Genderfluid: Difference between revisions

Kate Bornstein mentioned gender fluidity in 1994, in the book ''Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us'', "and then I found that gender can have fluidity, which is quite different from ambiguity. If ambiguity is a refusal to fall within a prescribed gender code, then fluidity is the refusal to remain one gender or another. Gender fluidity is the ability to freely and knowingly become one or many of a limitless number of genders, for any length of time, at any rate of change. Gender fluidity recognizes no borders or rules of gender."<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gender-fluid|title=gender-fluid|website=Merriam Webster|access-date=18 June 2021}}</ref>

The word "genderfluid" has been in use since at least the 1990s, albeit with a somewhat different meaning. Transgender advocate Michael M. Hernandez wrote in 1996:

{{quote|Gender-fluid means that their gender identity and/or expression encompass both [[masculine]] and [[feminine]]. Gender fluidity is becoming commonly known as transgenderism: the ability to transcend gender, whether biological, emotional, political, or otherwise; truly mixing male and female.<ref>{{cite book|title=The Second Coming: A Leatherdyke Reader|year=1996|last=Hernandez|first=Michael M.|chapter=Boundaries: Gender and Transgenderism}}</ref>}}

In the 1990s and 2000s, it might have been more common for genderfluid people to call themselves [[bigender]] or [[genderqueer]]. Earlier than that, they may have called themselves [[cross-dresser]]s.

In 2010, the [http://web.archive.org/web/20161013063943/http://gender-fluid.livejournal.com/ Gender-Fluid community] was created on LiveJournal.<ref>[http://web.archive.org/web/20161013063943/http://gender-fluid.livejournal.com/profile http://gender-fluid.livejournal.com/profile]</ref>

In 2012, JJ Poole (tumblr user thoughtstoberemembered) created what would become the most widely-used genderfluid flag.<ref>https://majesticmess.com/2018/12/20/interview-creator-of-the-genderfluid-flag/</ref><ref>https://lostinthoughtspaceandfantasies.tumblr.com/post/28596790877/jaidynmarri-a-proposed-design-for-a-genderfluid</ref>

In 2015, Dictionary.com added an entry for "gender-fluid,"<ref>"New words added to Dictionary.com." May 6, 2015. ''Dictionary.com.'' [http://web.archive.org/web/20161013063943/http://blog.dictionary.com/2015-new-words/ http://blog.dictionary.com/2015-new-words/]</ref> which it defined as an adjective meaning "noting or relating to a person whose gender identity or gender expression is not fixed and shifts over time or depending on the situation." It listed as synonyms genderfluid, gender fluid, and gender-flexible.<ref>"Gender-fluid." ''Dictionary.com.'' [http://web.archive.org/web/20161013063943/http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gender-fluid http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/gender-fluid]</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>}}

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[[File:Dorian Electra, Subterranean Chicago, March 7, 2018 (40794046452) (cropped).jpg|thumb|200px|<translate><!--T:33--> [[Dorian Electra]] performing in 2018.</translate>]]

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

* [[Courtney Act]] (b. 1982) is an Australian [[drag]] queen, pop singer, entertainer and reality television personality. Act first came to prominence competing on the first season of Australian Idol in 2003. She identifies as genderfluid<ref>{{cite tweet |title=I am a gender fluid person & in the public eye. I’m passionate about gender & sexuality & do my best to understand the greater conversation by reading & educating myself but I’m still always scared to tweet the wrong thing & offend someone and be vilified by others #genderquake |number=994040351668166656 |user=courtneyact |accessdate=3 April 2020 |language=en |date=8 May 2018}}</ref>, [[genderqueer]], [[pansexual]], and polyamorous.<ref name="cour_Abou">{{Cite web |title=About |author=Courtney Act |work= |date= |access-date=3 April 2020 |url= https://courtneyact.tumblr.com/about|quote=She’s a Prius driving, vegan, pansexual, polyamorous, genderqueer, hippy child}}</ref>

* [[Bimini Bon Boulash]] (b. 1993) is a British drag artist known for appearing in ''RuPaul's Drag Race UK''. In 2021 they tweeted that they are "fluid when it comes to gender."<ref>{{cite tweet|user=biminibabes|number=1352355865886662657|title=My idea was originally to paint my body in the colours of the trans* flag because I wanted to celebrate the beauty of being Trans and non-binary. As a person that identifies as fluid when it comes to gender.|date=21 January 2021}}</ref>

* [[Sand Chang|Sand C. Chang, PhD]] is a Chinese-American clinical psychologist and educator.<ref name="tran_Sand">{{Cite web |title=Sand Chang |author= |work=Trans Bodies, Trans Selves |date= |access-date=6 April 2020 |url= http://transbodies.com/people/sand-chang-2/}}</ref> Dr. Chang is nonbinary, [[genderqueer]], genderfluid, [[demiboy]]<ref name="yout_Ep69">{{Cite web |title=Ep 69 Dr. Sand Chang Licensed Psychologist Interview |last=Kramer |first=Kaiya |work=The Queer Life Radio |date=11 December 2015 |access-date=6 April 2020 |url= https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GtFtRleENew}}</ref> and [[femme]].<ref name="Harrison">{{Cite web |title=Food Psych #150: Disordered Eating & Gender Identity with Sand Chang |first=Christy|last= Harrison |date=2 April 2018 |access-date=28 April 2020 |url= https://christyharrison.com/foodpsych/5/eating-disorder-recovery-gender-identity-with-sand-chang}}</ref> They are one of the authors of ''A Clinician's Guide to Gender-Affirming Care: Working with Transgender and Gender Nonconforming Clients''.

* [[Jonathan Rachel Clynch]] (b. 1971) is a well-known journalist in Ireland. As reported in the ''Daily Beast'': "One of Irish broadcaster RTE’s best-known journalists just [in 2015] came out as 'gender fluid,' and the response so far seems wholly positive. ... The 44-year-old, who has yet to make a public statement, told his bosses that he wishes to now be known as Jonathan Rachel and would sometimes dress as a female. ... Clynch has worked with RTE for 16 years, often filling in on Radio One’s flagship 'News at One.' ... 'He has been open about it for a while now and his friends and family were all aware of his situation. He is going through a process at the moment and will speak about it in his own time and he hopes everyone will be respectful of that.'"<ref>Tom Sykes, "A ‘Gender Fluid’ Journalist Comes Out To Irish Cheers." 2015-09-18. ''Daily Beast.'' http://www.thedailybeast.com/articles/2015/09/18/a-gender-fluid-journalist-comes-out-to-irish-cheers.html</ref>

* [[Asia Kate Dillon]] (b. 1984) is an American actor known for playing Brandy Epps in ''Orange Is the New Black'' (2013) and Taylor Mason in ''Billions'' (2016). Dillon is nonbinary and genderfluid.<ref name="masters">{{Cite web |title=Asia Kate Dillon Talks Discovering The Word Non-Binary: 'I Cried' |last=Masters |first=Jeffrey |work=HuffPost |date=13 April 2017 |access-date=23 April 2020 |url= https://www.huffpost.com/entry/asia-kate-dillon-talks-discovering-the-word-non-binary_b_58ef1685e4b0156697224c7a}}</ref>

* [[Dorian Electra]] (b. 1992) is an American singer, songwriter, video and performance artist. Electra said, "Styling is so important to me as a genderfluid person, to be able to say “I’m a very flaming flammable guy”... it’s just very satisfying, ’cause that’s how I see myself, but I know it’s not necessarily how other people see me – they still call me ‘ma’am’ and stuff like that."<ref>https://www.dazeddigital.com/music/article/44167/1/dorian-electra-new-song-video-flamboyant-interview</ref>

* American singer-songwriter [[Evan Greer]] describes herself/themself<ref name="Grey">{{Cite web |title=interview: Evan Greer |author= |work=The Grey Estates |date=April 5, 2019 |access-date=May 12, 2020 |url= https://www.thegreyestates.com/blog/interview-evan-greer }}</ref> as [[genderqueer]]<ref name="EvanGreer">{{Cite web |title=Evan Greer - Bio |author= |work=evangreer.org |date= |access-date=12 May 2020 |url= https://evangreer.org/bio}}</ref>, genderfluid<ref name="Greer2017">{{Cite web |title=Trump is bullying transgender kids because he thinks he can get away with it |last=Greer |first=Evan |work=the Guardian |date=23 February 2017 |access-date=12 May 2020 |url= https://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2017/feb/23/donald-trump-transgender-legislation-kids-lgbt-community}}</ref><ref>{{cite tweet|title=I love my life and I love myself. I love being gender fluid and I am happy with my body. I feel incredibly lucky to feel that way.|date=Oct 11, 2017|user=evan_greer|number=918153389858525185}}</ref>, trans femme<ref>{{cite tweet|title=THREAD: as a gender nonconforming trans femme, every day is #NationalComingOutDay for me. Even in queer spaces, I must assert that I exist.|date=Oct 11, 2017|user=evan_greer|number=918151132593184769}}</ref>

* [[Nikki Hiltz]] is an American mid-distance runner who came out in 2021, saying "The best way I can explain my gender is as fluid. Sometimes I wake up feeling like a powerful queen and other days I wake up feeling as if I'm just a guy being a dude, and other times I identify outside of the gender binary entirely."<ref name="onhe_Inco">{{Cite web |title=In coming out as trans, Nikki Hiltz is visible, vulnerable, and making track more inclusive |author=Hiltz, Nikki |work=On Her Turf |date=June 20, 2021 |access-date=July 23, 2021 |url= https://onherturf.nbcsports.com/2021/06/20/nikki-hiltz-coming-out-transgender-non-binary-track/}}</ref>

* [[Jana Hunter]] is an American songwriter and musician who is trans and genderfluid.<ref name="Hunter2015">{{Cite web |title=What It's Like to Be a Female Musician When You Don't Identify as a Woman |last=Hunter |first=Jana |work=Cosmopolitan |date=10 April 2015 |access-date=21 May 2020 |url= https://www.cosmopolitan.com/entertainment/music/a38918/jana-hunter-lower-dens-essay/}}</ref>

* [[Siufung Law]] is a Hong Kong bodybuilder and activist, whose homepage bio says they identify as genderfluid.<ref>[https://www.sfunglaw.com/ Homepage bio], accessed 7 June 2020</ref>  

* [[Bethany C. Meyers]] launched the fitness app for be.come, specializing in body-positive workouts. They also gave a TED talk on empowerment and body neutrality. Meyers is also [[bisexual]], and wrote, "When I get comments about not being 'gay enough' it hurts. Aside from the way my marriage may look to others, I'm pretty gay. I'm attracted to women, I date women, I sleep with women, my friends are queer, I feel/think queer, I identity as gender fluid / non-binary, my partner the same."<ref name="pink_Beth">{{Cite web |title=Bethany Meyers has penned a powerful message to her bisexual fans |last=Braidwood |first=Ella |work=PinkNews |date=23 August 2018 |access-date=1 April 2020 |url= https://www.pinknews.co.uk/2018/08/23/bethany-meyers-bisexual-proud-instagram/}}</ref>

* [[Ciarán Strange]] (b. 1989)<ref name="lezwatch">{{Cite web |title=Ciarán Strange: Actor Bio |author= |work=LezWatch.TV |date= |access-date=22 June 2020 |url= https://lezwatchtv.com/actor/ciaran-strange/}}</ref> is an English and Canadian singer, songwriter, and actor.<ref name=watchtheswitch>''[http://watchtheswitch.tumblr.com/post/89081083304/our-music-video-is-out-the-cast-of-the-switch "Tear Down The Wall" music video released]'', watchtheswitch.tumblr.com, June 17, 2014</ref> Strange composed the theme song for TV's first-ever transgender-focused sitcom, ''The Switch''.<ref name="siebert">{{Cite web |title=Kieran Strange gets vocal for nerd life and LGBT rights |last=Siebert |first=Amanda |work=The Georgia Straight |date=26 August 2015 |access-date=17 May 2020 |url= https://www.straight.com/music/517091/kieran-strange-gets-vocal-nerd-life-and-lgbt-rights}}</ref>

* [[SaSa Testa]] is the author of the autobiography ''Soy Sabrina, Soy Santiago: Género fluido y nuevas identidades'' (''I am Sabrina, I am Santiago: Genderfluid and new identities''). Testa is genderfluid.<ref name="Hadad">{{Cite web |title="Me dicen SaSa porque no me siento ni Sabrina ni Santiago: no soy ni hombre ni mujer" |trans-title="Call me SaSa because I don't feel like Sabrina or Santiago: I'm neither man nor woman" |last=Hadad |first=Camila |work=Infobae |date=24 October 2018 |access-date=2 June 2020 |language=es|url= https://www.infobae.com/teleshow/infoshow/2018/10/24/me-dicen-sasa-porque-no-me-siento-ni-sabrina-ni-santiago-no-soy-ni-hombre-ni-mujer/}}</ref>

* [[Nico Tortorella]] (b. 1988) is an American actor and model, who is known for roles in films including Scream 4, the Fox crime drama series The Following, and the TV Land comedy-drama series Younger. They<ref name="NT-instagram">https://www.instagram.com/nicotortorella/</ref> identify as [[nonbinary]]<ref name="NT-instagram" />, [[gender nonconforming]]<ref name="just_Nico">{{Cite web |title=Nico Tortorella Opens Up About Sexuality & Gender Identity |author= |work=Just Jared |date=13 July 2019 |access-date=1 April 2020 |url= http://www.justjared.com/2019/07/13/nico-tortorella-opens-up-about-sexuality-gender-identity/}}</ref>, and genderfluid.<ref>{{Cite news |url=http://www.gaytimes.co.uk/culture/106408/american-actor-nico-tortorella-comes-out-as-gender-fluid/ |title=American actor Nico Tortorella comes out as gender fluid |date=2018-05-17 |work=Gay Times|access-date=2018-05-19}}</ref>

* [[Alok Vaid-Menon]] (b. 1991) is an Indian-American writer, performance artist, and media personality who performs under the moniker ALOK. They identify as genderfluid,<ref name="Alok-insta">[https://www.instagram.com/alokvmenon/ Instagram bio]</ref> and are internationally renowned for their creative work which they have presented in over 40 countries.<ref>{{Cite web|url=https://www.advocate.com/exclusives/2019/8/28/alok-vaid-menon-will-not-tone-it-down|title=Alok Vaid-Menon Will Not 'Tone it Down'|date=2019-08-28|website=www.advocate.com|language=en|access-date=2020-03-20}}</ref> They were featured in the [https://www.nbcnews.com/feature/nbc-out/pride-50-stonewall NBC Pride 50 alongside James Baldwin and Audre Lorde], and the [https://www.out.com/print/2019/11/25/out100-contributors-year OUT Magazine 100].

* [[Hida Viloria]] (b. 1968) is a Latinx American writer and [[intersex]] and nonbinary rights activist, of Colombian and Venezuelan descent. Viloria is Founding Director of the Intersex Campaign for Equality, and author of the memoir ''Born Both: An Intersex Life''. Viloria identifies as intersex and genderfluid.<ref name="Viloria2017">{{Cite web |title=If You Claim To Be Sex Positive, Then You Need To Be Intersex Positive |last=Viloria |first=Hida |work=HuffPost |date=7 April 2017 |access-date=25 April 2020 |url= https://www.huffpost.com/entry/sex-positive-intersex-positive_b_58e6d8d7e4b0acd784ca56cd |quote=As I write about in my memoir Born Both: An Intersex Life, I’m intersex and gender-fluid (meaning my gender identity and expression changes) }}</ref>

{{Clear}}

* TOMCAT. In the video game ''Read Only Memories'' the character TOMCAT uses they/them pronouns. While it is not directly stated in-game that TOMCAT is nonbinary, artist and director John James has stated in an interview that TOMCAT "is gender fluid"<ref>Jesse Tannous, "Read Only Memories Director discusses LGBTQ themes in gaming." June 20, 2015. ''The Examiner.'' https://web.archive.org/web/20151023215026/http://www.examiner.com/article/read-only-memories-director-discusses-lgbtq-themes-gaming</ref>.The game also includes other nonbinary characters, including the robot Turing and the protagonist if the player chooses so.

* ''Symptoms of Being Human'' stars Riley Cavanaugh, a closeted genderfluid teenager. Note: the book has some possibly triggering subjects, including child abuse, transphobic violence, bullying, and suicidal thoughts.<ref name="supe_Symp">{{Cite web |title=Symptoms Of Being Human Summary |author= |work=SuperSummary |date= |access-date=3 October 2020 |url= https://www.supersummary.com/symptoms-of-being-human/summary/}}</ref>

* In ''The Tiger's Watch'' by Julia Ember, the protagonist Tashi is genderfluid and uses [[singular they]] pronouns. The author notes that "Being [[Misgendering|misgendered]] and forced to change their appearance in order to hide is a source of conflict in the novel. It is not the central plot conflict, though."<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.goodreads.com/questions/738992-this-sounds-like-an-awesome-story-i-m|title=Shade asked: This sounds like an awesome story! I'm confused by the use of 'their' instead of 'her' or 'him' though.}}</ref>

* Sal in ''Mask of Shadows'' and ''Ruin of Stars'', by Linsey Miller, is genderfluid.

* Recurring character Puck/Owen Burnett in the 1994-1997 Disney show ''Gargoyles'' was confirmed to be genderfluid and [[polysexual]] by a 2014 interview with the creative team.<ref name="insider-database">{{Cite web |title=We created the first-ever searchable database of 259 LGBTQ characters in cartoons that bust the myth that kids can't handle inclusion |author= |work=insider.com |date=June 2021 |access-date=5 July 2021 |url= https://www.insider.com/lgbtq-cartoon-characters-kids-database-2021-06?page=explore-database}}</ref>