutrois" /> A self-described FTN neutrois person can be seen using these terms in a newsgroup post in 1997, while talking about their gender dysphoria and their physical transition plans.<ref>Auden, "Comments on the group." January 17, 1997. soc.support.transgendered (newsgroup). [https://groups.google.com/d/msg/soc.support.transgendered/swaXjZvCHt0/glmUrjGYIqMJ https://groups.google.com/d/msg/soc.support.transgendered/swaXjZvCHt0/glmUrjGYIqMJ]</ref>

==Other uses of neutrois==

Some people who have adopted it, or defined it, have given it additional definitions that are different than, or at odds with, its original and main use.

According to Neutrois.com, there are currently two main definitions of neutrois: 1. Neutrois people use the word to mean that they have a gender identity that is neither male nor female, but neutral.<ref name="neutrois.com-WhatIs">{{Cite web |title=What is Neutrois? |author= |work=Neutrois.com |date= |access-date=12 May 2021 |url= http://neutrois.com/what-is-neutrois/}}</ref> 2. Other neutrois people use the word to mean that they have no internal sense of [[gender identity]]. In this latter definition, it's a synonym for agender or genderless.<ref name="neutrois.com-WhatIs" />

Some consider neutrois to be a form of [[Transsexual|transsexuality]]. Some neutrois people feel [[gender dysphoria]], and some don't. Some neutrois people seek to physically [[transition]] to an ambiguous, androgynous, or neutral [[gender expression]], whereas some don't seek this.<ref name="neutrois.com-WhatIs" /><ref name="define" />

Some use the word neutrois as a synonym of [[Agender|agender or genderless]], whereas others say these words mean completely different things, and are not interchangeable words.<ref name="neutrois.com-WhatIs" /> For more information on this dispute, see [[Agender#Difference between genderless and neutrois|Difference between genderless and neutrois]].

==Similar genders==

According to ''Neutrois Outpost'', neutrois isn't another word for [[androgyne]], and the difference between neutrois people and androgynes is gender dysphoria: "While Neutrois seek an androgynous appearance, androgynes aren't Neutrois because being Neutrois involves [[gender dysphoria]]. Androgynes don't necessarily have any difficulties with their gender identities."<ref name="Outpost-FAQ" /> The origin of the word [[androgyne]] means "male-female," such as a person who is a mix of male and female. For this reason, some neutrois people don't want to also be called androgynes, because their gender identity is an ''absence'' of male and female, not a mix of ''both'' male and female. ''Neutrois Nonsense'' says, "Neutrois is not androgyne, it's quite the opposite. Androgyny is a combination of female and male characteristics, while neutrois is an elimination of them."<ref name="define" />

While these are only some definitions for androgyne, which itself has many meanings that are not agreed upon, this still highlights that people adopt the word "neutrois" for themselves because they feel the word "androgyne" has meanings that don't suit them.

Depending on which definition a person uses for neutrois, some other gender identity labels have a similar meaning. If one defines neutrois as having a gender identity that is not female or male, it can mean much the same as [[aporagender]] or [[maverique]]. However, these have their own nuances of meaning.

== Symbols ==

These are some symbols that have been used or proposed for neutrois.

<gallery>
File:Gender-Symbol Neutrois Alternative dark transparent Background.png|A neutrois or [[neuter]] [[gender symbols|gender symbol]], Unicode U+26B2 ⚲
File:Neutrois Outpost symbol.jpg|Neutrois gender symbol. The circles represent a null gender, a variation on Venus and Mars symbols. The additional lavender triangle is for pride in [[LGBT]] identity.<ref name="Outpost-FAQ" />
File:Neutrois_null_symbol.png‎|A neutrois symbol. Can be seen as a variation on the Venus and Mars symbols that omits the prongs of either. Null or empty set symbol, unicode U+2205 ∅
File:Gender-Symbol Neutrois dark transparent Background.png|A neutrois or neuter symbol. Based on Venus and Mars symbols, without prongs. Unicode U+26AA ⚪
</gallery>


== Notable neutrois people ==

''See main article: [[Notable nonbinary people]]''

There are many more [[notable nonbinary people|notable people who have a gender identity outside of the binary]]. The following are only some of those notable people who specifically use the word "neutrois" for themselves. 

''Please help expand this section.''

== Neutrois characters in fiction ==

''See main article: [[Nonbinary gender in fiction#Nonbinary genders in fiction|Nonbinary gender in fiction]]''

There are many more [[Nonbinary gender in fiction#Nonbinary genders in fiction|nonbinary characters in fiction who have a gender identity outside of the binary]]. The following are only some of those characters who are specifically called by the word "neutrois," either in their canon, or by their creators.

* The protagonist of the comic [https://beesbuzz.biz/comics/unity Unity] by fluffy is called "neutrois" in the canon.
* In a short sci-fi story by Benjanun Sriduangkaew, "[http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/sriduangkaew_12_13/ Silent Bridge, Pale Cascade]" (2013), one of the characters is described as a "[[neutrois]]," and called by "they" pronouns.<ref name="MacFarlane">{{Cite web |title=Post-Binary Gender in SF: ExcitoTech and Non-Binary Pronouns |last=MacFarlane |first=Alex Dally |work=Tor.com |date=3 June 2014 |access-date=12 May 2021 |url= https://www.tor.com/2014/06/03/post-binary-gender-in-sf-excitotech-and-non-binary-pronouns/}}</ref><ref name="Sriduangkaew">{{Cite web |title=Silent Bridge, Pale Cascade |last=Sriduangkaew |first=Benjanun |work=Clarkesworld Magazine |date=December 2013 |access-date=12 May 2021 |url= http://clarkesworldmagazine.com/sriduangkaew_12_13/}}</ref>

==External links==
*[http://gender.wikia.com/wiki/Neutrois Gender Wiki's Neutrois article]
*[http://neutrois.com/ Neutrois.com]
*[http://web.archive.org/web/20090818040039/http://neutrois.0catch.com:80/ Neutrois Outpost] (the original neutrois site, resurrected)
*[http://neutrois.me/ Neutrois Nonsense]
*[https://susans.org/wiki/Neutrois Susan's Place Transgender Resource Wiki: Neutrois]

==See also==
*[[Nonbinary]]
*[[Agender]]
*[[Gender Neutral]]
*[[Aporagender]]
*[[Maverique]]

==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Nonbinary identities]]

[[de:neutrois]]