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What's the proper term for someone who doesn't have a sex?


ChaonsWrath

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ChaonsWrath

I'm working on the design of a non-human character who doesn't have a biological sex or gender, nor do they identify as any gender or sex.

I think- that since someone who doesn't identify as a gender is 'agender'- you'd call them 'asex', but I haven't found anything. 

Any ideas? 

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16 minutes ago, ChaonsWrath said:

I'm working on the design of a non-human character who doesn't have a biological sex or gender.

It sounds like intersex is the closest to what you are looking for (people born with various sexual characteristics associated with male and female).

Are you designing a character who has no sexual organs at all? If so, I don't think that's ever happened in human history so let your creative license go wild

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"Sexless", maybe?  The biological meaning of "asexual" might also apply (though that might get confused with the sexual orientation meaning).

Or just say something like "they don't have a biological sex or gender" or something multi-word like that.

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Genderless? Although, I'm not sure that would cover the physical part. I think @chridd might be right - might just have to spell it out.

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Barbie

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flesh-pocket

i think if this is a non-human character, you can just explain that whatever kind of thing this character is don't have gender or biological sex. 

 

theres no human equivalent to not having any biological sex, so id just call them genderless and sexless, though those just descriptions and not labels like "agender" and "non-binary" 

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I don't like reading books where everything is explained to me, so I vote 'no' to informing the reader that the creature doesn't have a biological sex or gender.

 

You could describe its appearance at some point to show that it doesn't have a biological sex, and you could hint that it doesn't have a gender by not calling it a male or female.

 

Actually, not mentioning what it is could make it even more interesting because that would indicate that it might not be male or female but it might not necessarily be agender either. It would add some mystery and maybe eventually you could get into that, or you could go throughout the entire book or series without ever getting into what it is.

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ChaonsWrath
2 hours ago, Wish Bear 🌠 said:

I don't like reading books where everything is explained to me, so I vote 'no' to informing the reader that the creature doesn't have a biological sex or gender.

 

You could describe its appearance at some point to show that it doesn't have a biological sex, and you could hint that it doesn't have a gender by not calling it a male or female.

 

Actually, not mentioning what it is could make it even more interesting because that would indicate that it might not be male or female but it might not necessarily be agender either. It would add some mystery and maybe eventually you could get into that, or you could go throughout the entire book or series without ever getting into what it is.

I'm not a fan of transparent writing either, so this is just for my sake. As a writer, I like my stories to be clean from an author's perspective, but leave out a lot for the readers. 

I refer to the character as a 'they' or 'person' because they are humanoid in appearance but aren't human, nor do they possess traits that are gendered. 

I'd say sexless, genderless, and androgynous in appearance. 

Thanks! Be blessed. 

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If it’s another “society” or something maybe having no sex is their sex. Maybe have this character talk to another at some point and say something to the effect that “We don’t have your human concept of sex.” Or something. 

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Mezzo Forte

I remember once upon a time, I heard people use Neutrois to describe being someone who actively desired a sex-neutral body, but I don't hear it much nowadays.

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Celyn: The Lutening
54 minutes ago, Mezzo Forte said:

I remember once upon a time, I heard people use Neutrois to describe being someone who actively desired a sex-neutral body, but I don't hear it much nowadays.

I've seen that term bandied around a bit but had no idea what it meant (other than it was some shade of enby). Thanks for the definition, and...it applies to me. So that's cool *adds label to my impressive collection*

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3 hours ago, Mezzo Forte said:

I remember once upon a time, I heard people use Neutrois to describe being someone who actively desired a sex-neutral body, but I don't hear it much nowadays.

 

2 hours ago, Celyn said:

I've seen that term bandied around a bit but had no idea what it meant (other than it was some shade of enby). Thanks for the definition, and...it applies to me. So that's cool *adds label to my impressive collection*

Some people who identify as neutrois desire a sex neutral body, but not all. It's more used to refer to someone with a neutral gender identity. I identify as such, but I personally prefer to call myself just 'neutral' because it's clearer and.. To be honest I feel pretentious identifying as 'neutrois'.

 

In response to the OP, the biological term is actually asexual. You could just say 'physically asexual' or 'biologically asexual' to differentiate between physical biology and sexuality. Though as you said, sexless is pretty clear as well.

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Celyn: The Lutening

I like "sexless" for such a character. And I understand why someone would want to say "neutral" - why do we want to speak French all of a sudden? (Unless you are French, Canadian etc.)

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