The Transgender Umbrella

Introduction: Is gender identity the same as biological sex?

Gender identity is the individual's personal sense of which gender they identify with. Sex, on the other hand, is the biological classification of male or female. Gender identity and sex are two different things.

Sex refers to one's biological status as either male or female, while gender identity is the gender that a person most identifies with. For example, a person might be biologically male but identify as female.

The Transgender Umbrella

The transgender umbrella is a term used to describe the diversity of gender experience. When a person’s gender identity does not match with the sex they were assigned at birth, that person falls under the transgender umbrella. Transgender people are part of the LGBTQ+ community.

It’s important to note that male and female are not the only genders. A person assigned male at birth but identifies as nonbinary, genderfluid, demi-gender, or any other gender out of the hundreds that exist, is also under the transgender umbrella.

Transgender

Transgender, also called “trans,” while an umbrella term, is a label most often used to describe people who were assigned either male or female at birth, but identifies as the other gender. A trans woman is someone who was assigned male at birth (AMAB), but now identifies as a woman, and a trans man is someone who was assigned female at birth (AFAB), but now identifies as a man.

Transgender flag

Nonbinary

Nonbinary, sometimes called “enby” or “NB,” is a label most often used to describe someone who feels somewhere in between male and female. Nonbinary is also an umbrella term, and the nonbinary umbrella can include those who feel in between male and female, those who lean towards one gender but don’t feel 100% that gender, those who identify as both, those who have multiple genders, etc. Nonbinary can be used to describe anyone who does not 100% identify as male or female.

Nonbinary flag

Demi-Gender

Demi-gender is a label used to describe those who partially identify with a gender. They can be unsure of the other parts of their gender, or partially identify as another gender as well.

The most common types of genders under the demi-gender umbrella are:

• Demi-girl - someone who partially identifies as a girl

• Demi-boy - someone who partially identifies as a boy

• Demi-nonbinary/Demi-enby - someone who partially identifies as nonbinary

Demi-girl flag

Demi-boy flag

Demi-nonbinary flag

Agender

Agender is a label used to describe someone who feels that they fall outside the gender spectrum, or that they don’t identify with gender at all. Oftentimes agender people identify as genderless.

It’s important to note that Agender is different from Nonbinary in the sense that agender people do not have a gender, while nonbinary people do have a gender that is in between or outside of the gender binary.

Agender flag

Multi-Gender Identities

Multi-gender identities include Bigender, Trigender, Pangender, and Polygender, and all of these identities describe people who identify as 2 or more genders at the same time.

• Bigender people identify as 2 genders.

• Trigender people identify as 3 genders.

• Pangender people identify as all genders.

• Polygender people identify with more than 3 genders, but not all genders.

Pangender flag

Intersex

Intersex people are slightly different than most genderqueer people in that their identity is most often determined by their gonads. For example, one intersex person may be born with both XX chromosomes and male gonads, or vice-versa.

Humans are not the only species to have intersexuality: many species of mammals, birds, fishes, nematodes, and crustaceans can also have intersex members of their populations.

Intersex flag

Genderfluid

Genderfluid is a label used to describe people whose genders are not static or fixed. Their genders can shift hour to hour, day to day, over longer periods of time, or a mixture. For some genderfluid people, their pronouns shift with their gender, while others prefer to use the same pronouns even as their gender changes.

Subsects of genderfluid include:

• Genderdoe - someone who is fluid between multiple genders excluding male or masculine genders.

• Genderfaun - someone who is fluid between multiple genders excluding female or feminine genders.

Genderfluid flag

Genderflux

Genderflux is a label used to describe people whose gender intensity fluctuates. For example, someone who identifies as girlflux may feel 100% female at one point, then 75%, then only 20%, then up to 50%, and so on. Genderflux is similar to Genderdoe/Genderfaun respectively, and it is often difficult to tell the difference between the gender identities. However, Genderflux is different then genderfluid idenities, as people under the genderfluid umbrella shift between multiple genders, while genderflux people have one gender that varies in intensity.

Genderflux flag

(deergoths, CC BY-SA 4.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/4.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

Two-Spirit

Two-Spirit is a label specific to Native Americans and Alaska Natives, and it refers to men, woman, and intersex people who perform activities and duties that are combined for men and women, and have unique traits that come with their two-spirit status.

While two-spirit people are viewed differently in every tribe, most indigenous people treat the identity as a separate 3rd/4th gender identity.

Two-Spirit flag

(Mjeffries4, CC BY-SA 3.0 <https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0>, via Wikimedia Commons)

How to treat transgender people

Transgender people are the same and equally as valid as people who are not transgender (cisgender, or “cis'“). However, there are some things you can do to avoid being rude or causing discomfort while talking to a trans person.

What pronouns do I use?

It’s important to try your best to use the correct pronouns for all people, and especially those who are transgender. If you don’t know someone’s pronouns, you can either use gender-neutral terms for them, or just simply ask for their pronouns! Asking someone for their pronouns is never a bad thing, and can make many people feel more comfortable and accepted around you.

Using the wrong pronouns for people is often called "misgendering." If you make a mistake and accidentally misgender someone, don’t worry. As long as you try your best, and correct yourself when you notice you used the wrong pronouns, it’s okay. Remembering people’s pronouns at first, especially if you’ve called them by different pronouns for a long time, can be a little tough. It’s important that you are trying your best, and are never purposely misgendering someone to hurt them.

What are deadnames, and can I ask for them or use them?

Many transgender people decide to change their name to fit their gender. A deadname is the name they used before their transition.

Deadnames can often hold a lot of weight, bad memories, or even trauma, for a person. While some people may be comfortable being asked for their deadname, many others feel uneasy when asked to tell people their deadnames. To avoid uncomfortable situations, it’s better to avoid asking for someone’s deadname. While you may be curious, satiating this curiosity is not worth hurting others.

It’s also important to avoid using someone’s deadname. The term "deadnaming" refers to the act of referring to a trans person using their deadname, and it is often seen as an act of disrespect, because it implies that you don’t think that person has made a full transition into their true identity. If someone asks you to call them something else, using their preferred name is not only basic human decency, but is also a sign of respect between you and them. Once again, if you accidentally deadname a person, don’t worry. Simply apologize, correct yourself, and try your best to consistently call them by the correct name.

Conclusion

Once again, remember that transgender people are people, just like you and me. We are all the same in our uniqueness, and it’s important to remember to honor our differences while keeping in mind our shared humanity. Trans people are valid, and at the end of the day, the best thing to do is to simply show love, respect, and acceptance towards each other.

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