Agender
Gender identity that is genderless
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Agender (also known as genderless, gender-free, non-gendered, or ungendered)[1][2][3][4][5][6] is a gender identity where an individual has no gender at all and does not necessarily follow gender roles.[7][8][9][10]
| |
| Classification | Gender identity |
|---|---|
| Symbol |  |
| Other terms | |
| Synonyms | Genderless, gender-free, non-gendered, ungendered |
| Associated terms | |
This group represents a spectrum of identities that diverge from conventional gender norms. According to scholar Finn Enke, not all agender individuals may self-identify as transgender.[11] While there is no universally accepted set of pronouns for agender people, singular they is commonly used, although many agender people accept the use of any pronoun.[12][4] The A in LGBTQIA+ stands for agender, alongside asexual and aromantic.[13]
A 2017 analysis of surveys of gender identity found that, of the transgender participants, 14% identified as agender.[14] Gender Census, an international survey of non-binary people, found in 2025 that 25% of participants identified as agender.[15]
History
According to the Oxford English Dictionary, the first recorded use of the word was in 1996, as "A-gender", in an article in the Independent.[16]
A 1997 paper in International Journal of Transgenderism (later renamed International Journal of Transgender Health) states that "An individual of any genetic sex may also regard him-herself as [...] an ungendered person, who does not or will not identify with any conventional gender".[17]
The first known use of the term "agender" without the hyphen was on a Usenet forum referring to the gender of the Christian God.[18] The Oxford English Dictionary points to usage of the word as far back as 2005 on the Usenet newsgroup "alt.politics.democrats":
Cultures can have transgender, agender, and hypergender individuals.
— Re: Homosexuality & Bible in alt.politics.democrats[16]
A 2013 New York Times Article talked about a non-binary person who used the term agender to describe themself.[18] The agender flag was created in 2014 by Salom X, a Tumblr user.[19] The same user created the demiboy and demigirl flags. The black and white represent the absence of gender, the gray represents people who are semi-genderless, the green is for non-binary genders.[20]
"Agender" and "neutrois" were among the custom gender options added to Facebook in February 2014 and to OkCupid since November 2014.[21][22] In 2017, Judge Amy Holmes Hehn ruled that Patch, an agender resident of Portland, Oregon, could be legally identified as agender.[23] The first Agender Pride Day was celebrated on May 19, 2017, and is celebrated annually on that day.[20]
Related identities
Many identities overlap and there are some non-binary people who consider the agender experience to be a spectrum,[24] encompassing other forms of expression.[25][26] Apogender,[27] for example, is defined as not only the rejection of gender,[28] but also feeling removed from the concept of gender entirely.[29] Gendervoid can be described as being devoid of gender.[30] And there are multigender individuals experiencing other genders,[31] including agender identity, or being fluid between agender and another gender.[32][33]
Notable agender people
- Owen Hurcum, former Mayor of Bangor, Wales.[34] They were the first openly non-binary, and youngest-ever, mayor in Wales.[35]
- Bogi Takács, a Hungarian writer[36]
- Veny, a Japanese professional wrestler who has been described as "genderless" and transgender, possibly due to translation issues[37][38]
- DeAnne Smith, a Canadian and American comedy writer[39]
- Angel Haze, American rapper and singer[40]
- Marissa Lenti, American voice actress[41]
- Tyler Ford, American writer and public speaker[42]
- Sj Miller, American academic[43]
- Chanda Prescod-Weinstein, American theoretical cosmologist and particle physicist[44]
- Niecy Blues, musical artist[45]
- Lírio Negro, Brazilian activist[46]
- Cody Daigle-Orians, American author[47]
- Jazmin Bean, English singer, songwriter, and makeup artist
Fictional characters
- Testament from Guilty Gear[48]