No Vagina? It's Not Futanari
What's the point? TL;DR
If you are reading this, you have most likely posted a character that looks like a female, but it has a penis instead of a vagina. In order to be a futanari, the character must have a penis and a vagina; futanari are hermaphrodites. If you didn't know this, it's because the term has been misused for various reasons and the bad attempts to solve the problem. In this text, you can learn more about what a futanari is, understand what kind of character you posted, and when to tag futanari. The purpose of this text is only to explain what a futanari is and isn't so that the futanari tag is used correctly. It is not to explain sexual attraction, insult you for misusing the term in ignorance, or start a debate. The rest of this text will provide more information about futanari and respond to common arguments. If you understand and agree with this text, read the call to action. The differences between futanari and other terms have been illustrated for you in "Futanari? What's That?" by nekoarashi.
- Images
- Information About Futanari
- What is a futanari?
- If it's not futanari, what is it?
- What is the problem?
- How did it get this way?
- Why does it matter?
- How is sex determined?
- What about a woman who was born with a penis?
- What about a woman who grows a penis?
- What about an alien or animal species?
- What if I don't care about the vagina?
- What if the vagina is unknown?
- What about "futa without pussy" and "full-package futanari"?
- False Arguments Against Futanari Vaginas
- Call to Action
- Changelog
Images
Illustration by nekoarashi

Source: "Futanari? What's That?" by nekoarashi (NSFW)
Diagram of the sexes (NSFW)
Information About Futanari
What is a futanari?
Futanari (ă”ăăȘă) translates to dual form and is also translated as hermaphrodite. A futanari is someone with both male and female sex organs. It is a fictional person and doesn't have a real life counterpart; true hermaphrodites similar to futanari have not been found in mammals or humans. Reproduction is not always explored in futanari artwork, but a futanari should be capable of both being impregnated and impregnating. The only requirement to be a futanari is having both sex organs, the rest of their appearance can vary. The most common depiction is a female futanari or onna futanari; a female body and mind with a penis above her vagina. The testicles can be external or internal (NSFW). The clitoris can become the penis in some depictions. Another despiction is the male futanari or otoko futanari; a male body and mind with a vagina behind his penis. For information about the history of the term read "Futanari? What's That?" By nekoarashi (NSFW).
If it's not futanari, what is it?
Here are some possible terms to describe your character:
Dickgirl, Gynomorph
- A fictional female with a penis. Appears female in every way except they have a penis in place of a vagina. Sexually male with a female body.
Shemale, Ladyboy, Newhalf
- A male who makes permanent changes to their body with surgery, usually breast implants, to appear female while keeping their penis. Shemale is western and ladyboy is eastern. Newhalf is Japanese and refers to a male getting surgery to look female, but keeping their male genitals. The bottom remains the same but above the belt is a new half.
Trans
- A person who doesn't identify with their birth sex. May or may not attempt to surgically alter their body and/or genitals to be of the opposite sex and/or wear clothing of the opposite sex. Commonly takes hormones of the opposite sex to change their body without surgery.
Femboy
- A male who has an androgynous or feminine body but still identifies male. The male attributes they retain besides their male genitals can vary. Never has breasts.
Drag Queen, Crossdresser, Transvestite
- A male who dresses in female clothing and still identifies male. May use makeup or wear prosthetic breasts, but avoids permanent changes like surgery.
Trap
- A fictional male who appears female, usually a crossdresser or femboy.
Otoko, Onna
- The Japanese words for man and woman.
Cuntboy, Andromorph
- A fictional male with a vagina. Appears male in every way except they have a vagina in place of a penis. Sexually female with a male body.
Intersex
- A person born with atypical sexual chromosomes or anatomy. May have malformed genitals or be sterile. May have non-standard chromosomal pairings such as X, XYY or XXY. They do not have two functional sets of genitals like futanari.
Hermaphrodite
- An organism that can produce both gametes. Several snail species can produce sperm and eggs, each member of the species can reproduce with any another. True Hermaphroditism with both complete sex organs like futanari is not found in real life humans.
Pseudohermaphrodite
- An organism that produces a single gamete, but has characteristics of the opposite sex. A female hyena has a pseudopenis, but doesnt produce sperm. Human males with Androgen Insensitivity Syndrome appear female, but have testicles where their ovaries are meant to be.
What is the problem?
Futanari has been misunderstood to simply mean, "a girl with a dick," but futanari are hermaphrodites; they must have a penis and a vagina. If there's no vagina, it's just a male that looks female, not a futanari. There are many terms to describe that other kind of character, a male with a feminine appearance, such as dickgirl, shemale, and trans-identified male. They may have breasts, long hair, and wide hips, but between their legs, there are only the male genitals. The problem is that there is no vagina. If there is no vagina, it is not futanari. If the character has the genitalia of a single sex, it can't be a futanari because futanari have both. The same thing applies to a female with a masculine appearance, such as a cuntboy or trans-identified female. Without a penis, it's just a female that looks male, not a futanari. You can consider futanari to be both sexes simultaneously or a third sex, but either way this is a significant difference from both male and female. Feminine males and masculine females already have their own terms, but there is only one term for futanari, we should use it for its true meaning. It is necessary to note that futanari only exist in fiction, they do not represent trans people or intersex people.
How did it get this way?
- Futanari only exist in fiction, people make up their own rules about how they work outside of being hermaphrodites.
- There is often confusion about whether a character is a futanari or a dickgirl because the vagina is hidden or never shown. If you are looking at a futanari with external testicles from above waist level, it is impossible to see the vagina.
- In real life, "a chick with a dick," is actually, "a dude with tits," people uninterested in the fictional concept conflate every person with a penis as male, disregarding hermaphrodites.
- A significant portion of futanari fans are submissives and there are many stories where the futanari penetrates the man, but the futanari is never penetrated.
- Tag moderators and web admins become frustrated with people misunderstanding or arguing about the differences and decide to categorize both dickgirls and true hermaphrodites as futanari for simplicity.
- Trans-identified males using the term to describe themselves.
- Western people misusing the term to include dickgirls and shemales.
- People who enjoy femboys, shemales, trans, dickgirls, and futanari all the same, but don't care about the distinction.
- Spiteful people misusing the term on purpose.
Why does it matter?
People who enjoy futanari are interested in both male and female genitalia. They are frustrated when the term is used to include characters that only have male genitals. There are many other terms for, "a girl with a dick," and they should not be included as futanari. The purpose of this text is not to propose banning or censoring those other characters. The purpose is to educate on the appropriate use of the term futanari, so people can find what they want.
How is sex determined?
The sex of an organism is determined by which gamete they produce. Females produce eggs and males produce sperm. Hermaphrodites can produce both. Futanari are hermaphrodites because they can produce both. Dickgirls, Gynomorphs can only produce sperm; they are sexually male despite a female body. Cuntboys, Andromorphs can only produce eggs; they are sexually female despite a male body.
What about a woman who was born with a penis?
If the woman has a penis, but no vagina, then it's a dickgirl. If the woman has both, it's a futanari.
What about a woman who grows a penis?
If a woman grows a penis in addition to her vagina, she becomes a futanari. If the penis replaces the vagina, then it is a sex change, she would be a male, a dickgirl.
What about an alien or animal species?
Does the species have the reproductive organs of both sexes? If yes, it can be considered futanari.
What if I don't care about the vagina?
If you are interested in "girls with dicks," but the vagina is optional for you, then you can search for terms like "dickgirl" and "shemale." Futanari specifically have vaginas.
What if the vagina is unknown?
Sometimes a work depicts a dickgirl and the vagina is never shown, never addressed, or never explained. When the vagina is unknown, it should be tagged as a dickgirl. Only tag futanari when a vagina is confirmed.
What about "futa without pussy" and "full-package futanari"?
Both of these tags propagate the problem. "Futa without pussy" is an oxymoron, it's two without one. If dickgirl, shemale, or newhalf cannot be used, then use the new term, gynomorph. "Full-package futanari" is ambiguous, there's no clear meaning. It could mean penis, testicles, and vagina, or it could mean penis and vagina, making it redundant. Futanari already means penis and vagina. Both of these terms require the tagger to know what futanari means, it doesn't fix the problem that there are people who don't know or don't care. If the term futanari is to be used correctly, it requires telling people what futanari means and enforcing the correct terms.
False Arguments Against Futanari Vaginas
"Futanari with vaginas is a sub-genre."
There are no other terms for a person with both complete sets of sexual organs except for futanari. It has a specific meaning. However, there are plenty of terms for, "a girl with a dick" which can be used. Futanari is the sub-genre that requires a vagina.
"Why do you care so much? It's just fantasy."
This is not an argument. The definition of futanari has become a common thing to argue about, so this text was written. This text is unnecessary to read past the title. If a work about two men was tagged as lesbian that would be absurd. The difference between a dickgirl and a futanari is as significant as the difference between a male and a female. In fantasy, terms still have meanings and futanari has its own meaning.
"You only care about the dick. The Vagina is Cope."
This is meant to be an insult. Only a malicious person would say this. We want both. Futanari is the term for both. If you don't care about the vagina, that's fine, just stop calling it futanari when there isn't one.
"Language evolves."
There's no evolution here, you are conflating futanari and other terms for nefarious purposes. You realize futanari is a more popular tag than other terms so you tag it incorrectly for more views. You want to insert trans into futanari for validation. This isn't evolution, it's a hostile takeover. When someone is simply ignorant about a term's meaning, they will accept the correct definition and move on. However, malicious actors will misuse the term, argue its meaning is vague, and resort to insults.
Call to Action
What should I do?
- If you were linked this text for misusing the futanari tag, then use a different tag or change your art to represent a true futanari.
- If you are a fan of futanari and are tired of the tag being abused, link this text where it is misused and in places where futanari are discussed.
- If you are a tag moderator or web administrator, change your tagging rules to reflect the correct definitions and enforce them.
- If you are creating a visual work that features futanari make sure to show the vagina when possible so it's clear that it is a futanari.
- If you are creating a chatbot that is a futanari make sure to include the vagina in the definition. The LLM may include training data that is poisoned and during roleplay the model may reply that the character has no vagina.
- If you disagree with anything in this text or want to improve it, contact me below.
Changelog
2025/12/08
-The content of this rentry has been finalized. If you have read this text before this date, I suggest re-reading. Any further changes will be documented here.
2025/12/18
-TL;DR was updated to link relevant parts of the text.
2025/12/21
-Added another diagram showing the differences between futanari, male, and female.
2026/01/13
-Rework of major and minor titles for clarity. Most notably, "What is a futanari?" And "What is the problem?"
-Added pseudohermaphrodite definition, and added to to hermaphrodite definition.
-Added "full-package futanari" to "What about 'futa without pussy'?"
-Combined "It's just fantasy" and "Why do you care so much?"
-Added "What should I do?" to a "Call to Action" section.
Author [email protected]