Many genderqueer people have different explanations of what the term means to them. But, in the general sense, genderqueer is a gender identity that falls outside the categories of male and female. Some may define it as their gender belonging somewhere in the middle of the gender binary, while others are beyond the binary completely.
The origins of the word “genderqueer” are unclear, although it is believed to have been used as early as the 1980s during the rise of queer zine culture. Back then, queer writers and activists were challenging the notions of gender and wanted a term that existed beyond the gender binary.
Now, people often think of the word genderqueer as an umbrella term for people who are in between or outside the “male” and “female” binary, people who are fluid in their gender, or people who are of a third gender.
It’s important to note that not every genderqueer person uses they/them pronouns, so it’s best to ask them what pronouns to use.