Trixic & Toric: Non-Binary Attraction Labels Guide
The short version
- Trixic describes non-binary people who are attracted to women. Also abbreviated NBLW (nonbinary loving women).
- Toric describes non-binary people who are attracted to men. Also abbreviated NBLM (nonbinary loving men). Toric is the direct complement (opposite) of trixic, designed to mirror it for non-binary people attracted to men instead of women.
- Both are sexual orientation labels specifically for non-binary people; they don't apply to binary men or women using them about themselves.
- The terms emerged in online queer communities (primarily Tumblr) in the late 2010s and gained broader use through the early 2020s.
- Both flags draw colour from the non-binary flag (yellow, white, purple) and add pink or blue tones to signal attraction to women or men, naming a non-binary person's attraction without requiring them to identify as a woman or a man.
We're Delwin and Jimmy, co-founders of Proud Zebra, a queer-owned Canadian small business designing pride pins and accessories from the Lower Mainland, BC. Trixic and toric are some of the more recently-coined identity terms in the queer lexicon, and they fill a real gap. They're labels that let non-binary people describe their attractions specifically without having to borrow language built around binary gender.
![Toric Pride - 1st Edition Pins [Set]](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0492/4591/3247/files/Pair22Toric_720x.jpg?v=1616786083)
This guide covers both terms, what they mean, where they came from, what their flags look like, and how they relate to other orientation labels like lesbian, gay, and pansexual. It's part of our complete guide to LGBTQ+ pride flags.
What does trixic mean?
The trixic definition is short: trixic describes non-binary people who are attracted to women. The label is specifically for non-binary folks, a binary man attracted to women wouldn't be trixic (he'd be straight, or some other fitting label). In LGBT and LGBTQ contexts you'll also see it shortened to NBLW, meaning nonbinary loving women (sometimes spelled "non binary loving women").
The point of the label is precision. Pre-trixic, a non-binary person attracted to women had to choose between labels that didn't quite fit, "lesbian" implied being a woman, "straight" implied being a man, "queer" was broad but not specific. Trixic sexuality gives non-binary people a label that names their attraction without requiring them to claim a binary gender they don't hold.
You may also see the variant spelling trixie floating around (trixie meaning in LGBT contexts is the same as trixic, just informal). Both refer to the same orientation.
What does toric mean? (And is toric the opposite of trixic?)
The toric definition: toric describes non-binary people who are attracted to men. Same logic as trixic, mirrored. In fact, toric is the direct complement (the "opposite") of trixic, the term was coined specifically to mirror it for non-binary folks attracted to men instead of women. A non-binary person attracted to men can use toric to be specific about that attraction without having to identify as gay (which implies being a man) or straight (which also implies a binary gender). The toric meaning in LGBT and LGBTQ usage is identical, sometimes you'll see "toric queer" used as shorthand for the same orientation.
You'll also see toric sexuality abbreviated as NBLM, nonbinary loving men (also written "non binary loving men"). A toric relationship, then, is a relationship between a non-binary person and a man (or between two people where at least one is non-binary and attracted to men).
Some non-binary people use both trixic and toric if they're attracted to both men and women. Others use trixic or toric alongside bi, pan, lesbian, or aspec labels. The labels stack flexibly.
What do the trixic and toric flags look like?
Both flags are 5-stripe horizontal designs that pull colour from the non-binary flag (yellow, white, purple) and add a pink or blue accent to signal the gender of attraction. You'll sometimes see the trixic flag called the "trixie flag" or the "NBLW flag", and the toric flag called the "NBLM flag", they're all the same flag, just named differently in different corners of the community.
| Flag | Stripes (top to bottom) | Reference |
|---|---|---|
| Trixic | Yellow, white, purple, pink, deep pink | Yellow/white/purple from the non-binary flag; pink for attraction to women |
| Toric | Yellow, white, purple, light blue, dark blue | Yellow/white/purple from the non-binary flag; blue for attraction to men |
The LGBTA Wiki tracks the documented history of trixic and toric within the broader set of queer terminology.
Like many community-coined terms, both flags emerged on Tumblr in the late 2010s through community use rather than a single named designer. The flags spread through community use rather than top-down endorsement.
For something more subtle, the Toric Proud Cube pin packs the same palette into our small-format Rubik's-style enamel pin.
Why do non-binary people need their own attraction labels?
This question comes up at our pride festival booth a lot, usually from allies who are sincerely trying to understand. The shorthand answer: existing orientation labels were built around binary gender, and non-binary people don't fit cleanly into them.
"Lesbian" historically and currently centres women attracted to women. Some non-binary people identify as lesbian, especially if they have a connection to lesbian community and feminism. Others don't, because the word "woman" doesn't apply to them. For the latter group, "trixic" lets them name their attraction without claiming an identity they don't hold.
Same for "gay" (often centring men attracted to men) and "toric." Same for "straight" (centring man-woman attraction) and the gap that creates for non-binary people whose attractions are similarly specific.
The trixic and toric labels don't replace lesbian or gay. They sit alongside them, useful for the non-binary people who want them.
"The pins are absolutely gorgeous and include a seemingly rarely recognized orientation which made me feel really included and seen! I appreciate that so much! Thank you!"
Angeline P., on our Toric flag cube pin set
That review captures something we hear repeatedly from trixic and toric customers: well-designed merch for these niche labels is hard to find, and finding it carries real meaning. We design trixic pride pins and toric pride pins for customers who want a small, specific way to be visible. Browse the full pride pins collection for the complete range.
How do trixic and toric differ from bi or pan?
Trixic and toric are more specific than bi or pan, not alternatives.
| Identity | Who uses it | Whom they're attracted to |
|---|---|---|
| Trixic | Non-binary people only | Women |
| Toric | Non-binary people only | Men |
| Bisexual | Anyone | Two or more genders |
| Pansexual | Anyone | Regardless of gender |
A non-binary person attracted only to women can use trixic; a non-binary person attracted to multiple genders including women might use bi or pan. Many people use multiple labels at once, picking whichever feels most precise in a given context.
How do trixic and toric relate to sapphic and nixic?
Sapphic is a broader umbrella for women and women-aligned people (including some non-binary folks) attracted to women. Trixic sits inside that broader sapphic space for folks who specifically don't identify as women but want to name attraction to women. The sapphic meaning is wider; trixic is the precise non-binary-coded slice. Some trixic people identify as sapphic too, others don't.
Nixic fills a different gap: the nixic meaning is a non-binary person attracted to other non-binary people. Where trixic = NBLW and toric = NBLM, nixic covers NB-loving-NB attraction. We mention it here because folks asking about trixic and toric often want the full set.
Frequently asked questions
What does trixic mean?
Trixic describes non-binary people who are attracted to women. It's a sexual orientation label specifically for non-binary folks, a binary man attracted to women wouldn't be trixic. The label gives non-binary people a way to name attraction to women without having to identify as a woman themselves (which "lesbian" would imply) or a man (which "straight" would imply).
![Trixic Pride - 1st Edition Pins [Set]](https://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0492/4591/3247/files/Pair15Trixic_720x.jpg?v=1616786083)
What does toric mean?
Toric describes non-binary people who are attracted to men. Same logic as trixic, mirrored. A non-binary person attracted to men can use toric to name that attraction without having to identify as gay (implies being a man) or straight (implies a binary gender). Toric is non-binary-specific.
Can binary people use trixic or toric?
No. Both terms are specifically for non-binary people. A binary man attracted to women is straight (or queer in his own framing); a binary woman attracted to men is straight. Trixic and toric exist precisely to give non-binary folks labels that don't borrow from binary frameworks.
What's the difference between trixic and lesbian?
Lesbian is for women (including trans women) and many women-aligned non-binary people who feel connected to lesbian community and identity. Trixic is for non-binary people who don't identify as women but who are attracted to women. Some non-binary people use both labels; some prefer one over the other. Both are valid.
Are trixic and toric the same as gynesexual and androsexual?
They're related but distinct. Gynesexual (attracted to women/femininity) and androsexual (attracted to men/masculinity) describe attraction without specifying the attracted person's gender. Trixic and toric are specifically for non-binary people. There's overlap (many trixic people are also gynesexual) but the labels do different work. Trixic centres the non-binary identity of the person; gynesexual centres the femininity of the attracted target.
What is the opposite of trixic?
The opposite of trixic is toric. Trixic = non-binary people attracted to women (NBLW). Toric = non-binary people attracted to men (NBLM). The two terms were designed as mirror complements so non-binary folks could name attraction to either binary gender without borrowing labels (like lesbian or gay) that imply being a binary woman or man themselves.
What is toric sexuality?
Toric sexuality is the orientation of a non-binary person who is attracted to men. The toric meaning in LGBT and LGBTQ usage is the same in every context, it's a sexual orientation label specifically for non-binary people, abbreviated NBLM (nonbinary loving men). Toric pride is the corresponding identity in the broader pride/queer family of labels.
What does NBLW or NBLM mean?
NBLW means "nonbinary loving women" (also written "non binary loving women"). It's the abbreviation used for trixic. NBLM means "nonbinary loving men" (also written "non binary loving men"), the abbreviation used for toric. NBLW sexuality and NBLM sexuality are the umbrella shorthand terms; trixic and toric are the more specific named identities under them.
What is a toric relationship?
A toric relationship is a relationship where a non-binary person is dating, partnered with, or attracted to a man. The term centres the non-binary partner's orientation (toric), it doesn't say anything about the man's orientation. Some toric people use it specifically for relationships with binary men; others use it more broadly for any partnership grounded in their NBLM attraction.
Trixic vs sapphic: what's the difference?
Sapphic is a broader umbrella for women and women-aligned people (including some non-binary folks) attracted to women. Trixic is narrower: it's specifically for non-binary people attracted to women who don't identify as women themselves. Many trixic people consider themselves part of the sapphic community; some don't. Both labels can coexist.
What is nixic?
Nixic describes a non-binary person attracted to other non-binary people. It rounds out the trixic/toric/nixic trio: trixic = NB attracted to women, toric = NB attracted to men, nixic = NB attracted to other NB folks. Like trixic and toric, nixic emerged from online queer communities (primarily Tumblr) to give non-binary people language built for them rather than borrowed from binary frameworks.
Carrying the flag forward
Trixic and toric are some of the newer additions to queer language, and they fill real gaps, letting non-binary people be specific about their attractions without borrowing labels built around binary gender. The labels and flags will keep evolving as the community refines them, but the underlying need is settled: non-binary people deserve language that fits.
If you wear a trixic or toric pride pin, or one of the more specific identity flags from our complete pride flags guide, you're claiming visible space for a label community has built precisely because the existing options didn't quite work.
We've donated $10,219.58 CAD to LGBTQ+ organizations to date (lifetime, as of 2026-05-13), including Rainbow Refugee Society, Covenant House Vancouver, GLSEN, UNYA (Urban Native Youth Association), and BC pride societies. Sayoni was previously supported through our charity-pin partnership program (paused 2025+). See our donations page for the full breakdown. Every order helps that number grow.
Written by Delwin Tan, Co-Founder of Proud Zebra
Published 2026-05-06. Last updated 2026-05-06.
Delwin co-founded Proud Zebra with his partner Jimmy Cheang in late 2020. We're a queer-owned Canadian small business, designing pride pins, patches, stickers, and accessories from the Lower Mainland, BC. We've donated over $10,219.58 CAD to LGBTQ+ organizations to date.
