Androgynous
Not to be confused with Androgyne.
Androgynous is a gender quality used to describe those who present a specific set of traits that is traditionally associated with both femininity and masculinity, or someone that is neither specifically/solely masculine nor feminine.[1][2] These traits typically refer to one's gender identity or one's gender presentation.[3] Though it is associated with enbies or individuals of an androgyne and/or neutral gender, it is not exclusive to them, and can be used by men, women, and others.
The word 'androgynous' is a combination of the Greek words 'andros' meaning 'male' and 'gyn' meaning 'female'.[4]
The exact qualities of androgynous depends greatly on culture and time period.
Western Androgynous
Due to androgynous being a mixture of feminine and masculine, it is often presented in various ways. For example, a woman in a dress that has short hair may identify as androgynous, but a woman wearing a tie that has long hair may also identify as androgynous. The ratio of one's masculine or feminine traits also vary, where one for example may identify as 80% masculine and only 20% feminine. One does not have to be evenly 50% masculine and 50% feminine to be androgynous.[5]
Related Terms
| Label | Relationship | Description | Difference |
|---|---|---|---|
| Androgyne | Counterpart | A gender associated with femininity and masculinity, and a connection to girlhood, womanhood, boyhood, or manhood. | Androgyne is the stereotypical gender counterpart to androgynous. |
| Feminine | Similar | A specific set of traits that is traditionally associated with women and/or girls. | Feminine does not include the masculine qualities of androgynous. |
| Masculine | Similar | A specific set of traits that is traditionally associated with men and/or boys. | Masculine does not include the feminine qualities of androgynous. |
| Neutral | Similar | A specific set of traits that is not traditionally gendered. | Androgynous is typically gendered. |
Flags and Symbols
The androgynous flag was created by beyond-mogai-pride-flags on the 30th of January, 2019.[6]
Many androgynous flags and symbols use the color purple, to represent the mixing of masculine blue and feminine pink.[7]
Resources
- ↑ Resnick, Ariane. "What Does the Term Androgynous Mean?". verywellmind, 28 Feb, 2022, https://www.verywellmind.com/what-is-androgyny-5211829.
- ↑ "androgynous". Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/androgynous. Accessed on 29 Nov, 2023.
- ↑ Olsen, Stephanie. "What Androgynous Means: Definition & Gender Expression in the Workplace". Inhersight, https://www.inhersight.com/blog/diversity/androgynous. Accessed on 29 Nov, 2023.
- ↑ Berlinsky-Schine, Laura. "What Androgynous Means: Definition and More". Fairygodboss, 20 Sep, 2019, https://fairygodboss.com/career-topics/androgynous.
- ↑ deLune, Felix. "Non-Binary Characters And The Androgyny Conundrum". Felixdelune, 2 Sep, https://www.felixdelune.com/blog/non-binary-characters-and-the-androgyny-conundrum#:~:text=Don't%20(always)%20split,masculine%20traits%20(elaborated%20above)..
- ↑ beyond-mogai-pride-flags. "Androgynous Pride Flag". Tumblr, 30 Jan, 2019, https://web.archive.org/web/20220127053305/https://beyond-mogai-pride-flags.tumblr.com/post/182437170455/androgynous-pride-flag. Archived on 27 Jan, 2022.
- ↑ Sotska, Julia. "Androgynous - What is it? What does it mean?". Taimi, 19 Dec, 2022, https://taimi.com/wiki/androgynous-what-is-it-what-does-it-mean#:~:text=It%20features%20purple%20with%20a%20combination%20of%20blue%20and%20pink%20colors..
