Indeed there are many different forms. And this results in many different terms.
Which has the result of having many different definitions.
This is where a lot of confusion and sometimes discussions that could go on forever.
It seems that there is a lot of overlap in the broad definitions that are used.
There isn't any finite definition in terms that cannot be applied to other terms as well.
You could dissect the range of non-binary genders into an infinite number of points.
The problem that comes up is when people try to place all of these possible points on a line.
That's usually how people tend to look at this. As somewhere on a line spectrum between male and female.
This whole idea, while it sounds logical, doesn't work in the real world of non-binary genders.
Most people, and this isn't limited by any means to non-binary,
will find themselves having gender qualities that would be at different points on a line, at the same time.
These can and do change over time, for some, even throughout a day, others as life goes on.
If you think of these points as a more 3 dimensional kind of spectrum or space,
it becomes easier to distinguish individuals versus terms or broad definitions.
While some, for sure, can and do remain stationary in there individual genders.
Others pick up and lose some of these other finer points of definitions as they go through their day or life.
Personally, I prefer to think of two of these points, male and female, to be within a 'sphere' of points.
For some, they travel along a relatively straight line from one to the other.
But they will still pick up or use some of these finer points as they do so.
For others, they can have some of these points that are in appearance, scattered all over the place.
This is an illusion that they are scattered, because the person themselves have a gender that is not scattered.
Think of it as more of a mix and match kind of thing, that you can change or it will change.
There are some definitions that do have certain qualities,
yet very few people are going to match those with that kind of certainty.
While everyone loves to define things in a finite manner, this isn't the case with genders.
Especially in the gender areas concerning mainly non-binary individuals.
We tend to combine attributes of gender in indistinct ways.
This leads to everyone having a different definition for the same terms.
Confusion along with confusing discussions of 'just what does this all mean?'.
While Androgyn, out of tradition, serves as an umbrella term on this forum,
it most definitely doesn't include some people in their definitions of gender.
Androgyn is a broad term that combines traits of male and female.
Some other terms do the same thing, but in a different manner.
Some don't combine them at all. More unnecessary confusion about definitions.
One of the things I personally don't like is the term genderqueer.
It combines orientation with gender and doesn't define gender at all.
But you could most certainly use that term to do just that, combine the two. Why not?
My generation, the older than dirt one, can find the use of the word queer to have a very derogatory way of saying 'Gay'.
A sexual orientation based word that in the past was used as a put down,
an attempt to bully those who were or maybe even weren't.
While I personally use Androgyne, as it, in a broad sense does use the defines as I use them,
non-binary is more specific, just for the opposite reason. It uses all the defines or points.
As long as there isn't a Webster size dictionary of definitions that cover all the nuances of gender,
the terms we use will always have overlap and different meanings for different people.
While it doesn't render them useless, which isn't the case,
it makes defining the differences as hard as defining them in the first place.
Androgyne and Genderqueer are two different things, solely for the reason that one defines gender only,
while the other combines gender with sexual orientation.
Nothing is wrong, by any means with either definition, it's just that they have different uses.
It is useful to be able to define yourself as either, while also being able to define yourself as both.
Just to clarify, Androgyn is used as the short-hand word for non-binary on this forum.
Both of which are umbrella terms concerning gender specifics.
Genderqueer could be used the same, but with combining sexual orientation in a broad sense, also.
To briefly answer your question, there is an infinite variation in gender identities.
The terms used, all overlap to one degree or another, just by personal preference in their use.
Essentially they are all the same, in terms of non-binary, but with subtle nuances within each definition.
This is arguable, but that is the nature of us, to try and define many things as separate distinct things.
We use terms, but they should be used only as indications of gender tendencies.
That is our real gender terms, just tendencies, that have a great deal of overlap.
Our terms are boxes filled with so many boxes of different sizes and stacked randomly with each other.
This can make us appear to be unusual or indistinct to some, but it defines us as a group.
Which also makes us a lot of fun to hang around with, on this forum.
Who wouldn't love a bunch of people who don't have a definite definition of themselves?
Ativan
