X-gender

X-gender (Japanese: Xジェンダー, romanized: x-jendā) is a third-gender that differs from M, for male, or F, for female.^[1]^[2]^[3] The term X-gender came into use during the later 1990s, popularized by queer organizations in Kansai, especially in Osaka and Kyoto.^[4]^[5] The term is used in place of non-binary and genderqueer in Japan.^[6]^[7]^[8]^[9]^[10]^[11]^[12]

Prominent examples of people who define themselves as "X-gender" are mangaka Yūki Kamatani^[13]^[14] and Yuu Watase.^[15]^[16]^[17]

In 2019, Japan LGBT Research Institute Inc. conducted an online survey, collecting 348,000 valid responses from people aged 20 to 69, not all of whom were LGBT. 2.5% of the respondents called themselves X-gender.^[18]

^ Dale, S. P. F. (2012). An introduction to X-Jendā: Examining a new gender identity in Japan. Intersections: Gender and sexuality in Asia and the Pacific, 31.
^ "Pushing for 'X-gender' recognition | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News". NHK WORLD. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
^ "Non-Binary in Japan". ABNRML JAPAN. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
^ "【ＸラウンジからNEWS！】参議院議員の尾辻かな子さんへのレインボー・アクションの陳情で、Ｘラウンジから要望書を提出しました。" [[NEWS from X Lounge!] We submitted a request form from the X Lounge in response to a petition of Kanae Otsuji, a member of the House of Councilors, about the rainbow action.]. Rainbow Action (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
^ "An Introduction to X-Jendā: Examining a New Gender Identity in Japan". Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
^ "Xジェンダーのための会員制サークル label X（ラベル・エックス）". label X（ラベル・エックス）. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
^ Alexy, Allison; Cook, Emma E.; Alexy, Allison; Cook, Emma E.; Dale, S. P. F.; Dales, Laura (2018). Intimate Japan: Ethnographies of Closeness and Conflict. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-7704-0.
^ «ノンバイナリー（Xジェンダー）とは Archived 2021-04-22 at the Wayback Machine». www.outjapan.co.jp (in Japanese).
^ "The ABCs of LGBT+ in Japan". GaijinPot Blog. July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
^ "Selected Links on Non-Binary Gender in Japan: Xジェンダー". GENDERQUEER AND NON-BINARY IDENTITIES. Retrieved July 8, 2021.
^ Kusakabe, Motomi (May 5, 2016). "男でも女でもない「Ｘジェンダー」に理解を". Mainichi Shimbun. Retrieved June 6, 2016.
^ "Selected Links on Non-Binary Gender in Japan: Xジェンダー". March 28, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2020.
^ @yuhkikamatani (May 7, 2012). "隠すことでもわざわざ言うことでもカテゴライズするようなことでもないと分かっているけど、無難に生きようと、へらへら誤魔化している自分に対して無性に腹立たしく思う時があります。誤魔化したくない。私はXジェンダーでアセクシャルなセクシュアルマイノリティです。そんな程度の人間です。" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 19, 2018 – via Twitter.
^ "鎌谷悠希 (@yuhkikamatani) | Twitter". March 8, 2016. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2018.
^ @wataseyuu_ (May 20, 2019). ブログでもここでも呟いたけど、再度。漫画にも影響してると思うから。私はXジェンダーと医師に診断されてて、中身は、男にも女にも寄れるし男でも女でもない。見た目はちゃんと(20代後半から社会に合わせて)どうせやるならやるでメイクもオシャレもする、それだけ。女性の身体は否定しないが→ [I've mumbled about it on my blog and here, but again. Because I think it affects the manga. I've been diagnosed as X-gender by my doctor, and inside, I can be either male or female, neither male nor female. I look fine (I've been socially conscious since my late 20s), I do my makeup and dress up any way I can, that's all. I don't deny the female body, but... →] (Tweet) (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 29, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2021 – via Twitter.
^ Liu, Michelle (January 1, 2020). "Best LGBTQ+ Characters of 2019". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2021. The same year [2019], Fushigi Yugi creator Yuu Watase came out as X-gender ...
^ Adler, Liz (February 26, 2020). "Fushigi Yuugi: 10 Things That Didn't Age Well". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on February 27, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2021. Mangaka Yuu Watase came out as X-gender in 2019 ...
^ "Most people in Japan know LGBT but understanding limited". Kyodo News. December 11, 2019. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2020.

[1] Dale, S. P. F. (2012). An introduction to X-Jendā: Examining a new gender identity in Japan. Intersections: Gender and sexuality in Asia and the Pacific, 31.

[2] "Pushing for 'X-gender' recognition | NHK WORLD-JAPAN News". NHK WORLD. Archived from the original on June 6, 2023. Retrieved July 8, 2021.

[3] "Non-Binary in Japan". ABNRML JAPAN. Archived from the original on May 19, 2022. Retrieved July 8, 2021.

[4] "【ＸラウンジからNEWS！】参議院議員の尾辻かな子さんへのレインボー・アクションの陳情で、Ｘラウンジから要望書を提出しました。" [[NEWS from X Lounge!] We submitted a request form from the X Lounge in response to a petition of Kanae Otsuji, a member of the House of Councilors, about the rainbow action.]. Rainbow Action (in Japanese). Archived from the original on February 21, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2020.

[an-introduction-to-x-2023a-5] "An Introduction to X-Jendā: Examining a New Gender Identity in Japan". Archived from the original on March 26, 2023. Retrieved December 21, 2020.

[6] "Xジェンダーのための会員制サークル label X（ラベル・エックス）". label X（ラベル・エックス）. Retrieved July 8, 2021.

[7] Alexy, Allison; Cook, Emma E.; Alexy, Allison; Cook, Emma E.; Dale, S. P. F.; Dales, Laura (2018). Intimate Japan: Ethnographies of Closeness and Conflict. Honolulu: University of Hawai'i Press. ISBN 978-0-8248-7704-0.

[8] «ノンバイナリー（Xジェンダー）とは Archived 2021-04-22 at the Wayback Machine». www.outjapan.co.jp (in Japanese).

[9] "The ABCs of LGBT+ in Japan". GaijinPot Blog. July 17, 2019. Retrieved July 8, 2021.

[10] "Selected Links on Non-Binary Gender in Japan: Xジェンダー". GENDERQUEER AND NON-BINARY IDENTITIES. Retrieved July 8, 2021.

[11] Kusakabe, Motomi (May 5, 2016). "男でも女でもない「Ｘジェンダー」に理解を". Mainichi Shimbun. Retrieved June 6, 2016.

[12] "Selected Links on Non-Binary Gender in Japan: Xジェンダー". March 28, 2013. Retrieved December 21, 2020.

[13] @yuhkikamatani (May 7, 2012). "隠すことでもわざわざ言うことでもカテゴライズするようなことでもないと分かっているけど、無難に生きようと、へらへら誤魔化している自分に対して無性に腹立たしく思う時があります。誤魔化したくない。私はXジェンダーでアセクシャルなセクシュアルマイノリティです。そんな程度の人間です。" (Tweet). Archived from the original on May 19, 2018 – via Twitter.

[14] "鎌谷悠希 (@yuhkikamatani) | Twitter". March 8, 2016. Archived from the original on March 8, 2016. Retrieved May 1, 2018.

[Twitter-Xgender-15] @wataseyuu_ (May 20, 2019). ブログでもここでも呟いたけど、再度。漫画にも影響してると思うから。私はXジェンダーと医師に診断されてて、中身は、男にも女にも寄れるし男でも女でもない。見た目はちゃんと(20代後半から社会に合わせて)どうせやるならやるでメイクもオシャレもする、それだけ。女性の身体は否定しないが→ [I've mumbled about it on my blog and here, but again. Because I think it affects the manga. I've been diagnosed as X-gender by my doctor, and inside, I can be either male or female, neither male nor female. I look fine (I've been socially conscious since my late 20s), I do my makeup and dress up any way I can, that's all. I don't deny the female body, but... →] (Tweet) (in Japanese). Archived from the original on June 29, 2021. Retrieved January 18, 2021 – via Twitter.

[ANN-Xgender-16] Liu, Michelle (January 1, 2020). "Best LGBTQ+ Characters of 2019". Anime News Network. Archived from the original on January 1, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2021. The same year [2019], Fushigi Yugi creator Yuu Watase came out as X-gender ...

[CBR-Xgender-17] Adler, Liz (February 26, 2020). "Fushigi Yuugi: 10 Things That Didn't Age Well". Comic Book Resources. Archived from the original on February 27, 2020. Retrieved January 18, 2021. Mangaka Yuu Watase came out as X-gender in 2019 ...

[18] "Most people in Japan know LGBT but understanding limited". Kyodo News. December 11, 2019. Archived from the original on June 6, 2020. Retrieved December 21, 2020.

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