What Does It Mean to Be a Demigirl? 

As the gender spectrum continues to evolve, more and more labels are being used to identify oneself. One such label is demigirl, a gender identity that is increasingly gaining recognition and representation in the LGBTQ+ community. 

Demigirls are people who feel like their gender partially aligns with the female identity, but not in full. As the gender spectrum evolves, individuals are embracing more labels to identify themselves. “Demigirl is one such term that’s gaining recognition and representation in the LGBTQ+ community.

In this article, we’ll explore the definition of demigirl and offer useful resources for anyone questioning their gender identity

Who is a demigirl?

The word demigirl is made up of the prefix “demi-” meaning “half” or “partial”, and “girl” which refers to the feminine gender. The word demigirl falls under the demigender umbrella, which itself falls under the nonbinary umbrella. Demigirls partially identify with being a woman or a girl, but don’t wholly identify with the binary. This means they don’t identify with the traditional approach to gender that society imposes, there are intersections between femininity, masculinity, and other genders that are sometimes overlooked. 

Despite what gender they were assigned at birth, demigirls feel connected in one way or another to femininity. This can be to a large extent or to a slight extent. Some Demigirls feel extremely connected to femininity while others feel only a little connected. All variations are valid. 

A demigirl might show signs of femininity, such as using she/her pronouns or wearing feminine clothes. On the other hand, another demigirl might be assigned the female gender at birth, not feel super connected to it, but doesn’t feel enough gender dysphoria to fully transition to another gender. 

Are demigirls trans?

Oftentimes the demigirl gender identity is categorized under the transgender umbrella. The simple answer to if this is right or not is: it is up to you! Sexuality and gender identity cannot be defined by anyone except yourself. 

Nonbinary and demigirl individuals often can often experience a form of transness. It is very common for non-binary people and demigirls to identify with the trans experience being that they don’t fit into the binary that society imposes. If this speaks to you and you feel like a transgender demigirl label fits you then there is nothing wrong with claiming and identifying with that. 

Where does the word “demigirl” come from?

The first record of the word demigirl was on December 11^th, 2010, by a user named bristrek87 on the Asexuality Visibility and Education Network. They were asking for more information on the word which was met with a response from user I Am Human who explained the definition was “…either someone AFAB who feels the barest association with womanhood or an nonbinary AMAB person who is transfeminine, and feels a vague association with femininity”.

A year later in 2011 both “demiboy” and “demigirl” were added to the Genderqueer Identities & Terminology page of the Genderqueerid blog. This led to an increase in awareness and in 2014 Cari-Rez-Lobo made a symbol for demigirl. 

Unfortunately, there is still a lot of misunderstanding surrounding the word demigirl. Being that it is relatively new and still earning recognition, social media and internet postings are helpful in bringing visibility to the word. 

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Other ways to say demigirl

Identity is personal, there are a variety of ways to say the word demigirl. Labels can mean the same thing yet be said differently. Here are some options:

• Demiwoman
• Demifemale
• Demilady

Over time language evolves and this creates new words derived from a variety of changes and experiences. Labels and terms can also carry connotations, bad or good, which is why one might identify with one term over the other even if they mean the same thing to someone else. 

Is this identity for you?

Firstly, you should know that no one can define who you are except yourself. However, if you are confused, but you think you might identify with being a demigirl here are some things to reflect on:

Do you feel aligned with more than just one gender?

Most non-binary individuals feel connected to more than one gender. So if you feel like this might be you, perhaps you might find yourself on the non-binary spectrum. That might mean you are a demigirl or a different identity on that spectrum. 

Do you 100% identify with the gender you were assigned at birth?

Transgender and non-binary individuals don’t identify with the gender they were assigned at birth, If you were assigned a female identity at birth, but do not resonate with this at ALL you might want to read about what it means to be transgender. If you still feel as though you partially identify with the female identity, but you also fall into the non-binary spectrum then you most likely are a demigirl. 

What is your relationship to femininity? Do you feel partially or wholly connected to the female gender?

A demigirl does not completely feel like a “woman”; instead they feel somewhat connected to the female identity in one way or another. If that resonates with you, you may be a demigirl.

Demigirls in the media

If an identity is not as well known, the best way to understand and learn about it is to see how it is reflected in media and literature. Not only does this become a learning device, but it can also serve as a community for those who might need support. 

Here are some popular examples of demigirls in the media to follow and keep up with:

• Inya Saifi: A demigirl bisexual character from the visual novel and dating simulator, ValiDate: Struggling Singles In Your Area.
• Cal: A demigirl pansexual demiromantic character from office-themed comedy dating simulator The Office Type.
• Jas: A demigirl character from Webcomic Star Trip.

Our culture page is a great place to look for more content related to LGBTQ+ identities and the incredible people who embody them.

The demigirl flag

The demigirl flag was designed by Tumblr user Transrants in July 2015. Similar to the demiboy flag, there are no confirmed color meanings, but members of the community have come up with their own definitions for the colors: 

• Pink: Womanhood and femininity. 
• White: Represents the non-binary and agender identities.
• Gray: Represents the gray areas of the identity and room for more than two binary identities. 

Embracing gender diversity is critical

The LGBTQ+ community has faced a lot of opposition and lack of understanding. We are all deserving of respect and understanding the communities that make up the LGBTQ+ acronym help us better bring awareness and visibility to people such as demigirls. 

Regardless of gender expression, pronouns, or sexuality we are to be accepting of all. Being educated and open-minded is key to creating an inclusive society for all genders in the LGBTQ+ community.

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