Connect with WOK members who identify as Demiboy — and learn what it means.
Identity is personal.
Respect is universal.
Curiosity is welcome.
A demiboy is someone who identifies partially as a boy or man, but not fully. This identity can include a connection to masculinity while also feeling aligned with another gender—or none at all. Some demiboys were assigned male at birth and feel a weaker or more nuanced connection to manhood, while others were assigned female or intersex and experience a partial but meaningful alignment with being a boy.
Being a demiboy is a valid and authentic gender identity that recognizes the complexity and spectrum of gender, especially for those who don’t feel fully “male” in the traditional sense.
The “demi-” prefix means half, partial, or to some degree. So a demiboy is someone who partially identifies as male, but doesn’t entirely feel like a boy or man in the conventional or binary sense. This identity might coexist with other gender feelings—such as being agender, nonbinary, or something else entirely.
Importantly, identifying as a demiboy isn’t about presentation, hormones, or physical traits—it’s about how someone understands and experiences their inner sense of gender. A demiboy may choose to present more masculine, androgynous, or any way that feels right to them.
Some demiboys feel their gender is stable over time, while others experience a fluid or evolving connection to masculinity.
The term demiboy rose in popularity in the 2010s, especially in online LGBTQ+ and gender-diverse spaces where people were looking for words to better reflect their identities. It emerged alongside terms like demigirl and demigender to describe partial gender experiences that didn’t fit binary expectations.
While the label is modern, the experience of feeling partially aligned with a gender—especially masculinity—has existed throughout history, just without the terminology we have today.
Acknowledging identities like demiboy helps break down harmful gender stereotypes and opens space for people to define themselves on their own terms. It challenges the notion that one must be “all or nothing” when it comes to gender and instead validates the experiences of those who live in between.
Respecting demiboy identities contributes to a more inclusive society where everyone—regardless of how they identify—can be seen, affirmed, and supported. This includes honoring pronouns, listening without judgment, and avoiding assumptions based on appearance or assigned sex at birth.
Demigirl: A person who partially identifies as a girl or woman.
Demigender: A broader term for partial gender identities.
Nonbinary: An umbrella term for gender identities outside the binary of male and female.
Agender: Someone who identifies as having no gender.
AMAB / AFAB: Assigned male or female at birth; often used in identity contexts without implying someone's current gender.
Genderqueer: A nonconforming gender identity that may overlap with demiboy experiences.
Being a demiboy means having a partial connection to masculinity—strong enough to name, but not enough to fully claim traditional male identity. It’s a reminder that gender can be soft, subtle, and complex, not rigid or absolute.
Demiboy people live at the intersection of masculine identity and gender variance, showing us that there are countless ways to be real, valid, and whole. In recognizing identities like demiboy, we move closer to a world where every person’s truth is honored—no matter where they fall on the gender spectrum.