Malisian

Malisian is an exclusive term for black non-binary and genderqueer people. The label and flag were created by Twitter user vadacult on September 1st, 2021.

The term was created by vadacult to create a space of black inclusivity and positivity in response to the rampant anti-blackness and exclusion that black people face within the LGBTQ+ community. It also serves the purpose of reconnecting with the diverse identities that were erased in Africa during white colonization and forced assimilation into the eurocentric gender-binary, which has also often been used as a tool of oppression towards black people due to the fact that they do not fall into the white-centered standards of said binary. Ultimately, the label is meant to acknowledge the unique experience that black non-binary and genderqueer people experience due to being forced into the eurocentric binary during colonization, while also being excluded from both the binary itself and non-binary communities for not meeting white standards.

Etymology
The term malisian is derived from the West African deity Mawu-Lisa. Mawu-Lisa is the fusion between the female moon goddess, Mawu, and the male sun god, Lisa. Mawu and Lisa combined into a singular androgynous being, the fusion between day and night. Mawu-Lisa is commonly portrayed as having both male and female gender, or having no gender entirely.

Flag
Purple represents a combination of day and night or dawn and dusk. The white line represents the horizon; the sun/moon represents the sun/moon on the horizon at dawn/dusk. The brown below the white is the ground. The flag can have a dual meaning, representing blackness and queerness, and also Mawu-Lisa themself.

Resources
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