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Gender fluidity (commonly referred to as genderfluid) is a non-fixed gender identity that shifts over time or depending on the situation. These fluctuations can occur at the level of gender identity or gender expression. A genderfluid person may fluctuate among different gender expressions over their lifetime, or express multiple aspects of various gender markers simultaneously. (2025). 9780761390220, Twenty-First Century Books. ISBN 9780761390220 Genderfluid individuals may identify as non-binary or transgender, or cisgender (meaning they identify with the gender associated with their Sex assignment).
Gender fluidity is different from gender-questioning, a process in which people explore their gender in order to find their true gender identity and adjust their gender expression accordingly. Gender fluidity continues throughout lives of genderfluid people. Someone who identifies as genderfluid can use any pronouns they choose.
The Navajo people are one group who historically recognized between four and five gender identities, one of them being nàdleehi ('changing one' in English). In more recent history, two-spirit has been an identity adopted by Indigenous gender and sexual minorities. The term challenges binary categories of sex and gender and enables some Indigenous people to reclaim traditional roles within their societies. According to the 2012 Risk and Resilience study of Bisexual Mental Health, "the most common identities reported by transgender Aboriginal participants were two-spirit, genderqueer, and bigender."
The term Hijras is a historically recognized third gender within South Asian countries: Bangladesh, India, Nepal, and Pakistan. The term Hijras can date back to holy Hindu texts such as the Ramayana and the Mahabharata, where a Hindu character named Arjuna transforms into the third gender. In South Asia, many Muslim rulers from the 15th to 19th century Mughal Empire were considered third-gender Indians. Hijras are often assigned male at birth, and adopt feminine characters, like clothing, grooming, and even use feminine names.
Another example of historical recognition of gender fluidity is the Philippines. In the Philippines, they use the umbrella term Bakla to refer to "those born male who currently exist with a feminine gender expression." Although this definition of the term is most common, there are a variety of identities that exist within the baklâ umbrella.
In Ghana,The compound word , Kojo Besia is used to describe a feminine presenting male. Kojo Besia is a combination of two words that differ in great meaning and thus are antonymous. However as a compound word , it has a singular meaning. The simple semantics of the word is , a male who behaves like a female . Thus, when an Akan person says Kojo Besia it means the person is effeminate. This meaning is created by joining Kojo (a male born on Monday ) and Besia (a female ) to create the idea of a man who has female features.
The 1928 Virginia Woolf novel features a main character who changes gender several times, and considers gender fluidity:
The first known mention of the term gender fluidity was in gender theorist Kate Bornstein's 1994 book Gender Outlaw: On Men, Women and the Rest of Us. It was later used again in the 1996 book The Second Coming: A Leatherdyke Reader.
The flag is a representation of the fluidity encompassed within the identity.
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