<![CDATA[An A to Z of Non-Binary Genders]]>So, here’s a thing that happened: Alex Dally MacFarlane had the temerity to suggest that non-binary gender is an actual thing that deserves to be represented in SFF, and certain persons lost their shit, citing a variety of ill-informed reasons that can basically be summarised as “non-binary gender doesn’t really exist, but if it did, we’d still think it was icky and unimportant, and also you’re just a liberal fascist trying to make us sympathise with imaginary humans as part of your nefarious agenda to destroy all men”. And as such persons are apparently incapable of performing a basic Google search before spouting bigoted nonsense all over the internet, I’ve decided to make things easy for them, and compile a handy A to Z of non-binary gender identities in the modern world and throughout history. This is by no means an exhaustive list; for a more comprehensive synopsis of non-binary gender and sexual orientation, this amazing excerpt from Amara Das Wilhelm’s Tritiya-Prakriti: People of the Third Sex is an excellent starting point.

In compiling this list, I’ve tried to avoid including words that are actively used as slurs or which refer primarily to sexual orientation rather than gender identity, so please – if a term is listed here that you think shouldn’t be, or if I’ve missed out something that merits inclusion, let me know, and I’ll update accordingly.

A – Agender, alyha, androgyne, ay’lonit

B – Bacha posh, Badés, bakla, bigender, bissu, brotherboy

C – Calabai, calalai

D – Dalopapa

E – Ektomias

F – Fa’afafine, fakaleiti, femminiello

G – Genderfluid, genderqueer

H –  Hijra

I – Intergender, intersex, ira’muxe

J – Jogappas

K – Kathoey

L – Lhamana

M – Machi weye, mahu, mollies, mukhannathun, muxe

N – Nàdleehì, neutrois

O – Oyama

P – Pangender

Q – Quariwarmi

R – Rebecccas*

S – Saris, sekhet, sistagirls

T – Third gender, Tom-Dee, transgender, travesti, trigender, tritiya-prakrti, two-spirit, tumtum

U – Ubhatobyanjanaka, Uranian

V – Virgjinesha 

W – Waria, whakawahine, winkte

X – Xanith

Y – Yirka-laul

Z – Zenana

*I know this one is a specific historical incidence of crossdressing rather than an actual gender identity, but I’m compulsive enough that the absence of something starting with R was irking me, so there you go.

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