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gender identity

A magnifying mirror reflected in a wall mounted bathroom mirror
First Person Gender

I Stopped Tweezing in Quarantine and Realized I’m Nonbinary

On the 24th day of quarantine, I turned on all of the lamps in my room and took off all my clothes. Then I stood in front of the mirror and stared.

By Rae Nieves| November 10, 2020 | 19 Comments
a black and white photo of a person's chest and thin lines of scars beneath their nipples let behind after top surgery
First Person Gender

When Other People Get to Give Away Their Binders

Getting top surgery with my butch identity is no longer some unattainable fantasy. Now the question firmly rests with me: do I want to go ahead with it or not?

By Shoshana Raphael| September 29, 2020 | 24 Comments
A short-haired dyke sits on a mud spattered floor with one leg folded under them and the other extended. They smile an easy grin into the camera and place a hand on their extended knee. Behind them a blue graphic ribbon runs behind them and across another mud covered person sitting behind them.
First Person

Mud Wrestling Showed Me How To Want

Our thighs slapped against the tarp as we threw each other across the floor. Our eyes and ears were painted in mud like two casts of the human form. The thing that pulled me into the ring that night was desire itself.

By Lillian Kalish| September 9, 2020 | 13 Comments
Society + Culture

How Do You Plan for Transition in a Pandemic-Related Economic Depression? Financial Advisors Have Some Thoughts

The COVID-19 quarantine, which now, perhaps, connotes to be known as a period of extended doldrums for gender transitioning adults across America, has produced its share of coping mechanisms.Autostraddle caught up with two financial advisers who serve transgender clients, Timothy LaPean and Hans Heath.

By Winter Breedlove| June 16, 2020 | 7 Comments
Advice

You Need Help: Gender Feels in Quarantine

Your rawness and tenderness is a primal signal that you are alive. It’s exhausting and there’s no way to turn it off. Let yourself breathe through this, and trust that it is not a waste of time to devote your energy to the work of becoming.

By Adrian| May 14, 2020 | 6 Comments
The Scene

The Drag Kings of Taipei

I moved to California from Shanghai at fourteen and threw myself into learning how to be an American. It’s a lot like doing drag.

By Alison Tam| November 6, 2019 | 7 Comments
Advice

You Need Help: A Non-Binary Woman Working Through the Gender Feels

“Sometimes, when we allow ourselves to open a door, to open a possibility, the weight of that possibility and that choice is damn heavy – and overwhelming.”

By Archie| August 12, 2019 | 19 Comments
Gender

You Need Help: How Do I Tell If I’m a Butch Cis Woman or a Trans Non-Binary Person?

If I could tell everyone how to differentiate between gender expression feels and gender feels, I’d be Sovereign Ruler of Gender and maybe things would be easier, but probably also a lot less fun.

By A.E. Osworth| January 29, 2019 | 69 Comments
A+

Into The A+ Advice Box #3: Summer Hookups, Bisexual Sadness and Gender Feelings

We’ve got 29 gorgeous questions and like 100 answers, so if you need help and you asked for it, you might find it in here. Casual hookups, breakups, threesomes, gender uncertainty, dating a co-worker, letting her down easy and so much more!

By Riese| July 30, 2018 | 27 Comments
First Person

We Aren’t Failures: Naming What Was Lost as an Agender Person

“Other people built a gender for me and trusted that I would defend what they built. But what I was handed never made sense.”

By (Hill)ary Brown| July 5, 2018 | 37 Comments
Advice

You Need Help: You’re Not Sure If You’re a Boy and Gender Is Hard

“A lot of the narrative about gender questioning at large is about tragedy, about what we lose. I encourage you (even though I know it’s challenging) to think about your gender from a different angle. What makes you feel affirmed?”

By Mika| June 18, 2018 | 22 Comments
Geekery

Drawn to Comics: “The Prince and the Dressmaker” Is a Stunningly Gorgeous Book About Being Yourself

We’re all lucky enough to see an exclusive preview of this book about dresses, gender, true selves and love right here.

By Mey| February 13, 2018 | 8 Comments
Advice

Y’All Need Help #20: First Admit That You Don’t Know Yet

What should you do about a baby’s pronouns, how do you and your girlfriend both propose to each other, and how do you stop holding a candle for an idealized past? Come on in!

By Laneia| February 10, 2018 | 41 Comments
Advice

You Need Help: Reacting to Misgendering in Public

“Why can’t I just let it roll off me? And do you think there’s a way to react that might make the situation a little less miserable for me?”

By Abeni Jones| February 2, 2018 | 56 Comments
Business + Work

You Need Help: Coming Out as Non-Binary at Work

Our gender is not a burden, the binary mainstream society is. You are wonderful, I’m so proud of you for reaching out. Take what works from my suggestions, and know I’ll be hoping it all turns out for the best.

By Araguaney| November 9, 2017 | 33 Comments
Society + Culture

Also.Also.Also: These Genderless Emojis Will Be Neat and Other Stories for Your Week

Polyamorous parenting, gossip, the creator of our rainbow flag has died, the conspiracies of Trumpland, that fucking wall is going to fuck with wildlife, and so much more!

By Laneia| April 3, 2017 | 19 Comments
Sex + Relationships

Bottoms Up: Ch-ch-changes

As my gender expression changes, so does who I’m attracted to.

By Ari| January 10, 2017 | 10 Comments
Society + Culture

Also.Also.Also: From Dinosaur Beer to National Geographic’s Gender Revolution

Like 85 links to keep you staring at your computing device like this ? for approximately the entire weekend. You’re welcome!

By Laneia| December 16, 2016 | 6 Comments
Society + Culture

Also.Also.Also: Gender Non-Conforming Clothes for All Abilities and Other Colorful Things for Your Weekend

These gender non-conforming clothes are heckin’ cute, kitten wedding?? kinda!, picnic destinations, dogs, bathing suits, Gilda Radner, this feminist bookstore, perfume, and so much more!

By Laneia| September 2, 2016 | 4 Comments
News + Politics

Seeds of a Revolution: Malaysian Trans Community Win in High Court’s Landmark Ruling

Malaysia’s High Court allowed a trans man to update his Identity Card to reflect his current name and gender identity. This possibly paradigm-changing ruling on IC changes opens the door for reviews of other anti-LGBTQ laws.

By Creatrix Tiara| August 23, 2016 | 3 Comments
First Person Gender

What We Mean When We Say “Femme”: A Roundtable

We now live in a world where it is totally possible to claim the same word as someone else and completely disagree on what the word means.

By Cecelia| July 18, 2016 | 175 Comments
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From the Archives

  • Read a F*cking Book: Ten Lesbian & Bisexual Poets To Fall in Love With

    Read a F*cking Book: Ten Lesbian & Bisexual Poets To Fall in Love With

  • 14 Genuinely Awesome Times We Saw An Actress’s Boobs [NSFW]

    14 Genuinely Awesome Times We Saw An Actress’s Boobs [NSFW]

  • Movie Night: Dazed and Confused

    Movie Night: Dazed and Confused

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