You can call me… Alec or Spencer.

I identify as… a pansexual, genderqueer, polyamorous, Colombian person … also female-bodied … I think that sums it up.

As far as third-person pronouns go, I prefer a neutral pronoun like “they,” but “he” is also ok … “she” not so much.

I’m attracted to… queer people, I don’t care what is between someone’s legs or under their clothes or what their fashion style is. I care about the person they are, their character.

When people talk about me, I want them to… just see me as a person and talk about me as such, not what gender I am, where I fit more, what’s between my legs, or who I go to bed with.

I want people to understand… that there are people who don’t fit gender norms. That the world is not just black or white, but that there are many gray areas.

About Alec or Spencer
Hello, my name is Alec Spencer, I’m 22 years old, though I feel older most days. I’m Colombian, pansexual, genderqueer, polyamorous, female-bodied, and I could probably go on. If you feel like getting to know me more, then here’s my email: alecspencer1990@gmail.com

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Vince.

I identify as… genderqueer androgynous indigenous person.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I prefer he, but she is ok … neither fits and both fit.

I’m attracted to… beautiful souls.

When people talk about me, I want them to… realize that my gender-queerness does not give them license to force their perception of my supposed gender onto me.

I want people to understand… that it is sometimes confusing for me to be male-female at the same time.

About Vince
Queer Indigenous Artist

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Sam.

I identify as… Genderqueer! I’m a strange blend of things, my own kind.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … ze and hir make me feel most comfortable and at ease. I’m too scared to ask for it, it seems so complex and so much to expect of others.

I’m attracted to… any beautiful, spiritual presence. Someone who loves forests, umbrellas, postcards. I dated a biological male for a long time, and I’m not so sure that it was ever right for me.

When people talk about me, I want them to… maybe be inspired by the passion I possess, the vision I have for a socially just and liberated world – equality, celebration, holistic health, freedom of expression, blah blah blah. I am sometimes the idealist that makes you roll your eyes. Other times, I am the pessimist, crippled by the obstacles that stand before us. All of the time, I am overwhelmed and dizzy with love.

I want people to understand… it wasn’t until I read Judith Butler and was given the vision of an “open coalition,” did I realize that, by accepting and validating my gender identity, I am engaging in a radical act. When we imagine, invent, and embrace fluidity – when we dare to express and be ourselves – we are creating not merely a space for ourselves, but a safer space for others to do the same. The greatest form of liberation may not actually be celebrating any particular label we have, but rather, questioning all of them, constantly uncovering new meanings and new ways to define ourselves. Being queer means that for me. It opens up new territory to better express, understand, and celebrate myself.

About Sam
Hi, my name is Sam! I am a third-year college student, majoring in Anthropology and Women’s & Gender Studies. I am a passionate activist, writer, and musician. I love learning, creating, and listening. I spend a lot of time laying in the grass and thinking too much.

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Snack.

I identify as… genderqueer, maybe. Might be agendered. Definitely non-binary. Pansexual, polyamorous in a (so far) monogamous relationship, goth/seapunk.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … anything! Never been referred to as he/him, but wouldnt be opposed to it. People use she/her for me because it’s easiest.

I’m attracted to… my boyfriend, mainly, but I also like dapper guys and artistic girls. Gentle, thoughtful personalities and intelligence.

When people talk about me, I want them to… talk about my personality or a time where I helped them feel strong or accepted. If they talk about my looks, that’s ok too, but my mind is what I want to be proud of.

I want people to understand… gender is not a cut and dry thing, and when someone is genuinely confused about it, don’t get mad! Anger pushes people away. When you say something that is offensive, you should apologize, but you should be met with understanding and explanations, not a bunch of yelling. It is everyone’s responsibility to make the world a more accepting place – those who know must teach, and those who don’t know must be willing to learn.

About Snack
I love to learn. I have a lot of anxieties, and I am working on getting over them or learning to live with them. I love books and reading, and I love music. Conflict is my biggest fear.

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Eli.

I identify as… human, man! ;) I’m genderfluid, I suppose you could say. I’m neutral, I’m androgynous. It all sounds so pompous, oh dear… :P

I have days when I kinda want to wear skirts and look really pretty, or what ever, and then some days I wake up and want nobody even to notice that I have breasts. It goes this way and that, the feeling of who I am in terms of gender, but…that’s okay. I’ve learnt, through living, that you don’t even have to HAVE a specific or a set gender, and I’m so happy knowing now I can do it my way. No matter what others say, because, hey. Y’all ain’t me, sunny Jim. :P Hahaha.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I’ve grown up with “she,” so that’s fine, I mean. I don’t mind too much being called feminine pronouns. Again, sometimes I prefer he, sometimes she. If there was a neutral term which wasn’t so objectifying (“it”), perhaps I’d prefer that. I’ll always remember this two-hour-long episode of Futurama, where the giant invading purple tentacle monster was called by “Schklee,” I think, to call Schklee by Schkler omni-sex self. I think that’s pretty funny, and cool. xD :D. :P

I’m attracted to… men and women, but it depends. Generally, I prefer boys (especially in relationships), but I AM attracted to women. I suppose I’m still only figuring it out, because … well, uh, I haven’t been with a whole load of people, hahaha. I really like androgynous people sometimes … I just like somebody if they’re attractive, you know. Attractive on whatever level. :D

When people talk about me, I want them to… I don’t know, like me? Not even NOTICE a gender; not even notice a genderless-ness. To be completely comfortable. I don’t mind if they are confused or whatever. I’m usually pretty feminine-looking; I’m working on the androgyny and on the masculinity and the what-such, but I dunno, yeah. To just – whatever I do look like – disregard gender. ‘Cause that’s sorta what I wanna do.

I want people to understand… Well, just that. I want people to understand. I want them to understand. The thing here on the sidebar says “most people don’t fit gender norms…” which is SO true! Gender norms are horrid, in a way. Down with conformity! Hahaha. But, yeah. To just be free. I want people to understand that it’s no big deal. Gender IS quite an important thing, but I just want people to understand that gender is no big deal. I really, really do. :)

About Eli
I’m a wonderful loser.

You can call me… g

I identify as… non-binary (genderqueer, neutrois, fluid, neutral, trans*) and pansexual.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … gender neutral pronouns, plz (they, them, theirs).

I’m attracted to… I can honestly never predict the people I find myself attracted to, but I’ve noticed a theme of being attracted to gender fluidity and androgyny. Being pansexual kind of makes the world my oyster.

When people talk about me, I want them to… be open-minded and constructive.

I want people to understand… I am genderqueer. I want it all. I want a flat chest and all of the eyeliner I can get my hands on. I want the pinstripe slacks and the glitter lipgloss. I want to dye my hair hot pink and have a sassy, weird, asymmetrical haircut, all the while sporting some shaped sideburns. I want to be able to wear that sequined dress and have people recognize it as the drag that it feels like it is. I have never been a girl. I will never be a boy. I occupy a thrilling space of “other.” My gender is all over the map, and while it may play a role in defining who I am, ultimately I’m just another human trying to be fully realized and happy during my time here. Sharing this experience with others is enriching; solidarity is a lovely and powerful thing.

About g
I hail from the shining and wonderful city by the bay, San Francisco. Here I revel in a cooperative lifestyle with other like-minded folks from various backgrounds. I have an affinity for art and science. I love to make things and learn things, and I am thoroughly enjoying being a student of life. I am quite shy, but I also love meeting new people who share and appreciate the queer experience and all of its diverse facets.

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Skarrlett.

I identify as… lipstick lesbian transwoman, with dashes of goth and riot-grrl for good measure.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I definitely appreciate feminine pronouns. Sometimes I’ll correct you.

I’m attracted to… androgyny and those who identify as women.

When people talk about me, I want them to… be upfront, cut to the chase, but understand all that I’ve come from.

I want people to understand… there’s no time for giving a shit about what anyone else thinks in regards to living your life.

About Skarrlett
I don’t know how to go about this section. I’m just me. I’ve gone through a lot in my life, good, bad, and mediocre. I play rock instruments, work while I’m taking a break from school, snuggle my cat, and waste time online.

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Larkalicious.

I identify as… a gay trans man (with homoflexible tendencies…. sometimes) ;) .

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I like he, HATE she (it hurts my feelings!), and will definitely respond to they.

I’m attracted to… feminine men, and um…. yeah…. feminine men.

When people talk about me, I want them to… respect my privacy and also respect my gender … this is sometimes a very difficult thing to balance.

I want people to understand… that my transness is not on show. That the whole world needs to catch up on its research and get it. I’m not offended by good-natured mistakes, but I am sick of them. I want people to understand that my difference is beautiful and important, but does not define me. I want them to understand that I’m just a person.

About Larkalicious
I’m 30 years old, mid-hormonal transition, a student, an earth lover, and a radical hippie queer with a dash of redneck thrown in ;)

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Carol.

I identify as… human, academic, artist, friend, food taster/experimenter, androgynous alien with an equally masculine and feminine erotic power.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … you can call me rock, cloud, water bottle, IT, whatever you’d like. I’m over being anthropocentric. No pronoun shapes me.

I’m attracted to… new knowledge.

When people talk about me, I want them to… to take note that I’m just trying my absolute best to be a good life form and spread lightness/goodness. Also, I’d like my humor to be admired.

I want people to understand… that all life forms (from bacteria to whales to ancient trees) on earth are related and interconnected.

About Carol
subtle-ceiling.blogspot.com

» Define yourself. «

Wiley asks…

Does anyone know of an androphilic version of the gender identity “boi?” I know that the identity is rather unique to the lesbian and transmasculine community, and that desire is a fairly integral part of the identity, so I’m not even sure this word would have such a cousin. I was just wondering if there is an androphilic counter part floating around which I haven’t heard of.

Please post your response in the comments below.

» Ask Genderfork «

Aurora asks…

As I’m sure many of you have heard in the news, recently a transwoman convict was granted a gender reassignment surgery. From what I understand of the situation, this is being paid for by the state because she is in prison, and someone I know on Facebook stated that she didn’t think this was right because the surgery wasn’t fixing a condition that was “life-threatening.” I disagree with this, and I cited the suicide and hate crime rates in the trans community. What are some (constructive) thoughts and opinions on this debate, and what are some ways to counter the “gender reassignment surgery isn’t fixing a life-threatening condition” argument?

Please post your response in the comments below.

» Ask Genderfork «

[Editor’s note: This question may be referring to this news.]

You can call me… Lyd.

I identify as… inside: Androgynous, mostly Masculine. Outside: Ranging between Femme and Ungendered (depends on the day). I have a woman’s body btw.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … they call me “She.” I’d much rather be called “He.” Or even better, something in between!!

I’m attracted to… Men, Androgynous, Trans, …

When people talk about me, I want them to… Focus on personality/character/values etc, rather than gender and gender-related issues (e.g., judge attitudes based on gendered expectations).

I want people to understand… that expectations based on gender is discrimination.

Ultimately, my ideal would be a society that doesn’t care about gender – everybody would be free to express themselves, and identifying with both genders would be normal/naturally accepted.

For me, the gender binary is the worst weapon for human segregation, because it’s deeply rooted in our (Western?) society, so that most of the time we don’t notice it. But it’s there, and it discriminates, it dehumanizes.

About Lyd
I was born and raised in a loving and kind of strict Christian family. They were expecting a boy, and a “girl” came… and the funny thing is, my personality was always more similar to my dad’s – we think kind of alike… Anyway, in their religion, the gender binary is strongly enforced. My parents have responsibilities in church, and so they had to give the example as well. I was raised to be feminine, always wear skirts/dresses, be nice etc. I learnt to dress and act in a socially conforming way. But it always felt like suffocation. I couldn’t be myself, I knew I wouldn’t be accepted, and I disagreed with oh so many things. Eventually, I got brave (and fed up, and informed) enough to start rebelling in my late teens, and slowly worked on living my life freely (from tradition and religion conformity). I’m almost thirty now, and I can say I’m finally (almost) me, living and expressing my real self. I can even say what I really think, most of the time (especially if there’s no family member around – I’m still afraid of shocking or hurting them… damn it).

I have a Tumblr account (lyd-way2freedom.tumblr.com), soon I’ll add a recent photo of myself.

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Danni.

I identify as… I’m not sure, it’s fluid – I’m definitely not male, but that’s the only thing I know for sure. I’m male-bodied, and currently identify as femme.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … female or third-person please! My third-person preference is “it,” but I don’t mind “they.”

I’m attracted to… people of all genders or none, particularly twinky boys and butch women. My sexuality, like my gender, is fluid.

When people talk about me, I want them to… be nice! Ask questions in a sensitive way. Don’t make assumptions about me. Make an effort to use my preferred pronouns/name – I address you as you want to be, I deserve the same.

I want people to understand… my identity is important to me, but it doesn’t define me. I’m more than just queer; I’m a parent, carer, activist, life partner and loads more. Don’t get fixated on one aspect of who I am.

There’s nothing scary about my identity, I’m just being me. I don’t bite… unless you ask nicely :P

About Danni
Danni. Queer. Love my partner and child more than anything else. Leftie activist – united we stand. Be nice, be happy. <3

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Caleb.

I identify as… Non-Binary Genderqueer (Similar to androgyne or agender. I do feel like I have a gender; it just has nothing to do with men, women, or any sort of spectrum).

As far as third-person pronouns go, … she/her/herself, they/them/themself.

I’m attracted to… queer people! But mostly non-binary people and women.

When people talk about me, I want them to… remember my name.

I want people to understand… I’m not a butch woman. I’m more of a femme guy than a butch woman, but in truth, I am neither.

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Josey.

I identify as… A transgender girl, gender queer.
I feel my attitude is more laid back, but I dress really feminine.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … people call me he, him, she and her. If it’s my family, they still call me their brother.
But I address myself as a girl.

I’m attracted to… I’m really attracted to transman or masculine people in general.
Talkative people, humor, and kindness are also very important for me.

When people talk about me, I want them to… learn to get know me as a person. A lot of people don’t know this, but I go to church, I am a very open-minded person myself, and I do respect people’s opinions. If they don’t like me, that is fine.

I want people to understand… that there is more diversity in the world, and just because I’m trans, it doesn’t change who I was when they met me. Or if I don’t wear make up or have facial hair, that doesn’t make me a guy.

About Josey
Subscribe to my channel on YouTube!
http://www.youtube.com/channel/UCTG639NqpXRmKJgbl179usA/videos?flow=grid&view=0

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… either by my given name, Luanna, or my nickname, Phenix (which I prefer).

I identify as… lesbian and queer.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I prefer the feminine pronouns.

I’m attracted to… woman, and I love to associate with people who have brilliant minds.

When people talk about me, I want them to… smile and be glad they know me.

I want people to understand… compassion for our fellow human beings and all living beings.

About Phenix

I am a college student, returning to school after many years. Once I complete my degrees, it is my hope to help homeless youth, in particular, LGBTQ young people.

I am a paralegal by trade.

I am in a healthy, loving relationship.

I try to live my life with a quote from Buddha always in mind: “If you see yourself in others, then whom can you harm?”

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Lisa Western.

I identify as… a happy TRANS woman.
It took me a long time to accept that label, and I have now embraced it with all my being!

As far as third-person pronouns go, … she, her.
It’s quite simple really!

I’m attracted to… men. Hairy men especially! Big ones, small ones, straight, gay or trans. It’s the male energy that I am drawn to…
Butch lesbians sometime make my preference spectrum go wibbly wobbly!

When people talk about me, I want them to… ask and never assume.
My job as a Drag Queen confuses people.
My personal music preference for rock confuses people.
My spiritual belief confuses people.
One simple way not to be confused is to ask me!
My lack of hatred about being trans confuses people.

I want people to understand… that not all trans people want to erase their past. That not all trans people want to be pretty little princesses or big strapping butch cowboys! That we are all individuals with our own place on the spectrum of this thing called Life!

About Lisa Western
Lisa Western runs Trans-Mission a (soon to be launched) website aimed at providing the trans community with more than just cold facts, more than just trans flag tat, and more than just opinions. She has also been a professional entertainer for twelve years. In her time, she has run shops, pubs and even worked in a call centre! She is also a Tarot reader and has been known to eat chips!

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Topher.

I identify as… transgender, genderqueer, and everything in the middle.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I’m a huge fan of singular “they.”

I’m attracted to… intelligence, sense of humor, and a love of life.

When people talk about me, I want them to… respect my trans* status and not disclose anything to people without my permission. I want to be liked and respected by my peers.

I want people to understand… that I’m the way I am, not because I’m trying to make other peoples’ lives difficult, but because this is who I feel an overwhelming desire to be. I want people to understand that it’s been a long time and a lengthy process of discovering myself, and that I’m still in transit. I may never have a concrete gender identity or presentation, and that’s ok.

About Topher
I’m an art major in my fourth year at university. I play the string bass, and I have a passion for photography.

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Imani.

I identify as… gender queer, pan romantic asexual.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … just she, her, them, they. Real lax when it comes to third-person pronouns.

I’m attracted to… strong individuals who can cook like no ones business.

When people talk about me, I want them to… get my personality and my jokes and not focus on preconcieved notions based on my appearance.

I want people to understand… that genders don’t make up who you are, but it’s you who shapes yourself. Because being yourself is more important then being someone else’s expectations. Because when they’re gone, it’s you who must define yourself.

» Define yourself. «

You can call me… Girl with a Hoop.

I identify as… myself. I have a male body, but I don’t feel particularly masculine. I dress either ambiguously or feminine. I only wear guy stuff when I really have to. I don’t feel like any of the terminology really suits me. Genderqueer sounds political, gender non-conforming sounds PC, androgynous sounds clinical. Why not just call me human.

As far as third-person pronouns go, … I think it’s really sweet when people use feminine pronouns; the masculine ones are like fingers on a chalk board, though I am used to hearing them and won’t begrudge those who use them in reference to me.

I’m attracted to… feminine women who don’t mind a guy who wears more pink than they do.

When people talk about me, I want them to… try to find understanding. I hope that my appearance provokes thought, but ultimately I hope to be judged by my character, not by my dress.

I want people to understand… that there are no absolutes, that the world is not painted black and white.

About Girl with a Hoop
I am a freelance human in New York City. You can often find me in museums, galleries and cafes. You can just as often find me on my bike, summer or winter. New York is a great place to express my gender identity or lack thereof. I have lived in places where I would come to grave bodily harm or death if I dressed like I do here. See my blog at http://girlwithahoop.com.

» Define yourself. «