The Transgender Dictionary

Xenogender

Table of Contents

Introduction

This page describes gender identities that fall under the nonbinary umbrella. Not everyone who identifies with with these identities will also identify as nonbinary. There is no required agab/asab to identify as any particular xenogender. Anyone who feels as though the label fits may use it. There is no particular medical transition that is required either.

Due to the term nonbinary (and subsequent nonbinary gender identities) also being under the transgender umbrella, those who identify with being [a] xenogender(s) are also technically under the umbrella of being transgender. Not everyone who identifies with a xenogender will identify as being transgender. These labels are generally down to personal preference.

Clicking on underlined words or phrases throughout this main body of text will lead you to other parts of The Transgender Dictionary with relevant information. If you have any further confusion, feel free to navigate this site using the alphabet button menus at the top and bottom of this page. Viewing the dropdown menus at the top of this page will specifically show you other pages on this site involving the topic of specific gender identities.

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General Information

Xenogender(s) is umbrella term used to refer to when someone uses a concept other than male or female; such as plants, planets, or animals; to describe their gender identity. On its own, xenogender can also be used as gender identity.

Due to how many xenogenders there are, The Transgender Dictionary will not be including individual pages for all possible xenogenders that exist. If you have created a database logging various xenogenders, feel free to reach out and this link can be included on this page.

The prefix "xen" can be defined as the following meanings; a guest, strange, or foreign. When combined with the word "gender" you get "strange gender". Xenogenders are heavily associated with those who are neurodivergent, however not everyone who identifies as a xenogender is neurodivergent.

The word xenogender was coined in June of 2014 by tumblr user "lamb777" who defined the term as "a gender that cannot be contained by human understandings of gender; more concerned with crafting other methods of gender categorization and hierarchy such as those relating to animals, plants, or other creatures/things".

Many people who identify as xenogenders use personal metaphors to explain their experience to others; as genders not based on masculinity, femininity, or neutrality can be difficult to explain.

Due to how specific xenogenders can become (with many only ever applying to a small handful of people - sometimes only one) they are often highly personal in nature. Think of it like a custom-made cake wherein every aspect of the construction (cake type, cake flavor, frosting type, frosting flavor, toppings, fillings, etc) has been customized to fit the exact tastes of a particular individual. To the one who ordered the cake, it is delicious. To a few others, it is so tasty that they follow right along with cleaning their plates. To the rest, it is barely edible beyond a few small bites (though at the same time, it is polite to not say anything particuarily negative regarding said cake, as it is making other people happy while also not causing any harm).

The concept of a xenogender is frequently misunderstood as the individual literally identifying as an animal or an object, rather than simply using the aesthetic, likeness, or vibes to define a gender. It is rare that anyone who identifies as a xenogender literally believes themself to be that object/animal/whatever is being used to define the person's gender. The presentation of those who identify as xenogenders vary wildly.

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Xenogender Pride Flag

The original xenogender flag was originally posted on Deviant Art in January of 2017. The flag was designed by Deviant Art user "pastelmemer". The flag contains seven horizontal stripes with the astronomical sign for the asteroid Iris at the center. The meaning of this xenogender flag is unconventional, so I will be quoting directly from the original explanation provided on Deviant Art.

"Central symbol is the astronomical sign for the asteroid Iris, named after the deity with the same name, who is associated with rainbows. Colors chosen are various common shades present in iris flowers. The central stripe is yellow, as yellow is a common nonbinary color- and, as opposed to purple, which usually stands for androgynous nonbinary genders with some combination of male and female identities (hence red/blue mixed), yellow is often used to symbolize genders which have nothing to do with the binary in any way- including xenogenders."

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Gendervoid/Voidgender

Being gendervoid is when one has an absence or void where a gender would be. Someone who is gendervoid lacks the experience of having a gender. The experience of being gendervoid is often accompanied by a feeling of detatchment or emptiness from the concept of gender. Being gendervoid is less of a rejection of gender, and more like an inability to connect with or experience it. The feeling of this void can vary from person to person.

Gendervoid is similar to agender, however the experience of being agender is often accompanied by gender neutrality. There is no gender neutrality when it comes to being gendervoid, only a genderless experience. Gendervoid is sometimes considered to be a xenogender, due to the connection to the void.

For those who may be struggling to conceptualize this, allow me to provide a metaphor. Gender is like soup. Someone who has a gender would therefore have a bowl full of soup. The contents of the soup make up that person's gender. Someone who is genderless has a bowl without any soup.

In July of 2014, the tumblr user known as "mogai-archive-deactivated201503" posted a list of gender identity terms and definitions derived from posts made by tumblr user "baaphomett" (who has since changed username and appears to have deleted most of these older coining posts).

Click to jump to [G] page [Gendervoid] definition.

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Gendervoid/Voidgender Pride Flag

In July of 2015, the DeviantArt user "Pride-Flags" posted the original gendervoid flag. There is no official meaning for this flag, and there is no credited creator, so it can be assumed to have been created by the user who posted it.

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The following links have been provided for entertainment, education, or further reading to encourage seeking out additional information. None of these links are sponsored, nor endorsed. The inclusion of an article/video/etc is not complete approval for its contents. The thoughts/views/opinions/etc of everything included below do not inherently represent those of The Transgender Dictionary.

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