Neutrois: Difference between revisions

{{infobox identity}}

'''Neutrois''' is an identity under the [[nonbinary]] and [[transgender]] umbrellas. Generally speaking, neutrois is a [[transsexual]] identity, meaning that it involves [[gender dysphoria]] and a desire to make a physical [[transition]] to a [[gender neutral]] presentation. However, 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. What is agreed upon is that neutrois is a nonbinary gender identity, and that people of any [[Assigned gender at birth|gender assigned at birth]] can have this identity.<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.

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>

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>}}

In 2000, the site ''Neutrois Outpost'' defined neutrois as a transsexual nonbinary identity: "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 a transsexual 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>Micah. "Define." ''Neutrois Nonsense.'' [http://neutrois.me/neutrois/ http://neutrois.me/neutrois/]</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>

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>"Define." ''Neutrois Nonsense.'' [http://neutrois.me/neutrois]</ref>

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>Micah. "Define." ''Neutrois Nonsense.'' [http://neutrois.me/neutrois/ http://neutrois.me/neutrois/]</ref>

* 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>

*[http://web.archive.org/web/20090818040039/http://neutrois.0catch.com:80/ Neutrois Outpost] (the original neutrois site, resurrected)

*[https://susans.org/wiki/Neutrois Susan's Place Transgender Resource Wiki: Neutrois]