Livejournal

Livejournal is a social media platform centered around journaling created in 1999. Users can upload entries to their personal journals, follow other users' journals, and make and receive comments on individual entries. The site also allows users to create and join "communities", which generally allow members to upload their own entries and serve as hubs for discussion of shared interests.

The first known Livejournal communities with a non-binary focus appeared in 2002. Non-binary people also participated in some general trans communities, such as a community for "FTMs".

Trans scholar Cassius Adair views the social networks of queer and trans young people that formed on Livejournal as a precursor to non-binary and transmasculine networking on Tumblr.

Non-binary Communities

genderqueer (active 2002-2017)

Icon for the genderqueer Livejournal community.

In 2002, users created a community called "genderqueer", offering a broad definition of genderqueerness:

This community is for those of us who don't feel we fit the binary gender system in use by most of society. Ungendered, many gendered, a gender other than the one society thinks you should be? Do you express your gender(s) in nontraditional ways? You just might fit in here!

As of 2024, the community had 2,036 members and 4,030 journal entries, making it relatively popular among non-binary communities on Livejournal. Throughout 2007, the community generally received at least one post per day.

Members used the community to introduce themselves, ask for information and advice related to gender identity and expression, and to inquire about other genderqueer people in their area.

Gender neutral language was a recurring topic of discussion. In 2008, user hundun advocated for the use of singular they, arguing that objections stemmed from linguistic prescriptivism and inviting others to join them in using it going forward, even if some people may find it awkward. Users generally agreed with hundun's pro-singular they position; however, user montrealais found hundun's use of singular verb forms ("they is") in examples unnecessary, pointing out that "you are" sounds perfectly natural.

Many posts also promoted events, communities, calls to action, and writing they saw as relevant to a genderqueer audience. The most recent post was in January 2017.

Reddit user antieuclid noted that this community introduced them to the word "genderqueer" around 2005, helping them articulate their gender identity.

androgynes (active 2003-2023)

The androgynes icon, which shows a Necker cube.

In 2003, Livejournal user 36 created a community aimed at androgynes, defined as people who are "neither female nor male in appearance but something else (both, neither, in between or something else entirely)." 36 specified that they wanted a community for those presenting as androgynous in every-day life, rather than people interested in part-time gender transgression.

The profile also notes that androgynes have a range of gender identities, including third gender and androgynously gendered (between male and female). Some androgynes even find gender identity "something complex, absent, irrelevant or extremely personal".

The community used the Necker Cube symbol as its icon.

As of 2024, there were 484 members and 399 journal entries; the most recent was in January 2023.

birls (active 2003-2024)

The icon for the birls community.

In 2003, livejournal user back_to_or created a community called birls, explaining its audience in the userinfoː

Welcome to birls -

a community dedicated to androgynous/boyish/masculine females and those who don't let the stereotypes surrounding their sex define who they are.

Whether you're a tomboy or a butch dyke, a boi, genderqueer, or an androgyne, FTM or transgendered, or simply refuse to put a label on your identity... you're welcome here. Birl-admirers are welcome here, as well!

On-topic subjects for birls included "gender, sexuality, gender presentation, gender confusion". Introduction posts and selfies (including transition updates) were common, as well as posts promoting events and resources considered relevant to birls.

In 2019, a short comic by JB Brager called "Livejournal Made Me Gay" appeared in The Nib, exploring the community's impact on the artist as an adolescent experiencing "weird gender feelings".

As of 2024, the community had 3,028 members and 24,309 journal entries.

Trans Communities

ftm

This community used "ftm" as an umbrella term referring to AFAB people who felt this assignment was "incorrect or incomplete".

A linguistic analysis of entries and comments from the community conducted by Lal Zimman and Will Hayworth suggests that participants were more likely to use the term "genderqueer" than "non-binary", a term which gained popularity later. "Genderqueer" was also more commonly used by users than "agender", "genderfluid", "genderfuck", or "bigender".

Removal of "Unspecified" Gender Option

In December 2009, many users reacted negatively to an upcoming change to Livejournal's account creation process that would force new users to choose between "Male" or "Female", removing the "Unspecified" option. Reasons for opposing the changed included a desire for privacy and a distaste for gendered advertising, in addition to concerns about the impact on those outside the binary.

In response to a post on the queer̠rage community decrying Livejournal's decision, auburnamnesia remarked that "discriminating against a large portion of your userbase in order to get teh ad revenues is NOT good business practice". raenbow expressed a general opposition to limiting users to a ""drop down box' list of choices for gender" and asserted that "[n]ot everyone is male or female".

synecdochic posted a call to action on Dreamwidth, asking other disgruntled users to change their gender fields to "Unspecified" and to contact Livejournal to make their disapproval known. She argued that implementing a mandatory, binary gender field was oppressive towards transgender and genderqueer people, and noted that genderqueer users had already advocated expanding gender options to include "Other". Her post received 332 comments.

In response to this community pushback, Livejournal staff clarified that they understood gender was not binary and announced that they had dropped their plans to change the sign-up process.