Bigender is a gender identity in which a person has or experiences two genders. The genders may be any combination of two genders, and those genders can be binary ("man" or "woman") or non-binary. They may be experienced simultaneously or may alternate, and they may not be experienced equally or in the same way. For example, a bigender person may be both a woman and a man, agender and neutrois, or non-binary and a woman.[1] Bigender is an identity under the transgender umbrella.[2]
Etymology
Early examples of the term 'bigender' appear as early as the late 1980s,[3] though at this time it was grouped under the "androgyne" label as "bigenderist". Definitions were rooted in the expression of "either gender role" or as "having two genders".[4]
Community
Some, but not all, of bigender people experience gender dysphoria, especially if the two genders have markedly different gender expressions.[5] As such, people might not relate to their sex assigned at birth, or find discomfort when others make assumptions regarding their gender or assigned pronouns.[6]
They can use any form of pronouns or neopronouns they like, even switching between pronouns (she/her, xe/xem) if desired.[5] Some bigender people are not specific about their pronouns due to the duality of their gender. However, some bigender individuals express their gender through the use of drag, as it allows them to express both the genders they relate to.[6] They may also feel or express a mixture of being masculine and feminine at the same time.[7]
Bigender Pride Day is held on June 17.[7]
History
The term bigender came into use in the 1980s, but rose in popularity and use through the online website Tumblr. The social media app Facebook has an option for users to select "bigender" when joining the app.[8]
Flag
The most known bigender flag was created by Tumblr user no-bucks-for-this-doe. The flag consists of two different pink stripes, a deep pink followed by the traditional depiction of pink. From there, a lilac stripe, a white stripe, and another lilac stripe. The last two stripes are baby blue followed by a deep blue. The exact meanings of each color were not specified when coined, though some assumptions have been made. One theory is that the pink stripes represent femininity, blue represents masculinity, purple represents a combination of male and female or androgyny, and the center white stripe represents non-binary.[9]
The alternative bigender flag.
An alternate version of the bigender flag exists, though the creator is currently unknown as well as the meanings behind each stripe.[9] It is assumed that the colors have the same meaning as the original flag, and that the yellow is added to represent non-binary, those whose gender exists outside the gender binary.[10][11]
Distinction
Genderfluid
Bigender is different than genderfluid, which describes people who can switch between their genders, or whose gender identity fluctuates. Bigender people typically only identify as two genders. They do not experience a third or fluid gender identity outside of their set two.[6] It is possible to identify as both bigender and genderfluid. However, while a genderfluid person moves between genders, a bigender person feels statically attached to their two genders.[5]
Non-binary
Bigender is also different than non-binary, with non-binary serving as the larger umbrella term for bigender people. A non-binary individual does not identify with either binary of male or female, while a bigender person can. They can also identify as both a binary identity and a non-binary identity.[7]
Media
Video games
Resources
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