According to the Merriam Webster, being agender is the process where a person has no preference for being male or female. However, the idea is not as straightforward as the dictionary makes it seem. Here are some important things to know.
The Number Of Agender People Is Unknown For Now.
While it is not possible to know how many agender people exist in the United States because of the underrepresentation in the media, broad estimates show that approximately 1.2 million non-binary people live in the U.S.
It Is A Gender-Neutral Phenomenon.
Being an agender person usually means someone is gender-neutral. Usually, an agender person does not see themselves as either a man or a woman. Instead, they see themselves as still having an undefinable or unknown gender.
It Can Also Represent Gender Agnosticism.
An agender can also represent a person who does not care about gender and labels. Usually, they don't want their external or internal identity to be labeled. In many instances, someone who identifies as agender prefers to be identified as a person rather than a gender.
Agender and Asexual Are Not The Same
When a person says that they are asexual, they don't have a sexual orientation or sexual feelings for other people. On the other hand, an agender person does not belong to a specific gender and often describes themselves as someone who views themselves as completely genderless.
Agender People Don't Have To Act A Certain Way
Usually, agender people can express themselves in many different ways. A person doesn't have to have an androgynous look or adopt a feminine or masculine vibe to be considered agender by broader society. If they feel comfortable doing this, however, then they can.
It Is Best To Ask
While this is a broad definition, if you have a friend or family member who identifies as agender, it is best to ask the specific individual to define what the term means to them individually. Everyone is unique, so it is better to be mindful that although some identities may have slight differences, certain characteristics may vary from one person to the next.