Submitted by Patu, the model and photographer.

“I am a second year art student majoring in illustration. I finally came out as lesbian to my parents last year. My dad’s response? “Just study well.” .. They both love me very much and have accepted me for who I am, although I know deep inside they hope that I’d change.”

Submitted by Alex and Bailey, the models.

Dessert/Desert: teaser1, originally uploaded by B_Zedan.

Someone wrote…

I’m afraid to tell my mom, who’s been struggling with trying to understand the whole genderqueer part of me, that although I’m physically transitioning to be read as male, that I’m still okay with being called her daughter.

What’s your experience?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?

You can call me… Renée.

I identify as… Recently as queer, before that as lesbian, and before I began grade school and had to give up superman boy’s briefs I was Ken, just one of the boys.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I don’t really have a preference… before third grade I would have preferred masculine pronouns, but these days I mostly elicit female ones. It makes no difference to me.

I’m attracted to… Queerness. I love femmes who are strong, confident, and outgoing. I adore butch/androgynes who are soft-spoken, sensitive, and gentle. Trans-men, femme men, feminine women with masculine qualities, androgynous women with feminine qualities. Contradiction makes me wet. Witty humour. Intelligence.

When people talk about me, I want them to… refrain from shifting nervously in their seats.

I want people to understand… there is no ‘natural’ sexuality. What is between your legs shouldn’t set the limits for what you feel in your heart.

» Define yourself. «

Submitted by Haley, the model.

Anonymous asks…

As a cisgender woman, how do I encourage the transman I am dating to feel more comfortable about his body?

Please post your response in the comments below.

» Ask Genderfork «

Androgino – il doppio, originally uploaded by *ZMART*.

Pink&NoctisBustYerChops, originally uploaded by Luminis Kanto.

Someone wrote…

I used to think it was just my whole life was one drag show I didn’t want. Now I see that my life is just a series of masks and costumes. For the first time in many months I finally went back to a place where I could drop all the masks I put on for others, and sit back with my friends and my own collection.

What’s your experience?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?

A recommends…

Just take a listen to the lyrics. It describes three sexes — the children of the sun (“that looked like two men glued up back to back”), the children of the earth (“looked like two girls rolled up in one”), and the children of the moon (“they was part sun, part Earth, part daughter, part son”). It’s something of a sad song, but so beautiful.

» Recommend something. «

[C?ld lies drugs d?esn’t w?rk anym?re], originally uploaded by XXVII L?A.

You can call me… Hollis.

I identify as… Genderqueer. I refuse to choose from the two genders the American society has proposed to me.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I prefer for the person to make a choice. My girlfriend will usually use she but occasionally calls me a boi, which is fantastic. I love it when a stranger mistakes me for male and uses he or him.

I’m attracted to… women, mostly. I like women that range from prissy to androgynous. I find that I am attracted to anyone that is androgynous regardless of their sex. I love genderfucking; it’s a turn-on.

When people talk about me, I want them to… be as confused about gender as I am, maybe they will realize that other genders are needed in our culture. :) I also want them to realize that I am a person of many things and I am more complex than they imagine.

I want people to understand… that my gender is queer. That I do not fit into boxes. And that I live with this in mind: “Don’t compromise yourself – you’re all you got!” (Quote by Janis Joplin)

About Hollis
I try to blog about my experiences being genderqueer when I have time. Also my experiences with other trans people, as I often feel pressured to choose a gender. transhollis.wordpress.com

» Define yourself. «

, originally uploaded by Unicorn Hair.

1973 – 4 – Brian Eno, originally uploaded by Affendaddy.

IdentityTBD wrote…

I’m not looking for a forever gender. I’m just looking for gender right-now.

What’s your experience?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?

71) you don’t know what you’ve been a-missin’, originally uploaded by jenny-alice.

Submitted by Florian A.F., the model and photographer.

“a self-portrait (with a headscarf) that attempts to blur the lines of gender and portray myself as an androgynous being.”

As part of the It Gets Better Project, Ava reaches out to trans teens and remembers the best friend she lost. (Chaz Bono contributes, too)

You can call me… Cameron

I identify as… androgynous genderqueer, reading rainbow, an artist in all forms forward and backward.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I love gender-neutral pronouns, or male pronouns, even female pronouns, but it excites me when I get an even portion of all three.

I’m attracted to… my lover, Max. Fellow queers, the astoundingly creative. Kindness and laughter, sharp wit, open-mindedness and understanding. Culture. Poetry. The arts.

When people talk about me, I want them to… realize that I am genderqueer and achnowledge it in a non-biased, completely tolerant way. Get past my gender quickly and then move on to all of my fun and exciting parts.

I want people to understand… that I would be an extremely happy individual if they were accepting of my identity, and then saw past it into the more important parts of me. And just because I have changed my name, I haven’t changed as a person. I’m still me, I’m still here. I’m just evolving.

About Cameron
I am an artist, from the paintings I do, to the poetry I write, to my gender and identity. I’m constantly toying, experimenting, and wondering. I’m always seeking an adventure of the mind, a test of character.

» Define yourself. «