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Bi-gender vs gender fluid - disagreement in definitions

Discussion in 'Gender Identity and Expression' started by Cailan, Mar 5, 2017.

  1. Cailan

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    I just visited three sites, each purporting to explain the difference between bi-gender and gender-fluid. I'm trying to find a good resource to refer family members to when I come out to my friends and non-close family when I come out. Each of the sites disagreed with each other, and all of them disagreed with my understanding of the difference.

    They are:
    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLg4ede_ZDI

    Gender fluid vs Bi-gender - What's the difference?

    Bigender | Gender Wiki | Fandom powered by Wikia


    My own understanding of these terms is that:

    *bi-gender aka dual-gender is when you have two (or more) genders existing within one body at all times, and they don't have to be male and female. They can be male and agender, or female and neutrois, or whatever. You don't switch around much, though occasionally one may be dominant they're both always present.

    *genderfluid means you can move around between your genders. One day you may be male, another day female, or or agender, or demigirl, or whatever, and the other gender(s) fade away while you are the gender of the day.

    Is there an actual set definition of these somewhere that can be referred to without confusing people?
     
  2. gravechild

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    The way I've come to understand it is that bi-gender refers to just that: two genders, usually male and female, but not always. Genderfluid, on the other hand, doesn't refer to a set number of genders, nor which ones. It could be two, three, fifteen (to those who think anything other than male and female is nonsense, this won't make any sense).
     
  3. Cailan

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    So we have yet another definition. Aargh!
     
  4. TropicalSun

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    I think it really depends on the person. It's so confusing though. If your confused about someone's identity you should just politely ask them.
     
  5. Hawk

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    What I've come to understand is bi-gender is two genders, whether they're male and female; male and agender; female and agender, etc.

    Whereas a genderfluid person may fluctuate throughout the spectrum; male, female, both or neither depending on the day/month/week/year.
     
    #5 Hawk, Mar 5, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2017
  6. Cailan

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    I'm trying to explain my own gender identity to others, and I'd like to have an authoritative source outside of my personal experience to present as a backup. Peer-reviewed scientific papers would be ideal, but I'm not sure I want to go that far, or if there are such articles about bi-gender and gender fluid identities.

    I am scientific-minded, and so are the people I hang out with. Personal 'I feel like" has little meaning in my circles; scientifically accurate titles/labels and definitions are far more important. Both to me and to them.
     
    #6 Cailan, Mar 5, 2017
    Last edited: Mar 5, 2017
  7. Hats

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    This was a problem for me when I was questioning, but I suspect there isn't a lot of research out there. This article, in the normal wikipedia, is more extensive than your fan wiki and has links to research:

    https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bigender

    This thread on Aven has lots of people giving their accounts of what genderfluidity is like:

    Whats the difference between bigender and genderfluid? - Gender Discussion - Asexual Visibility and Education Network

    Two of the members who experience fluctuation describe it as being the difference between a pendulum and a light switch. The bigender person said for them it's generally from one to the other with no middle ground (on/off). The genderfluid person said for them it's more like a slow swing between the two points and the pendulum can stop anywhere along that scale. Both of those accounts largely correlate with the wikipedia article.
     
  8. Cailan

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    I consider myself bi-gender, but I'm almost always both at the same time - each gender ruling a different part of who I am. Only occasionally am I am only one or the other.
     
  9. Hats

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    Yeah, the wiki article covers that as well. I was just trying to deal with the stuff around bigender fluidity, that's all :slight_smile:
     
  10. StormyVale

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    There is no one source for the definition of bigender or genderfluid. Here are my thoughts on the differences in their definitions, being someone who looked at both gender identities and also identifies as Bigender:smilewave.

    *Bi-gender: Bigender means that you fluctuate between two points on the gender spectrum or between two different gender identities. So it could be from female to male, or male to agender, female to agender, demigirl to agender, etc. It is basically going between two genders.

    Ex. For me, I fluctuate between female and male. Some days I am male, some days I am female, and some days I am both genders. Although other people also use the label when they fluctuate between just male or female. So one day being male, one day being female, etc.


    *Genderfluid: Genderfluid means that your gender changes often. So during the same day you could go from female to male to agender and back again. It is flowing between the genders you identify with. Genderfluid people move across the gender spectrum and can identify as male, female, androgynous, or agender. They flow between the different gender identities.



    Here are some links I used to show my friend... or parents...

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qLg4ede_ZDI

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IhzNhRqGxz8

    https://www.bustle.com/articles/127...hat-ive-learned-since-coming-out-as-bi-gender

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-rIwTpo0rk