multigender

Multigender is a gender identity that encompasses more than one gender. People who identify as multigender may feel their gender is a combination or overlap of two or more genders, or that their sense of gender shifts between different genders over time. The term can function as an umbrella for a range of identities, including bigender, trigender, pangender, and genderfluid, though not all individuals who identify as multigender use or accept those subcategories.

People who identify as multigender may describe different experiences: some experience simultaneous, multigendered identities; others experience fluidity, with different genders appearing in different contexts or stages of life. Pronoun use varies and may include he/him, she/her, they/them, or other pronouns; some individuals use different pronouns in different settings or times.

In cultural and historical contexts, gender diversity has existed in many forms. Some cultures recognize multigender roles or nonbinary systems, though terms like two-spirit or hijra are culturally specific and not exact equivalents of Western multigender concepts. Language and terminology continue to evolve as communities discuss how best to describe personal experience.

Legally and socially, recognition of multigender identities varies by country and jurisdiction. Anti-discrimination protections for gender identity can apply to multigender people, but official documents may not always provide an option that precisely reflects their identity. Visibility and acceptance differ across communities, regions, and institutions.

See also: Nonbinary, Genderqueer, Bigender, Pangender, Genderfluid, Two-spirit.