Genderfuck
Genderfuck is sometimes alternatively referred to as genderpunk or gender bender.
For some individuals, genderfuck is their full-fledged gender identity, because it applies to them in their personal perception of gender. Such people may use parody to create an image that doesn’t fit in any conventional box, to combine masculine and feminine characteristics into bizarre forms, to show that traditional gender roles and norms have been broken forever.
For other people, genderfuck s more of a label for the outfits they use at events or during photoshoots. Therefore, for this other group of people, genderfuck is rather a form of gender expression, sometimes intentionally used to shock and confuse the audience. People of any gender identity may be "engaging in genderfucking". For example, when a trans woman is wearing a dress but has a beard, she is doing exactly that.
Genderfuck shares some similarities with genderqueer. However, these two identities are different.
The basics and some history
The history of the term "genderfuck" goes back to the 1960s. Believe it or not, it stems from a political movement. To be more precise, identity politics movement. Its guiding principle was the idea that "the personal is political".
L Humphrey explains the term "genderfuck" in his 1972 work Out of the Closets: Sociology of Homosexual Liberation as "a form of extended guerrilla theater".
Christopher Lonc, a gay activist and artist who encouraged men to dress in drag, introduced this term in his article “Genderfuck and Its Delights” that got published in Gay Sunshine, the newspaper of gay liberation: “I want to criticize and poke fun at the roles of women and men too… I want to ridicule and destroy the whole cosmology of restrictive sex roles and sexual identification”.
The word genderfuck has become a popular term in the LGBTQIA+ culture thanks to drag culture in the 1970s-1990s.
According to the 2020 Gender Census, 42 people self-identify as genderfuck, 11 individuals, as "genderfucked", 3 people, as "genderfucker", and 17 identify themselves as genderpunk.
Flags and symbols
There is no official genderfuck flag yet, but are several proposed flags.
The most popular one was created in 2016. This purple flag has a pastel yellow border and a stylized yellow skull symbol in the center. The colors show us the different kinds of identities and expressions entirely that go under the term: yellow being outside the binary identity, purple being a mixture of male and female. The skull shows the rebellious nature of gender identity.
Another popular flag was created in 2020. It consists of five horizontal stripes with the hand showing the middle finger up symbol in the center. The meaning of the colors is unclear.
Genderfuck and sexual orientation
Gender identity is the sense of one’s self as genderfuck, genderqueer, woman, man, or any other identity, which may or may not match the sex assigned at birth. Genderfuck, as previously mentioned, can be a gender identity or a gender expression (or both).
Sexual orientation is a person’s enduring pattern of romantic/sexual/emotional attraction, or non-attraction, to other people. According to some scientists, sexual orientation is a choice, while other researchers have proved that there are some biological factors that drive hetero- or homosexuality. Basically, sexual orientation depends on many things, and genderfuck people can be homosexual, straight, or sexually attracted to people of any gender.
What pronouns should be used?
The gender binary is still a prevalent concept within our society, and for generations, we had been taught to adhere to gender norms and assume people’s pronouns based on our own perceptions of these individuals in conjunction with how they look and act. But the latter doesn’t work with genderfuck people.
That’s why you can’t tell what pronouns they use by looking at them. They may use the "they/them/theirs" set of pronouns or one of the many gender-neutral neopronouns. Some of them may even prefer the "she/her/hers" or "he/his/his" pronouns since genderfuck people like to play with traditional gender roles. In any case, the best way to know what the correct pronouns to use are is to ask your genderfuck interlocutor.
Coming out as genderfuck
Coming out as genderfuck can be stressful and painful, yet beneficial and liberating at the same time. In fact. a recent study reveals that coming out provides a tangible mental health benefit, but only in places where there are tolerant social policies. Coming out as genderfuck can be dangerous if an individual lives or works in an unsafe environment.
Coming out is different for everyone, but hopefully, these tips can help you with that process:
- Before you come out to anyone else, it’s important to come out to yourself - this is when you start perceiving yourself as genderfuck;
- You and only you decide how to tell people - in person or via text or email - and when to do it;
- Think carefully about who to tell first - it’s best if the first person you come out to is someone you trust;
- In any critical situation or whenever you want to share your doubts with someone friendly who is ready to listen, call an LGBTQIA+ hotline or see support from an LGBTQIA+ organization.
How can I support my genderfuck friends, coworkers, or family?
Undoubtedly, society’s understanding of different gender identities and expressions has grown a lot, and there has been significant progress towards equality for the LGBTQIA+ community in recent years. Yet, many genderfuck people continue to face various forms of exclusion and discrimination.
- Talk, and most importantly, listen to genderfuck people to learn more about who they are, be curious, but not intrusive;
- Do some research - there are many books, blogs, and social media pages where you can educate yourself on the genderfuck identity and its history;
- There are many ways that you can be an ally to your genderfuck friends: you can stand up for them if they are bullied because of their gender identity, attend LGBTQIA+ events (virtual or offline ones) to uplift and strengthen the community, or even just spread knowledge and awareness for all humans, including genderfuck people because everybody deserves to live a stress-free life regardless of their gender identity.