When I was about 14 I first read the word genderqueer on a website after searching a number of phrases like "what does it mean if I feel like a boy and a girl?" etc. It was an identity I stuck with all through my teen years and therefore I respect it and understand its importance. I will say that I personally outgrew it. Many people my age (early 20s) who identify along the lines of genderqueer lean more toward androgyny. I'm not androgynous, I'm masculine to my core. My gender isn't something to play with though it once was and genderqueer has a lot of playfulness and creativity toward gender expression. I admire that but as stated I outgrew it. A friend of mine put the difference into words that make sense for me:
"Genderqueer or boi is more like your college years. Butch is like being the dad of the house." I just grew into a more solid masculinity and butch made more sense.
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