‘My gender is like an empty lot’ − the people who reject man, woman and any other gender label

By: Canton Winer, Northern Illinois University, The Conversation

Outlets: The Conversation

Published: October 30, 2025

Words: 1,162

Last Updated: 3 weeks, 5 days ago

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By Canton Winer, Northern Illinois University

When I asked Manisha to describe her gender identity, she gave a simple answer: “Meh.”

“I don’t have a gender identity,” Manisha explained. “I get that other people look at me and see a woman but, for myself, there’s a blank space where my gender ‘should’ be. My gender is ‘none.’”

Manisha’s response didn’t shock me. In my work as a sociologist, I had been interviewing asexual individuals …

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