Gender Identities List for 2026: A to Z Definitions

Author: Ian C. Langtree - Writer/Editor for Disabled World (DW)
Published: 4 Oct 2024 - Updated: 10 Sep 2026
Publication Type: Informative

Table of Contents:
Synopsis - Definition - Overview - FAQs - Insights, Updates - Related Content

Synopsis

This informational resource presents an alphabetically organized reference guide to gender identities recognized in 2025, offering clear definitions spanning from widely known terms like cisgender and transgender to culturally specific identities such as fa'afafine and muxe. The article serves healthcare providers, educators, human resources professionals, and anyone seeking to understand gender diversity beyond traditional binary concepts. Its value lies in providing accessible language that helps create more inclusive environments for people of all backgrounds, particularly benefiting those in disability communities where intersectionality between disability and gender identity often requires nuanced understanding. The structured format allows quick reference while the cultural context helps readers grasp how different societies recognize and honor gender diversity.

At a Glance

1 - The hijra of South Asia, bissu of Bugis society, and two spirit traditions predate Western terminology. These identities have existed for centuries or millennia.
2 - There is no fixed catalog of identities that grows annually like a database. What shifts is language, cultural awareness, legal recognition, and clinical frameworks.
3 - Research counts vary widely, with sources citing figures such as 72, 81, or lists that continue to grow. Differences stem from methodology, sample size, age ranges, and geography.
4 - The guide supports healthcare providers, educators, and human resources professionals seeking inclusive language. It is especially relevant where disability and gender identity intersect and require nuanced understanding.

Topic Definition

Gender Identity: The term gender identity was coined by psychiatry professor Robert J. Stoller in 1964 and popularized by psychologist John Money. Gender identity is the personal sense of one's gender. Gender identity can correlate with a person's assigned sex or can differ from it. In most individuals, the biological determinants of sex are congruent and consistent with the individual's gender identity. While a person may express behaviors, attitudes, and appearances consistent with a particular gender role, such expression may not necessarily reflect their gender identity. Essentialists argue that gender identity is determined at birth by biological and genetic factors. In contrast, social constructivists argue that gender identity and how it is expressed is socially constructed instead determined by cultural and social influences. These positions are not mutually exclusive, as an innate gender identity can be expressed differently in different cultures.

Overview

Gender Identity Spectrum: List of 200+ Terms

Gender identity can be understood to include how someone describes themselves, how they present, and how they feel. Below are the gender identities currently listed for 2026 - subject to change at any time. Gender identity refers to how individuals perceive themselves and what they call themselves, which can be the same or different from their sex assigned at birth. Understanding and respecting different gender identities is crucial for the social inclusion and mental health of individuals.

Why the LGBTQ+ Numbers Vary by Year and Location

It's important to understand that there is no definitive "count" of gender identities that increases year by year like a catalog or database. Gender identity refers to how individuals experience and identify their own gender, which exists on a spectrum rather than as a fixed set of categories. What varies by year is not the number of distinct identities that exist, but rather: the terminology and language people use to describe their experiences, the percentage of populations who identify outside the traditional male/female binary, the level of cultural awareness and acceptance, the legal recognition in different jurisdictions, and the medical/clinical frameworks used to understand gender diversity. Different research studies also produce varying numbers depending on their methodology, sample populations, age ranges, geographic locations, and how they phrase questions about gender identity. Additionally, many gender identities have existed for centuries or millennia in cultures around the world - what has changed is primarily Western recognition, visibility, and the evolution of language to describe these experiences.

Historical Existence: Many gender identities have existed for centuries; what's new is Western recognition and language.
Political Context: Recognition varies greatly by jurisdiction and is subject to political changes (as seen in 2025 U.S. policy reversal).
Ongoing Evolution: Language, terminology, and understanding continue to evolve. The term itself evolved - "Gender identity" as a concept was coined by Robert Stoller in 1964, so the framework didn't exist in 2000 the way it does today.
Not a Fixed List: Gender identities are not items added to a catalog, but evolving language describing human experiences. Various sources mention different counts (72, 81, or lists that continue growing), but these aren't year-by-year counts.
Gender identity is about how individuals identify themselves, not a fixed list that gets updated annually like a catalog. The concept has evolved significantly in cultural understanding and language rather than as countable identities added each year.
Cultural Specificity: Western frameworks (transgender, non-binary) don't always map onto other cultures' traditional gender systems. Many gender identities have existed for centuries or millennia in different cultures (like hijra in South Asia, fa'afafine in Samoa, two-spirit in Native American cultures), but Western recognition of them has increased over time.
Generational Differences: Gen Z (born 1995-2012) shows dramatically higher rates of non-binary/transgender identification than older generations. What has changed is how many people identify as transgender or nonbinary, particularly among younger generations. For example, among young adults born in the 2000s, transgender identification increased 48% and nonbinary identification increased 60% just between late 2021 and late 2022.

So it is impossible to state, for example, that there were 72 gender identities in 2023, 81 in 2024, 94 in 2025, etc. The list below therefore tracks the evolution of understanding, recognition, terminology, and demographic trends rather than presenting a year-by-year count of newly created identities.

Understanding Gender Beyond Binary Perspectives - A to Z List of Gender Identities

NOTE: There may be an overlap among one or more gender identities. Select a letter below to browse alphabetically.

A B C D E F G H I K L M N O P Q S T V W X

Abimegender: Associated with being profound, deep, and infinite. May be used alone or in combination with other genders.
Abinary: A gender identity that does not fit within the binary of male or female.
Adamas gender: A gender that is indefinable or indomitable. People identifying with this gender refuse to be categorized in any particular gender identity.
Aerogender: Also called evaisgender, this gender identity changes according to their surroundings.
Aesthetigender: Also called aesthetgender, it is a type of gender identity derived from aesthetics.
Affectugender: This is based on the person's mood swings or fluctuations.
Agender: A person who does not identify with any gender.
Agenderflux: A person with this gender identity is mostly agender with brief shifts of belonging to other gender types.
Alexigender: The person has a fluid gender identity between more than one type of gender although they cannot name the genders they feel fluid in.
Aliusgender: This gender identity stands apart from existing social gender constructs. It means having a strong specific gender identity that is neither male nor female.
Amaregender: Having a gender identity that changes depending on the person one is emotionally attached to.
Ambigender: A fluctuating gender identity that is sometimes male and sometimes female.
Ambisexual: Having, showing, or involving feelings of sexual attraction for both sexes.
Ambonec: The person identifies themselves as both man and woman and yet does not belong to either.
Amicagender: A gender-fluid identity where a person changes their gender depending on the friends they have.
Androgyne: A person whose gender identity is a mix of both male and female characteristics.
Androgynos: A Jewish term for someone with both male and female sexual characteristics.
Androgynous: Having physical characteristics of both male and female genders.
Anesigender: The person feels close to a specific type of gender despite being more comfortable in closely identifying themselves with another gender.
Angenital: The person desires to be without any primary sexual characteristics although they do not identify themselves as genderless.
Anogender: The gender identity fades in and out in intensity but always comes back to the same gendered feeling.
Anongender: The person has a gender identity but does not label it or would prefer to not have a label.
Antegender: A protean gender that can be anything but is formless and motionless.
Anxiegender: This gender identity has anxiety as its prominent characteristic.
Apagender: The person has apathy or a lack of feelings toward one's gender identity.
Apconsugender: Knowing what are not the characteristics of gender but not knowing what are its characteristics. A person hides its primary characteristics from the individual.
Aporagender: A gender identity separate from male, female, and anything in between.
Asexual: A person who feels very little or no sexual desire.
Astergender: The person has a bright and celestial gender identity.
Astral gender: Having a gender identity that feels to be related to space.
Autigender: A gender identity that is deeply influenced by being autistic.
Autogender: Having a gender experience that is deeply connected and personal to oneself.
Axigender: A gender identity between the two extremes of agender and any other type of gender. Both genders are experienced one at a time without any overlapping.

Bakla: A Filipino term for a person assigned male at birth who has a feminine gender expression.
Berrisexuality: (Also called Laurian) An LGBTQ+ micro-label describing someone attracted to all genders, but whose preference heavily skews towards feminine-aligned and androgynous people. Attraction to masculine-aligned genders or men exists but is rare, minor, or happens only under specific circumstances.
Bicurious: A person who is open to or curious about having sexual relations with a person whose sex differs from that of their usual sexual partners.
Bigender: A person who experiences two gender identities, either simultaneously or varying between them.
Binary: Relating to, composed of, or involving two things, especially gender identities of male and female.
Biogender: Having a gender that is closely related to nature.
Bisexual: A person who is sexually attracted to people of their sex and people of a different sex.
Bissu: A gender identity in Bugis society that is considered a sacred gender, transcending the binary.
Blurgender: Also called gender fuss, blurgender means having more than one gender identities that blur into each other so that no particular type of gender identity is clear.
Boyflux: The person identifies themselves as male, but they experience varying degrees of male identity. This may range from feeling agender to completely male.
Burstgender: Frequent bursts of intense feelings quickly move to the initial calm stage.
Butch: A masculine gender expression or identity, often but not exclusively used by lesbians.

Caelgender: This gender identity shares the qualities or aesthetics of outer space.
Calabai: A gender identity in Bugis culture for people assigned male at birth who take on feminine roles.
Calalai: A gender identity in Bugis culture for people assigned female at birth who take on masculine roles.
Cassgender: It is associated with the feelings of considering the gender irrelevant or unimportant.
Cassflux: There is a fluctuating intensity of irrelevance toward gender.
Cavusgender: The person feels close to one gender when depressed and to another when not depressed.
Cendgender: The gender identity changes from one gender to its opposite.
Ceterogender: It is a nonbinary gender where the person has a specific masculine, feminine or neutral feelings.
Ceterofluid: Although the person is a ceterogender, their identity keeps fluctuating between different genders.
Cis: Short for cisgender, referring to people whose gender identity matches their sex assigned at birth.
Cisgender: A person whose gender identity corresponds with their birth sex.
Cis female: A person assigned female at birth who identifies as a woman.
Cis male: A person assigned male at birth who identifies as a man.
Cis man: A person assigned male at birth who identifies as a man.
Cis woman: A person assigned female at birth who identifies as a woman.
Cloudgender: The person's gender cannot be comprehended or understood due to depersonalization and derealization disorder.
Collgender: Various genders are present at the same time in the person.
Colorgender: Colors are used to describe gender, for example, pink gender or black gender.
Commogender: The person knows that they are not cisgender yet continues to identify as one for a while.
Condigender: A person feels their gender only under specific circumstances.

Deliciagender: Associated with the feeling of having multiple genders but preferring one over the other.
Demi-boy: A gender identity that is partially, but not wholly, male.
Demifluid: Having multiple genders, some fluid while others are static.
Demiflux: A gender identity that is partially fluid with a fixed portion that is non-binary.
Demigender: A gender identity that is partially one gender and partially another.
Demi-girl: A gender identity that is partially, but not wholly, female.
Demi-guy: A gender identity that is partially, but not wholly, male.
Demi-man: A gender identity that is partially, but not wholly, male.
Diamoric: A non-binary person who is attracted to non-binary people.
Domgender: The individual has multiple genders with one dominating over the rest.
Dual gender: A gender identity that includes two genders.
Duragender: Having more than one gender with one lasting longer than the others.
Demi-woman: A gender identity that is partially, but not wholly, female.

Egogender: It is a personal type of gender identified by the individual alone. It is based on the person's experience within the self.
Endosex: A person whose sex characteristics fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies.
Epicene: It is associated with a strong feeling of not being able to relate to any of the two genders of the binary gender or both of the binary gender characteristics.
Esspigender: The individual relates their gender identity with spirits.
Eunuch: A person who has been castrated, especially one formerly employed to guard women's living areas at an oriental court.
Exgender: The denial to identify with any gender on the gender spectrum.
Existigender: The person's gender identity exists only when they make conscious efforts to realize it.

Fa'afafine: A third gender role in Samoan culture, assigned male at birth but embodying both masculine and feminine traits.
Femfluid: The person is fluid or fluctuating regarding the feminine genders.
Female: A sex assigned at birth based on biological characteristics typically associated with women.
Female to male: A transgender person who was assigned female at birth but identifies as male.
Femme: A queer identity characterized by feminine attributes or presentation.
Femgender: A nonbinary gender identity that is feminine.
Fluidflux: It means to be fluid between two or more genders with a fluctuation in the intensity of those genders.
FTM: Abbreviation for "female-to-male," referring to transgender men.

Gemigender: The person has two genders that are opposite yet they flux and work together.
Gender bender: A person who deliberately challenges traditional gender roles.
Genderblank: Closely related to a blank space.
Gender diverse: An umbrella term for gender identities that demonstrate a diversity of expression beyond the binary framework.
Gender gifted: A positive term for people whose gender identity differs from societal norms.
Genderflow: The gender identity is fluid between infinite feelings.
Genderfluid: A gender identity that varies over time or depending on the situation.
Genderflux: A gender identity that changes in intensity over time.
Genderfuck: A gender identity or expression that deliberately mixes or subverts traditional gender cues.
Genderfuzz: More than one gender is blurred together.
Genderless: Having no gender identity or expression.
Genderpuck: The person resists to fit in societal norms concerning genders.
Gendervague: A gender identity that is not definable or clearly expressed.
Gender nonconforming: A person whose behavior or appearance does not conform to prevailing cultural and social expectations about what is appropriate to their gender.
Genderqueer: A gender identity that is neither male nor female, is between or beyond genders, or is some combination of genders.
Gender questioning: The process of exploring one's own gender identity.
Gender variant: Displaying gender traits that are not normatively associated with their assigned sex.
Gender witched: The person is inclined toward the notion of having one gender but does not know which.
Girlflux: The individual identifies themselves as a female but with varying intensities of female identities.
Graygender: A gender identity that is mostly outside the gender binary but with some connection to it.

Healgender: A gender identity that gives the person peace, calm, and positivity.
Heterosexual: A person sexually attracted to people of the opposite sex.
Hijra: A third gender identity recognized in South Asian cultures.

Intergender: A gender identity between or beyond the binary of female and male.
Intersex: A person born with sex characteristics that do not fit typical binary notions of male or female bodies.

Kathoey: A transgender identity recognized in Thailand, often referred to as a "third gender."

Laurian: (Also called Berrisexuality) An LGBTQ+ micro-label describing someone attracted to all genders, but whose preference heavily skews towards feminine-aligned and androgynous people. Attraction to masculine-aligned genders or men exists but is rare, minor, or happens only under specific circumstances.
Lesbian: A woman who is sexually attracted to women.

Male: A sex assigned at birth based on biological characteristics typically associated with men.
Male to female: A transgender person who was assigned male at birth but identifies as female.
Man: An adult human male.
Man of trans experience: A transgender man.
Maverique: A non-binary gender identity characterized by autonomy and conviction about one's inner sense of self.
Mirrorgender: Changing one's gender type based on the people surrounding.
MTF: Abbreviation for "male-to-female," referring to transgender women.
Multigender: A gender identity that includes multiple genders.
Muxe: A gender identity in Zapotec cultures in Oaxaca, Mexico, describing a person assigned male at birth who assumes female roles.

Neither: A gender identity that is neither male nor female.
Neurogender: A gender identity that is influenced by or linked to one's neurotype or neurological conditions.
Neutrois: A non-binary gender identity that is considered neutral or null.
Non-binary: A gender identity that does not fit into the binary of male or female.
Non-binary transgender: A person who is both non-binary and transgender.

Omnigender: A gender identity that includes all genders.
Other: A gender identity that does not conform to societal norms or expectations.

Pangender: A gender identity that includes all genders.
Polygender (polysexual): A gender identity that includes multiple genders.
Person of transgendered experience: A term used to describe someone who has transitioned or is transitioning from one gender to another.

Queer: An umbrella term for sexual and gender minorities who are not heterosexual or cisgender.

Sekhet: An ancient Egyptian term for a third gender or intersex individuals.
Straight: A colloquial term for heterosexual.
Symbiosexual: Symbiosexuality is an attraction to the dynamic energy, multi-dimensionality, and power shared between people in existing relationships.

Third gender: A gender category that is neither male nor female.
Trans: An abbreviation of transgender.
Trans female: A transgender person who identifies as female.
Trans male: A transgender person who identifies as male.
Trans man: A man who was assigned female at birth.
Trans person: A person whose gender identity differs from their assigned sex at birth.
Trans woman: A woman who was assigned male at birth.
Transgender: A person whose gender identity differs from their assigned sex at birth.
Transgender female: A transgender person who identifies as female.
Transgender male: A transgender person who identifies as male.
Transgender man: A man who was assigned female at birth.
Transgender person: A person whose gender identity differs from their assigned sex at birth.
Transgender woman: A woman who was assigned male at birth.
Transfeminine: A term describing transgender people who were assigned male at birth but identify more with femininity.
Transmasculine: A term describing transgender people who were assigned female at birth but identify more with masculinity.
Transsexual: An older term for transgender, sometimes still used by individuals who have permanently changed their bodies through medical interventions.
Transsexual female: A transsexual person who identifies as female.
Transsexual male: A transsexual person who identifies as male.
Transsexual man: A transsexual person who identifies as a man.
Transsexual person: A person who has undergone medical treatment to change their physical sex.
Transsexual woman: A transsexual person who identifies as a woman.
Travesti: A gender identity in Latin American cultures, typically describing people assigned male at birth who have a feminine gender expression.
Trigender: A gender identity that involves three distinct genders.
Tumtum: A Jewish term for a person whose sex is unknown or unspecified.
Two spirit: A modern umbrella term used by some Indigenous North Americans to describe gender-variant individuals in their communities.

Vakasalewalewa: A third gender role recognized in Fijian culture.

Waria: An Indonesian term for a third gender identity.
Winkte: A social role in Lakota culture of a male-bodied person who has a non-masculine gender identity.
Woman: An adult human female.
Woman of trans experience: A transgender woman.

X-gender: A non-binary gender identity used in Japan.
Xenogender: A gender identity that cannot be contained by human understandings of gender.

Definitions of Sexual Identities and Gender Terms: The gender and sexuality terms listed in this glossary are designed to help you better understand discussions of gender and sexuality.

Frequently Asked Questions

Can a persons gender identity change over time

For some people gender identity remains constant throughout life, while for others it can shift or become clearer as they grow and gain self understanding. Both experiences are recognized as normal parts of human development.

Is gender identity considered a mental illness

No, gender identity itself is not classified as a mental illness by major health organizations. Distress that can arise from a mismatch between identity and assigned sex is addressed through supportive and affirming care rather than treated as a disorder of identity.

What does nonbinary mean

Nonbinary describes gender identities that do not fit strictly within the categories of male or female. It is an umbrella term that can include people who feel between genders, a mix of genders, or no gender at all.

How many genders are officially recognized

There is no single official number because gender exists on a spectrum rather than as a fixed set of categories. Different sources and jurisdictions recognize different terms, so any specific count reflects one framework rather than a universal standard.

Why do some cultures recognize more than two genders

Many societies have long included third gender or gender diverse roles as part of their traditions and spiritual practices. These roles developed independently of Western frameworks and reflect each cultures own history and values.

Are gender identity and biological sex the same thing

No, biological sex refers to physical characteristics assigned at birth, while gender identity is a persons internal sense of their own gender. The two often align but can also differ from one another.

What is the difference between transgender and nonbinary

Transgender describes anyone whose gender identity differs from the sex they were assigned at birth, which can include nonbinary people. Nonbinary specifically refers to identities outside the male and female binary, and not everyone who is nonbinary identifies as transgender.

How should I respond if I do not understand a gender term

The most respectful approach is to listen, ask polite questions if the person is open to it, and treat their identity with courtesy. Reliable glossaries and educational resources can also help you learn without placing the burden on the individual.

Insights, Analysis, and Developments

Editorial Note: Understanding the full spectrum of gender identity represents more than an academic exercise - it creates practical pathways for better healthcare delivery, workplace accommodation, and social support systems. For individuals navigating both disability and gender identity, this knowledge becomes particularly vital, as many face compounded barriers in accessing affirming care and services. As society continues evolving its understanding of human identity, resources like this serve as bridges between tradition and progress, offering language that validates lived experiences while fostering dialogue across generations and cultures. The ongoing expansion of recognized gender identities reflects not confusion but rather increasing precision in how we honor the complexity of human experience.

Ian C. Langtree Author Credentials: Ian is the founder and Editor-in-Chief of Disabled World, a leading resource for news and information on disability issues. With a global perspective shaped by years of travel and lived experience, Ian is a committed proponent of the Social Model of Disability, a transformative framework developed by disabled activists in the 1970s that emphasizes dismantling societal barriers rather than focusing solely on individual impairments. His work reflects a deep commitment to disability rights, accessibility, and social inclusion. To learn more about Ian's background, expertise, and accomplishments, visit his full biography.