Paragender Identities

History

The concept of paragender identities emerged in 2010s through gender discussions relating to the LGBTQIA+ and nonbinary communities. These discussions happened online via platforms like Tumblr as well as offline in both academic and activist circles.

Paragender identities refer to situations in which one’s gender is not quite another gender, but has significant traits that cause one to largely align with that identity. It is generally understood that paragender people feel as if they are slightly another gender. People often describe this as having one’s total gender consist of a majority gender along with slightly another gender.

The totality of a person’s paragender identities may include their given gender at birth. They may also be made of entirely an entirely different identity. One’s gender is something that is self-defined.

Flags And Symbols For Paragender Identities

Here are some flags that resonate with people who have paragender identities.

Paragender Flag

The paragender flag has green stripes to represent non-binary genders. The yellow stripes are for people with a partial gender, and white stripes representing all genders. The green surrounds the yellow because they are close on the color wheel which represents one identity being near another.

Para boy is one of the paragender identities. This represents folks who feel mostly but not fully male or masculine. It is similar to demi boy, but not quite the same.

Para girl is another of the paragender identities. Someone with this identity feels female or feminine in multiple ways, but also experiences a coinciding gender as part of their identity.

Am I Paragender?

If you have questions about your identity, that doesn’t mean that you’re confused. Many people spend time exploring what their gender means to them. Here are some questions to ask if you want to know if one of the paragender identities best describes you:

• Does the term paragender identities resonate with me?
• How do I feel about the gender I was assigned?
• Do I connect with more than one identity?
• Is my identity fluid between two or even multiple gender identities?
• Would I describe my gender as having components of different identities?
• Do I feel boxed in by social expectations on identity?
• When I think of paragender identities, do any of those connect with me more than a single identity?
• If I had to self-describe, would paragender identities feel right to me?

How to Support Someone Who is Paragender

When a loved one tells you that their identity is one of the paragender identities, they have trusted you with intimate information about who they are. You can support them in a few different ways.

• Learn About Paragender Identities

There’s not a lot of information about paragender identities as this is a new identity within the nonbinary category. Still, there are informational pages like this wiki, and blogs dedicated to this topic.

• Listen to Them And Validate Their Experiences

People with paragender identities don’t necessarily have the same experiences or views on identity. Don’t make assumptions or attempt to assign attributes to your loved one, even those that are commonly reported by others. Instead, give them space to choose an identity that works for them and articulate that identity.

• Use Inclusive Terminology

People with paragender identities may keep the name and pronouns they were given or choose their own. Respect their choices in this. Additionally, choose general non gendered language whenever possible.

• Respect Their Boundaries

Those with paragender identities deserve to have their boundaries honored and respected. Don’t ask intrusive questions or expect your loved one to educate you about paragender identities.

• Advocate For Inclusivity of Paragender Identities

Finally show support for policies and behaviors that affirm and include people with paragender identities.