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howto:tag_genders

📅 Updated:2026-07-21
🕒 Created:2012-11-10
🆔 ID:3294
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Since everyone's preferences are so varied on e621, ensuring that the characters' genders (or lack of, in some cases) in each post are tagged as accurately as possible is an essential part of the basic tagging checklist.
  • Note: The following diagrams/flowcharts are guides, not rules, and as with all guides—there will be some exceptions. So use your best judgement, along with the agreed opinions of other users as well.
  • [color=#ffff50]Disclaimer:[/color] Tags are just a reflection of what's visible in an image, not a label of a character's actual gender. Such information should be written in the post's Description, the character’s Wiki page, and/or represented with "lore tags":/wiki_pages/29689 instead. Tags in the general category must describe only what is visible in the post, as they are meant to be used for searching and blacklisting based strictly upon visual appearance, NOT for describing facts about the character.
Horizontal Gender-tagging Flowchart*
[code]
Key
y = Explicitly present
n/non = Explicitly absent
mas = Obviously masculine
fem = Obviously feminine
bot = Both masculine and feminine
u/unk = Unknown, obscured or ambiguous
Genitals? ┬ non ─ [featureless_crotch] + (see unk)
├ mas ─ Breasts? ┬ y ─ [gynomorph]
│ ├ n ─ [male]
│ └ u ─ Body type? ┬ mas ─ [male]
│ ├ fem ─ [gynomorph]
│ └ unk ─ [male]
├ fem ─ Breasts? ┬ y ─ [female]
│ ├ n ┬ Body type? ┬ mas ─ [andromorph]
│ └ u ┘ ├ fem ─ [female]
│ └ unk ─ [female]
├ bot ─ Breasts? ┬ y ─ [herm]
│ ├ n ┬ Body type? ┬ mas ─ [maleherm]
│ └ u ┘ ├ fem ─ [herm]
│ └ unk ─ [herm]
├ unk ┬ Breasts? ┬ y ─ [female]
└ non ┘ ├ n ┬ Body type? ┬ mas ─ [male]
└ u ┘ ├ fem ─ [female]
└ unk ─ [ambiguous_gender]
[/code]
If the flowchart is not displayed correctly, please try to see it in other browsers.
\* Credit to "MaShCr":/user/show/36987 for the very intuitive horizontal flowchart & design.
Vertical Gender-tagging Flowchart
Key
  • + means: The feature is explicitly present/visible (e.g. + Breasts means that the character's breasts can be seen somewhere in the image)
  • - means: The feature is explicitly absent/not visible (e.g. - Breasts means that the character has no breasts at all; implying that the chest area is usually exposed)
  • Unknown * means: The feature is either hidden from view (e.g. from a piece of clothing, or some natural censoring), not drawn in, or may simply be difficult to identify without guessing
  • = means: These combinations of features results in the following tag being used. (e.g. 4.A.i) "Penis - Breasts + Male body = Male" is another way of saying, 'A character with a visible penis, no visible breasts, and a visible Male body results in the Male tag being used')
Note: In all instances of the word "penis" this page refers to penis and balls, for simplification.
1. Are there any genitals present in the genital area?
  • B) Yes
    • See 2.
  • C) Unknown/Hidden/Not sure
    • See 3.
2. Which genitals?
  • C) Both (Penis and Vagina)
    • See 3.
3. Any Breasts?
  • A) Yes
    • See 4.
    • 3.A.i) Penis + Breasts = Gynomorph
    • 3.A.ii) Vagina + Breasts = Female
    • 3.A.iii) Penis + Vagina + Breasts = Herm
    • 3.A.iv) Unknown genitals + Breasts = Female
  • B) No
    • See 4.
    • 3.B.i) Penis - Breasts = Male
  • C) Unknown/Hidden/Not sure
    • See 4.
4. What does the character's body type/shape resemble?
  • A) Male
    • 4.A.i) Penis - Breasts + Male body = Male
    • 4.A.i) Penis + Unknown breasts + Male body = Male
    • 4.A.ii) Vagina - Breasts + Male body = Andromorph
    • 4.A.ii) Vagina + Unknown breasts + Male body = [Aandromorph]]
    • 4.A.iii) Penis + Vagina - Breasts + Male body = Maleherm
    • 4.A.iii) Penis + Vagina + Unknown breasts + Male body = Maleherm
    • 4.A.iv) Unknown genitals - Breasts + Male body = Male
    • 4.A.iv) Unknown genitals + Unknown breasts + Male body = Male
  • B) Female
    • 4.B.i) Penis - Breasts + Female body = Male (+ girly)
    • 4.B.i) Penis + Unknown breasts + Female body = Gynomorph
    • 4.B.ii) Vagina - Breasts + Female body = Female
    • 4.B.ii) Vagina + Unknown Breasts + Female body = Female
    • 4.B.iii) Penis + Vagina - Breasts + Female body = Herm
    • 4.B.iii) Penis + Vagina + Unknown breasts + Female body = Herm
    • 4.B.iv) Unknown genitals - Breasts + Female body = Female
    • 4.B.iv) Unknown genitals + Unknown breasts + Female body = Female
  • C) Unknown/Hidden/Not sure
    • 4.C.i) Penis - Breasts + Unknown body = Male
    • 4.C.i) Penis + Unknown breasts + Unknown body = Male
    • 4.C.ii) Vagina - Breasts + Unknown body = Female
    • 4.C.ii) Vagina + Unknown breasts + Unknown body = Female
    • 4.C.iii) Penis + Vagina - Breasts + Unknown body = Herm
    • 4.C.iii) Penis + Vagina + Unknown breasts + Unknown body = Herm
    • 4.C.iv) Unknown genitals - Breasts + Unknown body = Ambiguous gender
    • 4.C.iv) Unknown genitals + Unknown breasts + Unknown body = Ambiguous gender
Simplified Gender-tagging Flowchart
Note that since this chart is tailored towards "anthro", certain parts of this chart may need to be interpreted slightly differently for feral and certain animal_genitalia (cloaca).
  • Breasts may also be replaced with teats, udders, or equivalent.
  • Masculine/feminine body type may need to be adapted for feral use (a masculine characteristic type for a peacock would include a complex colorful feather design).
Note: In all instances of the word "penis" this page refers to penis and balls, for simplification.

Penis or vulva?

Masculine (anthro, humanoid): Broad shoulders, thicker/flatter eyebrows, squared jaw, prominent "adams apple", body fat distributed mostly to lower torso ("beer gut"/"apple shape"), facial hair (mustache, beard), thicker arm and body hair.
Feminine (anthro, humanoid): Usually smaller in proportion to masculine characters, wide hips and pelvis, more arched eyebrows, smaller hands/feet, breasts, body fat distributed to lower/mid torso and thighs ("pear shape").
Feral: Highly dependent on species.
  • Teats, udders, coloring, size, body shape.
  • Presence of a big mane (in lions), psuedo-penis (spotted hyena).
  • Artist's style may introduce some anthro/humanoid characteristics as well (arched eyebrows).
Other: Clothing choices, pose, dialogue, elaborate transformations.
Lore tags
This is a list of lore tags that can be tagged ALONGSIDE the TWYS gender tags. The TWYS tags above MUST be tagged if applicable. Please note that a character should not be tagged with the same general and lore tag. For example, if a character is female by lore, and gets the `female` gender tag, then `female_(lore)` does not need to be applied in addition. Lore tags should only be used when the general category tags do not accurately describe the character's gender.

See also:

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