Gender Identity
Are you a boy or a girl?
"No," is an acceptable answer.
The central symbol for the Identity art piece represents gender identity. This is not an exhaustive list and there are several terms which overlap each other. We have chosen the most commonly used symbol for each of the included identities and have used corresponding colours for the background patterns. Some of these symbols and colour combinations are well established and some are newly designed by community members. We offer here a very brief description of each gender symbol and what it represents.
We invite anyone who considers themselves unquestioningly cis gendered to read with an open curiosity.
This article and the linked artwork are part of a movement to support the diversification, transparency and equity of Web3 via the #fxhash platform.
Another artwork in this movement is "Cry Diversity" by Wanda Oliver:
Transgender
Transgender describes a person whose gender identity is different from the gender they were assigned at birth. This broad term is often coupled with another identifier such as 'transgender woman' or 'trans non binary'.
Bigender
Bigender describes a person who has two distinct gender identities. These may be 'female' and 'male' or a different combination. Bigender people may experience being both genders at the same time or at different times.
Pangender
Pangender describes a person who identifies as experiencing all genders, either at the same time or at different times.
Agender
Agender describes a person who does not identify with any gender or who feels that they have no gender. Also described as gender free or genderless.
Genderfluid
Genderfluid describes a person whose gender identity and gender expression are not fixed but change over time.
Epicene
Epicene describes a person who does not have strongly gendered identity or characteristics.
Demigender
Demigender describes a person who feels they have a connection to a gender but don't fully identify with that gender. See also Demigirl and Demiboy.
Demigirl
Demigirl describes a person who somewhat identifies as female but not fully.
Demiboy
Demiboy describes a person who somewhat identifies as male but not fully.
Genderqueer
Genderqueer is an umbrella term to describe anyone who does not identify within binary gender norms.
Intergender
Intergender describes a person who feels they are midway between female and male.
Non Binary
Non Binary is an umbrella term which describes a person who does not identify exclusively with either female or male genders.
Trans Non Binary
Trans Non Binary is used to describe people who feel their gender identity is different from the one they were assigned at birth but it is not female or male.
Travesti
Travesti is a Latin American term that has come to mean a person who identifies as a woman who was assigned male at birth.
Cis Female
Cis Female describes a person who identifies as female and was assigned female at birth.
Cis Male
Cis Male describes a person who identifies as male and who was assigned male at birth.
Neutrois
Neutrois describes someone who does not identify as any gender and who is indifferent to gender.
Androgyne
Androgyne describes a person whose identity and expression is neither female or male
Sexuality
When we were 21 we were reading and enjoying a lot of lesbian fiction. We remember thinking what a shame it was that we enjoyed sex with men so we couldn't be a lesbian. We had experienced a fair amount of sexual exploration with other afab people over the years but we saw sexuality as a 'one or the other' choice so we were confused.
Young people growing up today have a lot more options, a lot more scope to explore their sexuality to find out what feels right for them rather than being told it's 'one or the other'. Again, if a person does not find a label that matches how they feel they can make a new one. In this way we are creating personal expression which is lead from the inside, not imposed on us.
Lesbian
Lesbian describes a person who identifies as a woman and who is exclusively attracted to women
Asexual
Asexual describes a person who has no sexual feelings or desires.
Bisexual
Bisexual describes a person who is attracted to people of two different genders.
Pansexual
Pansexual describes a person who is attracted to people regardless of their gender.
Abrosexual
Abrosexual describes a person who is attracted to different genders at different times.
Heterosexual
Heterosexual describes a person who identifies as male and is attracted to women or who identifies as female and is attracted to men.
Sapiosexual
Sapiosexual describes a person who is attracted to someone for their intelligence.
Aegosexual
Aegosexual describes a person who enjoys being sexually aroused but who doesn't desire sexual activity with other people.
Uranic
Uranic describes a person who is exclusively attracted to masculinity, including men or non binary people but not women.
Neptunic
Neptunic describes a person who is exclusively attracted to femininity, including women or non binary people but not men.
Semibisexual
Semibisexual describes a person who is mostly attracted to one gender but may sometimes feel attraction for another.
Mutosexual
Mutosexual describes a person whose sexual orientation is not fixed but changes over time.
Ceterosexual
Ceterosexual describes a person who is attracted to trans and non binary people but not cis gendered people.
Casssexual
Casssexual describes a person who feels that sexual orientation is meaningless or of no interest.
Polysexual
Polysexual describes a person who is attracted to others of more than one gender.
Demisexual
Demisexual describes a person who only develops sexual and romantic attraction to people through close emotional relationship.
Gay Man
Gay Man describes a person who identifies as male and who is exclusively attracted to men.
Mental Health
We use first person plural pronouns. We do this because we have several distinct personalities and when we use 'we' and 'us' it helps us to feel integrated and whole. Although we did not know we had this mental health condition until about 10 years ago, it has become an important part of our identity. It affects every aspect of our lives, which is why mental health flag colours provide the background for this artwork.
We believe that awareness of mental health conditions is growing rapidly but we have only included a few of the better known ones here, ones which have awareness flags! In the parameters there are also options for 'Various', 'Other' and 'None'.
We also feel it is worth noting that some of these 'disorders' can be symptomatic of spiritual awakening experiences.
Depersonalization-Derealisation Disorder
Depersonalisation is the feeling of being outside of one's body, observing oneself from a distance. Derealisation is the feeling that the world isn't real.
Dissociative Identity Disorder
Dissociative Identity Disorder is a condition where a person has more than one distinct identities, often called alters. They may experience physical amnesia or emotional amnesia between identities.
Polyfragmented
Polyfragmented is a class of DID where a person has more than 100 alters.
Depression
Depression is feeling sad and/or hopeless for several days or more.
Bipolar
Bipolar Disorder is a condition where a person's mood varies from manic, high energy, overactive to depressive, low energy, lethargic, with each lasting for up to several months before swinging to the other extreme.
Avoidant Personality
Avoidant personality disorder is when a person experiences feelings of extreme social inhibition, inadequacy, and sensitivity to negative criticism. Fear of rejection can lead a person to avoid relationships and social activities completely.
Borderline Personality
Borderline Personality Disorder affects how a person thinks and feels about themselves and other people. A person with BPD will often experience very intense emotions.
Neurodiversity
While many of the identities discussed so far may overlap neurodiverse conditions almost always do, with some of the conditions covered here being subsets of another.
Because of this it is possible to choose multiple conditions, which are represented by symbols in the work. We have also included eating disorders in this list although it is not considered a type of neurodiversity. We have also included the option to check if a person has considered suicide or not. This is denoted by a semi-colon in the artwork, a symbol chosen as an example of a pause followed by a continuance.
Again, we have not attempted to summarise these complex conditions.
Autism Spectrum Disorder - ASD
Autism is a developmental disorder with a variety of effects which make it difficult for a person to function in modern society. Autistic people are often highly logical and can be really good at writing computer code!
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder is a condition that makes it hard for a person to concentrate or remain focused on one thing for any length of time. They may also need to move around more than other people.
Dyslexia
Dyslexia is a different way of receiving and organising information which makes a person much better than others at many activities but it also causes difficulty with some activities such as reading.
Dyspraxia
Dyspraxia is a developmental disorder which affects co-ordination and spatial orientation.
Tourette Syndrome
Tourette Syndrome is a condition of the nervous system where a person makes involuntary movements or sounds.
Empathy
Empathy is experiencing the feelings of another person. While most people have the ability to empathise with others voluntarily some people find that they can not help but feel other people's feelings in a way that negatively impacts their own life.
Sensory Processing Disorder - SPD
Sensory Processing Disorder means that a person is more sensitive to stimuli from the senses than other people are. Sounds, smells, sights and sensations can be more intensely experienced which can cause difficulties as well as delight.
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder - OCD
Obsessive Compulsive Disorder is when a person has repeated and unwanted obsessive thoughts or compulsive behaviours.
Other Neurodiversity
Eating Disorder
Eating Disorders can affect people in different ways and can have devastating effects on a people's lives. Compulsive overeating, bulimia and anorexia are all increasing in Western societies, particularly among young people.
Suicide Awareness
A semicolon is used when an author could have chosen to end their sentence, but chose not to.