Have you heard of ”Unlabeled” in the LGBTQ+ community? Unlabeled Gender. Unlabeled Sexuality. Don’t be shocked if you haven’t. From all my research it seems like a relatively new term. So allow me to break this down.

This term seems to be so new that in research most articles came out about 2021-2022. It wasn’t even included in “The Queen’s English: The LGBTQIA+ Dictionary of Lingo and Colloquial Phrases” published just in 2021! So you know it really is that new! Though with Harry Styles’ speaking about not labeling and teen’s favorite Twitch streamers, like Ranboo coming out “Unlabeled” I see this catching on more. Plus, this especially speaks to those groups still in discovery mode and those over being labeled.

In case you didn’t already put it together it works as an umbrella term.

It can be used to cover sexuality and/or cover gender. Some also still group/pair it with more currently well-known terms. Examples being, like “Unlabeled-Pan” or “Unlabed-Nonbinary.” Though I feel like that stems more to help others with the confusion of the term.

Talk about taking those Pan/Non-Binary indecision jokes to a new level! Lol. Just kidding. But seriously, talk about the level of relief for those not feeling like they fit correctly in any of these current categories!

I have seen it said that the origins came from a lesbian community. The original label being “in-betweens” that later turned into the current. It was used to define where people weren’t fitting into a “certain type.” Though, they still said “women.” It’s worth noting the 2009 article by Kelly D. Brooks Ph.D. and Kathryn Quina Ph.D., titled “Women’s Sexual Identity Patterns: Bisexuals, and Unlabeled Women”. In the article women under “unlabeled,” were “person, not gender”.

Basically, the label of being specifically not being labeled can be so freeing! It gives the freedom of flexibility, growth, learning, experimenting, understanding, and expression without feeling pigeon held into specific social norms.

And YES, they have a flag.

The flag has all the colors and meanings you would imagine a Pride Flag for this group to have. Green is freedom. White for understanding. Blue is acceptance. And then orange, representing flexibility. It definitely hits the key points.

I should mention though I have technically come across three other designs for their flag. But the one above is the current standard and most recognizable. (There are even more variations when breaking it down into even smaller Unlabeled groupings.)

If you are curious about how to be a good ally and still respect a person going by unlabeled, it’s simple, ASK! Pronouns can range the same as in every other person. Can be those standards she/he, Non-binary’s they/them, or even neo-pronouns, so ask.

Love that language is ever-evolving growing and learning. I definitely see where it belongs and how this can help. Talk about relief while questioning! And, freedom from being put in a box.

So tell me, what do you think of this term? Did you know about it before? Let’s chat in the comments below. Because, I’ll be honest, I only vaguely knew of it before my own kiddo started thinking this might be the better fit, especially for now. Definitely leaves growth for change and discovery.