neon foil, originally uploaded by daveeza.

IMG_1177, originally uploaded by ebony fem queen.

Jade‘s poem My Gender

You can call me… jess.

I identify as… a radical feminist genderqueer mini-riot.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … i don’t mind “she/her” but i like when people ask first… “ze/hir” are great, too. in the end, i’d rather just be “jess”.

I’m attracted to… a blurry spectrum of traits & parts encompassing a bright light of androgyny. bonus if they like to read.

When people talk about me, I want them to… smile, swoon, and stop assuming.

I want people to understand… that there is very little in this life to fear, and true acceptance with open minds & hearts will get you everywhere. also, the difference between “your” & “you’re”.

About Jess
i have been called a shy extrovert. i am fond of asymmetry, proximity, and chapstick. i want to experience enough in my life that i have a topically relevant story to tell in every conversation.

» Define yourself. «

Conquistador1, originally uploaded by BrennK.

Someone wrote…

Just because I don’t see myself as entirely female, it doesn’t mean I can’t be just as much of a feminist!

What’s your experience?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?

A trans 101 video created by Gay & Lesbian Advocates & Defenders.

Françoise Sagan rencontre Polly Maggoo / Françoise Sagan meets Polly Maggoo, originally uploaded by Thierry_Mugler.

You can call me… Lotte

I identify as… an alternative to the classic idea of feminine and a bisexual punk

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I identify as female, so female ones please. I occasionally get male pronouns, but most of the time this just amuses me

I’m attracted to… strong personalities, intelligence, humour and beautiful tattoos

When people talk about me, I want them to… say it to my face. Most don’t and it’s cowardly and sad.

I want people to understand… that although I identify with the gender that I was ‘born with’ (female), I’m questioning what it is to be female. What femininity really is and why people like me get wrongly labeled because they struggle to fit into ‘normal’ ideas of being female.

About Lotte
My name is Lotte, I am 18 years old and I’m a photography student. I live with my mother, who is okay with my sexuality, but wants me to remove my piercings and grow my hair. There’s also my little brother, who is completely indifferent and just grunts at me, and my cat – who just wants food and cuddles. Unsuprisingly, my cat is my favourite.
I’m obsessed with lighthouses and rats and cats.

» Define yourself. «

Remember her?, originally uploaded by call me casper.

Takeshi Tajima, originally uploaded by aldask.

Supported by the Transgender Youth Clinic of Children’s Hospital in Los Angeles, Reel Boi Production‘s project is “part of a curriculum for teachers on gender and how gender variance effects students in and out of the classroom.”

You can call me… AJ.

I identify as… appropriately complex.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … hey you. boy. girl. sir. ma’am. her. him. he. she. man. woman. misses. miss. and of course mister. . . . ps: i think i’ve given you enough to choose from. i will not tolerate “it”.

I’m attracted to… energy. substance. sincerity.

When people talk about me, I want them to… feel good inside.

I want people to understand… that it is really nobody’s business who i am sleeping with. and does not affect anyone’s life but my own if i go by sir or ma’am. these things do not come close to defining who i am. so, let’s talk about something else already. . . . .

About AJ
i learned everything i need to know from reading banned books. i love to love. i want to touch everything. i get crushes on mother nature, often. i fall in love with moments, daily.. i am having a love affair with the sky. capture moments with my eyes. always and never the same. notice everything. a walking contradiction. don’t think you know who i am because you won’t. you don’t. i’m getting lost in the {a.i.r.} i’m breathing in. the sunlight hit the canvas, but the (pain)ting was somewhere else….. they hadn’t the imagination to defeat me…….

» Define yourself. «

My heart feels sick., originally uploaded by breathing exercises.

Katy M. asks…

Hi, I’m Katy, and I’m working on a research paper for my AP Lit class. My topic is Gender Identities and Kicking the Gender Binary to the curb. I’d like to ask a favor of all of you.

One of the requirements for my paper is that I create something (it can be visual), but it must be tangible and applicable to my paper. I was thinking of something along the lines of a photo album. In the photo album, there would be photos of all different people, everyone (those who identify as genderqueer, transgender, anyone). Ideally, I would love to have headshots of everyone (in color). I’d like to promote diversity.

Once I compile these photos of all my willing participants, I would either donate the book to genderfork.com or to a noble organization willing to accept it. I know this is quite the request to make, but it would be greatly appreciated if I could capture the beauty outside of the gender binary. please e-mail me or contact me on facebook if you are interested in assisting me with my research. I am really, really psyched about this project and would be so thankful for anyone’s help.Thank you so much!

Please post your response in the comments below.

» Ask Genderfork «

You can call me… Mel

I identify as… I prefer “half gay” or “eine Madchens Madchen” (sorry for the lack of umlauts on the a’s!)

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I love the German language and it brightens my crayons to know the german language genders nouns into not two, but three categories; masculine, feminine, and neuter. And coolest of all, Madchen (meaning girl. Again, please excuse lack of an awesome umlaut over the ‘a’) is a neuter word as in das Madchen rather than die Madchen. As for english, I like whatever, he/she/it.

I’m attracted to… big, busty gals in red lipstick, glasses, who read David Sedaris and shoot guns. Super androgynous ladies with flat chests and aviator sunglasses. Marlene Dietrich in drag. Alan Rickman in anything. Christina Hendricks from Mad Men (swoon!). Nerdy, D&D-playing boys (or bois) with beards. Bears. Burly, Canadian lumberjacks. My tastes run the spectrum, it seems.

When people talk about me, I want them to… tell a hilarious story about how I did something awesome/embarrassed myself/made someone feel awkward. Anything that makes others smile and think “Damn, I want to know this person.”

I want people to understand… I may present myself as a heteronomative lady with an ample bosom, but my darlings, you’d be only 1/4 right. Look beyond surface.

About Mel
Mel is currently a student. Loves comic books, literature, queer theory, cheese, the German language, Mad Men, and her/ihrer boyfriend.

» Define yourself. «

punk, originally uploaded by natmurphy.

Someone wrote…

I’m not transitioning. I am just reconfiguring.

What’s your experience?

And what are you thinking about gender right now?

androgyny, originally uploaded by ps-mary.

Photo on 2010-09-21 at 18.24 #2, originally uploaded by HellaZan.