genderless

Genderless describes a lack of gender in a person, object, language, or category. When applied to people, it can refer to someone who does not identify with any gender, such as an agender or nonbinary individual, or to roles and appearances that do not align with traditional gender norms. In this sense, genderless is related to but not identical with agender: agender is a personal identity, while genderless can describe broader characteristics or practices that avoid gendered assumptions.

In language and everyday speech, genderless usage emphasizes pronouns and forms that do not imply gender. Some individuals prefer they/them or other neutral pronouns, while others avoid gendered terms altogether. In linguistics, a genderless language is one that does not mark nouns or pronouns for gender, or where gender is not a grammatical category. Many languages and communities have moved toward more gender-neutral usage through reforms, neologisms, or changing social conventions.

Societal accommodations often reflect a push toward inclusivity, including gender-neutral bathrooms, inclusive forms, and neutral honorifics such as Mx. Institutions may offer options beyond male/female on documents, and dress codes or facilities may be adjusted to respect genderless or nonbinary identities. The concept intersects with identity, privacy, safety, and social norms and varies across cultures and legal contexts.

See also agender, nonbinary, gender neutrality.