【 What Does Genderqueer Mean? 】 Genderqueer is a gender identity used by people whose gender is outside of, between, or beyond traditional ideas of male and female. Some genderqueer people may identify with multiple genders, no gender, or a combination that doesn’t fit neatly into binary categories. ⊹ Important ideas ⊹ ✦ Gender identity is about how someone understands and experiences their own gender. ✦ Genderqueer is often used as an umbrella term for nontraditional gender identities. ✦ Every genderqueer person’s experience is unique. ✦ Gender expression (how someone looks or presents) does not define their gender identity. ⊹ Common experiences ⊹ ↪ Feeling outside the “male/female” gender system ↪ Exploring identity and self-expression in flexible ways ↪ Using different pronouns, names, or styles that feel right ↪ Finding support through friends, family, online spaces, or LGBTQIAN+ communities ⊹ Respect and inclusion ⊹ ➷ Respecting someone’s identity and pronouns ➷ Avoiding assumptions about gender based on appearance ➷ Listening to how people describe themselves ➷ Creating safe and welcoming environments ⊹ Community and visibility ⊹ Genderqueer identities have been part of history and culture in many forms, even when different words were used. Today, the term is widely used within LGBTQIAN+ communities to describe identities that challenge traditional gender norms. ● Pride Month — celebrates identity, community, and equality. ● Stonewall Riots — an important event connected to modern LGBTQ+ rights movements.
