Trigender

Identifies as having three distinct gender identities - which may be simultaneously present, alternating, or fluid between them.

Definition

Identifies as having three distinct gender identities - which may be simultaneously present, alternating, or fluid between them. The three genders may include male, female, and non-binary identities in any combination.

Etymology

Latin tri- (three) + gender.

History

Emerged alongside bigender and other multigender vocabulary in genderqueer and non-binary online communities from the 1990s onward. A 1999 San Francisco Department of Public Health survey was among the first official studies to document trigender identification alongside bigender.

Common myths

  • "Trigender is just non-binary." Non-binary is a broad umbrella; trigender specifically describes the experience of having three distinct gender identities.
  • "Three genders is impossible." Gender identity is a subjective internal experience. The existence of trigender people is well-documented in community contexts.